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wealbk04-第11章

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the price of such a commodity could be enhanced by such a tax:

but how far the general enhancement of the price of labour might

affect that of every different commodity about which labour was

employed could never be known with any tolerable exactness。 It

would be impossible; therefore; to proportion with any tolerable

exactness the tax upon every foreign to this enhancement of the

price of every home commodity。

     Secondly; taxes upon the necessaries of life have nearly the

same effect upon the circumstances of the people as a poor soil

and a bad climate。 Provisions are thereby rendered dearer in the

same manner as if it required extraordinary labour and expense to

raise them。 As in the natural scarcity arising from soil and

climate it would be absurd to direct the people in what manner

they ought to employ their capitals and industry; so is it

likewise in the artificial scarcity arising from such taxes。 To

be left to accommodate; as well as they could; their industry to

their situation; and to find out those employments in which;

notwithstanding their unfavourable circumstances; they might have

some advantage either in the home or in the foreign market; is

what in both cases would evidently be most for their advantage。

To lay a new tax upon them; because they are already overburdened

with taxes; and because they already pay too dear for the

necessaries of life; to make them likewise pay too dear for the

greater part of other commodities; is certainly a most absurd way

of making amends。

     Such taxes; when they have grown up to a certain height; are

a curse equal to the barrenness of the earth and the inclemency

of the heavens; and yet it is in the richest and most industrious

countries that they have been most generally imposed。 No other

countries could support so great a disorder。 As the strongest

bodies only can live and enjoy health under an unwholesome

regimen; so the nations only that in every sort of industry have

the greatest natural and acquired advantages can subsist and

prosper under such taxes。 Holland is the country in Europe in

which they abound most; and which from peculiar circumstances

continues to prosper; not by means of them; as has been most

absurdly supposed; but in spite of them。

     As there are two cases in which it will generally be

advantageous to lay some burden upon foreign for the

encouragement of domestic industry; so there are two others in

which it may sometimes be a matter of deliberation; in the one;

how far it is proper to continue the free importation of certain

foreign goods; and in the other; how far; or in what manner; it

may be proper to restore that free importation after it has been

for some time interrupted。

     The case in which it may sometimes be a matter of

deliberation how far it is proper to continue the free

importation of certain foreign goods is; when some foreign nation

restrains by high duties or prohibitions the importation of some

of our manufactures into their country。 Revenge in this case

naturally dictates retaliation; and that we should impose the

like duties and prohibitions upon the importation of some or all

of their manufactures into ours。 Nations; accordingly; seldom

fail to retaliate in this manner。 The French have been

particularly forward to favour their own manufactures by

restraining the importation of such foreign goods as could come

into competition with them。 In this consisted a great part of the

policy of Mr。 Colbert; who; notwithstanding his great abilities;

seems in this case to have been imposed upon by the sophistry of

merchants and manufacturers; who are always demanding a monopoly

against their countrymen。 It is at present the opinion of the

most intelligent men in France that his operations of this kind

have not been beneficial to his country。 That minister; by the

tariff of 1667; imposed very high duties upon a great number of

foreign manufactures。 Upon his refusing to moderate them in

favour of the Dutch; they in 1671 prohibited the importation of

the wines; brandies; and manufactures of France。 The war of 1672

seems to have been in part occasioned by this commercial dispute。

The peace of Nimeguen put an end to it in 1678 by moderating some

of those duties in favour of the Dutch; who in consequence took

off their prohibition。 It was about the same time that the French

and English began mutually to oppress each other's industry by

the like duties and prohibitions; of which the French; however;

seem to have set the first example。 The spirit of hostility which

has subsisted between the two nations ever since has hitherto

hindered them from being moderated on either side。 In 1697 the

English prohibited the importation of bonelace; the manufacture

of Flanders。 The government of that country; at that time under

the dominion of Spain; prohibited in return the importation of

English woollens。 In 1700; the prohibition of importing bonelace

into England was taken off upon condition that the importance of

English woollens into Flanders should be put on the same footing

as before。

     There may be good policy in retaliations of this kind; when

there is a probability that they will procure the repeal of the

high duties or prohibitions complained of。 The recovery of a

great foreign market will generally more than compensate the

transitory inconveniency of paying dearer during a short time for

some sorts of goods。 To judge whether such retaliations are

likely to produce such an effect does not; perhaps; belong so

much to the science of a legislator; whose deliberations ought to

be governed by general principles which are always the same; as

to the skill of that insidious and crafty animal; vulgarly called

a statesman or politician; whose councils are directed by the

momentary fluctuations of affairs。 When there is no probability

that any such repeal can be procured; it seems a bad method of

compensating the injury done to certain classes of our people to

do another injury ourselves; not only to those classes; but to

almost all the other classes of them。 When our neighbours

prohibit some manufacture of ours; we generally prohibit; not

only the same; for that alone would seldom affect them

considerably; but some other manufacture of theirs。 This may no

doubt give encouragement to some particular class of workmen

among ourselves; and by excluding some of their rivals; may

enable them to raise their price in the home market。 Those

workmen; however; who suffered by our neighbours' prohibition

will not be benefited by ours。 On the contrary; they and almost

all the other classes of our citizens will thereby be obliged to

pay dearer than before for certain goods。 Every such law;

therefore; imposes a real tax upon the whole country; not in

favour of that particular class of workmen who were injured by

our neighbours' prohibition; but of some other class。

     The case in which it may sometimes be a matter of

deliberation; how far; or in what manner; it is proper to restore

the free importation of foreign goods; after it has been for some

time interrupted; is; when particular manufactures; by means of

high duties or prohibitions upon all foreign goods which can come

into competition with them; have been so far extended as to

employ a great multitude of hands。 Humanity may in this case

require that the freedom of trade should be restored only by slow

gradations; and with a good deal of reserve and circumspection。

Were those high duties and prohibitions taken away all at once;

cheaper foreign goods of the same kind might be poured so fast

into the home market as to deprive all at once many thousands of

our people of their ordinary employment and means of subsistence。

The disorder which this would occasion might no doubt be very

considerable。 It would in all probability; however; be much less

than is commonly imagined; for the two following reasons:…

     First; all those manufactures; of which any part is commonly

exported to other European countries without a bounty; could be

very little affected by the freest importation of foreign goods。

Such manufactures must be sold as cheap abroad as any other

foreign goods of the same quality and kind; and consequently must

be sold cheaper at home。 They would still; therefore; keep

possession of the home market; and though a capricious man of

fashion might sometimes prefer foreign wares; merely because they

were foreign; to cheaper and better goods of the same kind that

were made at home; this folly could; from the nature of things;

extend to so few that it could make no sensible impression upon

the general employment of the people。 But a great part of all the

different branches of our woollen manufacture; of our tanned

leather; and of our hardware; are annually exported to other

European countries without any bounty; and these are the

manufactures which employ the greatest number of hands。 The silk;

perhaps; is the manufacture which would suffer the most by this

freedom of trade; and after it the linen; though the latter much

less than the former。
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