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wealbk04-第31章

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of the corn trade is almost everywhere more or less restrained;

and; in many countries; is confined by such absurd regulations as

frequently aggravate the unavoidable misfortune of a dearth into

the dreadful calamity of a famine。 The demand of such countries

for corn may frequently become so great and so urgent that a

small state in their neighbourhood; which happened at the same

time to be labouring under some degree of dearth; could not

venture to supply them without exposing itself to the like

dreadful calamity。 The very bad policy of one country may thus

render it in some measure dangerous and imprudent to establish

what would otherwise be the best policy in another。 The unlimited

freedom of exportation; however; would be much less dangerous in

great states; in which the growth being much greater; the supply

could seldom be much affected by any quantity of corn that was

likely to be exported。 In a Swiss canton; or in some of the

little states of Italy; it may perhaps sometimes be necessary to

restrain the exportation of corn。 In such great countries as

France or England it scarce ever can。 To hinder; besides; the

farmer from sending his goods at all times to the best market is

evidently to sacrifice the ordinary laws of justice to an idea of

public utility; to a sort of reasons of state; an act of

legislative authority which ought to be exercised only; which can

be pardoned only in cases of the most urgent necessity。 The price

at which the exportation of corn is prohibited; if it is ever to

be prohibited; ought always to be a very high price。

     The laws concerning corn may everywhere be compared to the

laws concerning religion。 The people feel themselves so much

interested in what relates either of their subsistence in this

life; or to their happiness in a life to come; that government

must yield to their prejudices; and; in order to preserve the

public tranquillity; establish that system which they approve of。

It is upon this account; perhaps; that we so seldom find a

reasonable system established with regard to either of those two

capital objects。

     IV。 The trade of the merchant carrier; or of the importer of

foreign corn in order to export it again; contributes to the

plentiful supply of the home market。 It is not indeed the direct

purpose of his trade to sell his corn there。 But he will

generally be willing to do so; and even for a good deal less

money than he might expect in a foreign market; because he saves

in this manner the expense of loading and unloading; of freight

and insurance。 The inhabitants of the country which; by means of

the carrying trade; becomes the magazine and storehouse for the

supply of other countries can very seldom be in want themselves。

Though the carrying trade might thus contribute to reduce the

average money price of corn in the home market; it would not

thereby lower its real value。 It would only raise somewhat the

real value of silver。

     The carrying trade was in effect prohibited in Great

Britain; upon all ordinary occasions; by the high duties upon the

importation of foreign corn; of the greater part of which there

was no drawback; and upon extraordinary occasions; when a

scarcity made it necessary to suspend those duties by temporary

statutes; exportation was always prohibited。 By this system of

laws; therefore; the carrying trade was in effect prohibited upon

all occasions。

     That system of laws; therefore; which is connected with the

establishment of the bounty; seems to deserve no part of the

praise which has been bestowed upon it。 The improvement and

prosperity of Great Britain; which has been so often ascribed to

those laws; may very easily be accounted for by other causes。

That security which the laws in Great Britain give to every man

that he shall enjoy the fruits of his own labour is alone

sufficient to make any country flourish; notwithstanding these

and twenty other absurd regulations of commerce; and this

security was perfected by the revolution much about the same time

that the bounty was established。 The natural effort of every

individual to better his own condition; when suffered to exert

itself with freedom and security is so powerful a principle that

it is alone; and without any assistance; not only capable of

carrying on the society to wealth and prosperity; but of

surmounting a hundred impertinent obstructions with which the

folly of human laws too often incumbers its operations; though

the effect of these obstructions is always more or less either to

encroach upon its freedom; or to diminish its security。 In Great

Britain industry is perfectly secure; and though it is far from

being perfectly free; it is as free or freer than in any other

part of Europe。

     Though the period of the greatest prosperity and improvement

of Great Britain has been posterior to that system of laws which

is connected with the bounty; we must not upon that account

impute it to those laws。 It has been posterior likewise to the

national debt。 But the national debt has most assuredly not been

the cause of it。

     Though the system of laws which is connected with the bounty

has exactly the same tendency of tendency with the police of

Spain and Portugal; to lower somewhat the value of the precious

metals in the country where it takes place; yet Great Britain is

certainly one of the richest countries in Europe; while Spain and

Portugal are perhaps among the most beggarly。 This difference of

situation; however; may easily be accounted for from two

different causes。 First; the tax of Spain; the prohibition in

Portugal of exporting gold and silver; and the vigilant police

which watches over the execution of those laws; must; in two very

poor countries; which between them import annually upwards of six

millions sterling; operate not only more directly but much more

forcibly in reducing the value of those metals there than the

corn laws can do in Great Britain。 And; secondly; this bad policy

is not in those countries counterbalanced by the general liberty

and security of the people。 Industry is there neither free nor

secure; and the civil and ecclesiastical governments of both

Spain and Portugal are such as would alone be sufficient to

perpetuate their present state of poverty; even though their

regulations of commerce were as wise as the greater part of them

are absurd and foolish。

     The 13th of the present king; c。 43; seems to have

established a new system with regard to the corn laws in many

respects better than the ancient one; but in one or two respects

perhaps not quite so good。

     By this statute the high duties upon importations for home

consumption are taken off so soon as the price of middling wheat

rises to forty…eight shillings the quarter; that of middling rye;

pease or beans; to thirty…two shillings; that of barley to

twenty…four shillings; and that of oats to sixteen shillings; and

instead of them a small duty is imposed of only sixpence upon the

quarter of wheat; and upon that of other grain in proportion。

With regard to all these different sorts of grain; but

particularly with regard to wheat; the home market is thus opened

to foreign supplies at prices considerably lower than before。

     By the same statute the old bounty of five shillings upon

the exportation of wheat ceases so soon as the price rises to

forty…four shillings the quarter; instead of forty…eight; the

price at which it ceased before; that of two shillings and

sixpence upon the exportation of barley ceases so soon as the

price rises to twenty…two shillings; instead of twenty…four; the

price at which it ceased before; that of two shillings and

sixpence upon the exportation of oatmeal ceases so soon as the

price rises to fourteen shillings; instead of fifteen; the price

at which it ceased before。 The bounty upon rye is reduced from

three shillings and sixpence to three shillings; and it ceases so

soon as the price rises to twenty…eight shillings instead of

thirty…two; the price at which it ceased before。 If bounties are

as improper as I have endeavoured to prove them to be; the sooner

they cease; and the lower they are; so much the better。

     The same statute permits; at the lowest prices; the

importation of corn; in order to be exported again duty free;

provided it is in the meantime lodged in a warehouse under the

joint locks of the king and the importer。 This liberty; indeed;

extends to no more than twenty…five of the different ports of

Great Britain。 They are; however; the principal ones; and there

may not; perhaps; be warehouses proper for this purpose in the

greater part of the others。

     So far this law seems evidently an improvement upon the

ancient system。

     But by the same law a bounty of two shillings the quarter is

given for the exportation of oats whenever the price does not

exceed fourteen shillings。 No bounty had ever been given before

for the exportation of this grain; no more than for that of pease

or beans。

     By the same law; too; the exportation of wheat is prohibited

so soon as the price
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