proverb · Words worth keeping
Rich country, bad road.
Rich country, bad road.
Historical period not yet established
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
A prosperous area can still have a neglected practical need. Rich country and bad road contrast overall resources with the condition of a shared route.
What the words are saying
The pairing challenges the assumption that abundance automatically produces good provision. It can prompt questions about priorities, distribution and responsibility for maintenance. It does not establish that wealthy places generally have poor roads or identify a historical location. A useful reading examines the actual gap between available resources and what people need to use them fairly.
Everyday example
A group notices that a well-funded project still leaves an essential access route difficult to use and reviews its priorities.
When to use it
Use it to question a mismatch between resources and practical provision.
What it does not mean
The saying is not a measured regional comparison or a verified origin claim.
Agent-assisted editorial interpretation. This explains the words; it does not by itself verify their author or earliest origin.
Attribution & collection notes
- Author or tradition
- Traditional
Attribution: traditional - Country attributed
- Not established
A country attribution does not establish the earliest origin. - Historical period
- Historical period not yet established
No sufficiently supported historical placement has been established. Import and download dates are not treated as composition dates. - Recorded source
- A Dictionary of English Proverbs and Proverbial Phrases
Entry 1365 · Road
A collection's publication date can be later than the words it records.
- Culture
- English