Adam Smith. An inquiry into the nature and causes of the wealth of Nations (№ 347140)

No nation has ever voluntarily renounced rule over any province, no matter how onerous could be managing and no matter how small was brought by her income compared to the induced costs. Such failures, although they can often be in the best interests always humiliating to the pride of all the nation, that, perhaps, is of even greater importance, is always at odds with private interests of its ruling part, which in this case would lose the possibility to administer numerous responsible and lucrative positions would have lost many occasions to acquire wealth and distinction, and in fact the domination over even the most restless and the most disadvantageous for the majority of the people of the province does not deliver such rare occasions.