# Franklin’s ladder: gold, diamonds, virtue 2026-08-10T22:05:25+00:00 | World & Diplomacy | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet Benjamin Franklin, the American founding father, ranked virtue above gold and diamonds in Poor Richard's Almanack, a saying that still resonates. The Times of India reports that Franklin, who built his fortune from a printer's apprenticeship, saw virtue as the only wealth that cannot be mined, bought, or inherited. Franklin's ladder places unpurchasable character at the top, a view echoed by ancient Stoics and modern research on trust. The paper notes Franklin's own success rested on a deliberate project of self-improvement, listing thirteen virtues he tracked for years. ## Coverage - timesofindia.indiatimes.com Tags: Benjamin Franklin, character, Poor Richard's Almanack, self-improvement, virtue Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/franklins-ladder-gold-diamonds-virtue/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/franklins-ladder-gold-diamonds-virtue/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes.