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class enjoys its proper share of the whole annual produce。 Some
subsequent formularies represent the manner in which he supposes
this distribution is made in different states of restraint and
regulation； in which either the class of proprietors or the
barren and unproductive class is more favoured than the class of
cultivators； and in which either the one or the other encroaches
more or less upon the share which ought properly to belong to
this productive class。 Every such encroachment； every violation
of that natural distribution； which the most perfect liberty
would establish； must； according to this system； necessarily
degrade more or less； from one year to another； the value and sum
total of the annual produce； and must necessarily occasion a
gradual declension in the real wealth and revenue of the society；
a declension of which the progress must be quicker or slower；
according to the degree of this encroachment； according as that
natural distribution which the most perfect liberty would
establish is more or less violated。 Those subsequent formularies
represent the different degrees of declension which； according to
this system； correspond to the different degrees in which this
natural distribution is violated。
Some speculative physicians seem to have imagined that the
health of the human body could be preserved only by a certain
precise regimen of diet and exercise； of which every； the
smallest； violation necessarily occasioned some degree of disease
or disorder proportioned to the degree of the violation。
Experience； however； would seem to show that the human body
frequently preserves； to all appearances at least； the most
perfect state of health under a vast variety of different
regimens； even under some which are generally believed to be very
far from being perfectly wholesome。 But the healthful state of
the human body； it would seem； contains in itself some unknown
principle of preservation； capable either of preventing or of
correcting； in many respects； the bad effects even of a very
faulty regimen。 Mr。 Quesnai； who was himself a physician； and a
very speculative physician； seems to have entertained a notion of
the same kind concerning the political body； and to have imagined
that it would thrive and prosper only under a certain precise
regimen； the exact regimen of perfect liberty and perfect
justice。 He seems not to have considered that； in the political
body； the natural effort which every man is continually making to
better his own condition is a principle of preservation capable
of preventing and correcting； in many respects； the bad effects
of a political economy； in some degree； both partial and
oppressive。 Such a political economy； though it no doubt retards
more or less； is not always capable of stopping altogether the
natural progress of a nation towards wealth and prosperity； and
still less of making it go backwards。 If a nation could not
prosper without the enjoyment of perfect liberty and perfect
justice； there is not in the world a nation which could ever have
prospered。 In the political body； however； the wisdom of nature
has fortunately made ample provision for remedying many of the
bad effects of the folly and injustice of man； in the same manner
as it has done in the natural body for remedying those of his
sloth and intemperance。
The capital error of this system； however； seems to lie in
its representing the class of artificers； manufacturers； and
merchants as altogether barren and unproductive。 The following
observations may serve to show the impropriety of this
representation。
First； this class； it is acknowledged； reproduces annually
the value of its own annual consumption； and continues； at least；
the existence of the stock or capital which maintains and employs
it。 But upon this account alone the denomination of barren or
unproductive should seem to be very improperly applied to it。 We
should not call a marriage barren or unproductive though it
produced only a son and a daughter； to replace the father and
mother； and though it did not increase the number of the human
species； but only continued it as it was before。 Farmers and
country labourers； indeed； over and above the stock which
maintains and employs them； reproduce annually a net produce； a
free rent to the landlord。 As a marriage which affords three
children is certainly more productive than one which affords only
two； so the labour of farmers and country labourers is certainly
more productive than that of merchants； artificers； and
manufacturers。 The superior produce of the one class； however；
does not render the other barren or unproductive。
Secondly； it seems； upon this account； altogether improper
to consider artificers； manufacturers； and merchants in the same
light as menial servants。 The labour of menial servants does not
continue the existence of the fund which maintains and employs
them。 Their maintenance and employment is altogether at the
expense of their masters； and the work which they perform is not
of a nature to repay that expense。 That work consists in services
which perish generally in the very instant of their performance；
and does not fix or realize itself in any vendible commodity
which can replace the value of their wages and maintenance。 The
labour； on the contrary； of artificers； manufacturers； and
merchants naturally does fix and realize itself in some such
vendible commodity。 It is upon this account that； in the chapter
in which I treat of productive and unproductive labour； I have
classed artificers； manufacturers； and merchants among the
productive labourers； and menial servants among the barren or
unproductive。
Thirdly； it seems upon every supposition improper to say
that the labour of artificers； manufacturers； and merchants does
not increase the real revenue of the society。 Though we should
suppose； for example； as it seems to be supposed in this system；
that the value of the daily； monthly； and yearly consumption of
this class was exactly equal to that of its daily； monthly； and
yearly production； yet it would not from thence follow that its
labour added nothing to the real revenue； to the real value of
the annual produce of the land and labour of the society。 An
artificer； for example； who； in the first six months after
harvest； executes ten pounds' worth of work； though he should in
the same time consume ten pounds' worth of corn and other
necessaries； yet really adds the value of ten pounds to the
annual produce of the land and labour of the society。 While he
has been consuming a half…yearly revenue of ten pounds' worth of
corn and other necessaries； he has produced an equal value of
work capable of purchasing； either to himself or some other
person； an equal half…yearly revenue。 The value； therefore； of
what has been consumed and produced during these six months is
equal； not to ten； but to twenty pounds。 It is possible； indeed；
that no more than ten pounds' worth of this value may ever have
existed at any one moment of time。 But if the ten pounds' worth
of corn and other necessaties； which were consumed by the
artificer； had been consumed by a soldier or by a menial servant；
the value of that part of the annual produce which existed at the
end of the six months would have been ten pounds less than it
actually is in consequence of the labour of the artificer。 Though
the value of what the artificer produces； therefore； should not
at any one moment of time be supposed greater than the value he
consumes； yet at every moment of time the actually existing value
of goods in the market is； in consequence of what he produces；
greater than it otherwise would be。
When the patrons of this system assert that the consumption
of artificers； manufacturers； and merchants is equal to the value
of what they produce； they probably mean no more than that their
revenue； or the fund destined for their consumption； is equal to
it。 But if they had expressed themselves more accurately； and
only asserted that the revenue of this class was equal to the
value of what they produced； it might readily have occurred to
the reader that what would naturally be saved out of this revenue
must necessarily increase more or less the real wealth of the
society。 In order； therefore； to make out something like an
argument； it was necessary that they should express themselves as
they have done； and this argument； even supposing things actually
were as it seems to presume them to be； turns out to be a very
inconclusive one。
Fourthly； farmers and country labourers can no more augment；
without parsimony； the real revenue； the annual produce of the
land and labour of their society； than artificers； manufacturers；
and merchants。 The annual produce of the land and labour of any
society can be augmented only in two ways； either； first； by some
improvement in the productive powers of the useful labour
actually maintained within it； or； secondly； by some increase in
the quantity of that labour。
The improvement in the productive powers o