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wealbk04-第69章

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actually maintained within it; or; secondly; by some increase in

the quantity of that labour。

     The improvement in the productive powers of useful labour

depend; first; upon the improvement in the ability of the

workman; and; secondly; upon that of the machinery with which he

works。 But the labour of artificers and manufacturers; as it is

capable of being more subdivided; and the labour of each workman

reduced to a greater simplicity of operation than that of farmers

and country labourers; so it is likewise capable of both these

sorts of improvements in a much higher degree。 In this respect;

therefore; the class of cultivators can have no sort of advantage

over that of artificers and manufacturers。

     The increase in the quantity of useful labour actually

employed within any society must depend altogether upon the

increase of the capital which employs it; and the increase of

that capital again must be exactly equal to the amount of the

savings from the revenue; either of the particular persons who

manage and direct the employment of that capital; or of some

other persons who lend it to them。 If merchants; artificers; and

manufacturers are; as this system seems to suppose; naturally

more inclined to parsimony and saving than proprietors and

cultivators; they are; so far; more likely to augment the

quantity of useful labour employed within their society; and

consequently to increase its real revenue; the annual produce of

its land and labour。

     Fifthly and lastly; though the revenue of the inhabitants of

every country was supposed to consist altogether; as this system

seems to suppose; in the quantity of subsistence which their

industry could procure to them; yet; even upon this supposition;

the revenue of a trading and manufacturing country must; other

things being equal; always be much greater than that of one

without trade or manufactures。 By means of trade and

manufactures; a greater quantity of subsistence can be annually

imported into a particular country than what its own lands; in

the actual state of their cultivation; could afford。 The

inhabitants of a town; though they frequently possess no lands of

their own; yet draw to themselves by their industry such a

quantity of the rude produce of the lands of other people as

supplies them; not only with the materials of their work; but

with the fund of their subsistence。 What a town always is with

regard to the country in its neighbourhood; one independent state

or country may frequently be with regard to other independent

states or countries。 It is thus that Holland draws a great part

of its subsistence from other countries; live cattle from

Holstein and Jutland; and corn from almost all the different

countries of Europe。 A small quantity of manufactured produce

purchases a great quantity of rude produce。 A trading and

manufacturing country; therefore; naturally purchases with a

small part of its manufactured produce a great part of the rude

produce of other countries; while; on the contrary; a country

without trade and manufactures is generally obliged to purchase;

at the expense of a great part of its rude produce; a very small

part of the manufactured produce of other countries。 The one

exports what can subsist and accommodate but a very few; and

imports the subsistence and accommodation of a great number。 The

other exports the accommodation and subsistence of a great

number; and imports that of a very few only。 The inhabitants of

the one must always enjoy a much greater quantity of subsistence

than what their own lands; in the actual state of their

cultivation; could afford。 The inhabitants of the other must

always enjoy a much smaller quantity。

     This system; however; with all its imperfections is;

perhaps; the nearest approximation to the truth that has yet been

published upon the subject of political economy; and is upon that

account well worth the consideration of every man who wishes to

examine with attention the principles of that very important

science。 Though in representing the labour which is employed upon

land as the only productive labour; the notions which it

inculcates are perhaps too narrow and confined; yet in

representing the wealth of nations as consisting; not in the

unconsumable riches of money; but in the consumable goods

annually reproduced by the labour of the society; and in

representing perfect liberty as the only effectual expedient for

rendering this annual reproduction the greatest possible; its

doctrine seems to be in every respect as just as it is generous

and liberal。 Its followers are very numerous; and as men are fond

of paradoxes; and of appearing to understand what surpasses the

comprehension of ordinary people; the paradox which it maintains;

concerning the unproductive nature of manufacturing labour; has

not perhaps contributed a little to increase the number of its

admirers。 They have for some years past made a pretty

considerable sect; distinguished in the French republic of

letters by the name of The Economists。 Their works have certainly

been of some service to their country; not only by bringing into

general discussion many subjects which had never been well

examined before; but by influencing in some measure the public

administration in favour of agriculture。 It has been in

consequence of their representations; accordingly; that the

agriculture of France has been delivered from several of the

oppressions which it before laboured under。 The term during which

such a lease can be granted; as will be valid against every

future purchaser or proprietor of the land; has been prolonged

from nine to twenty…seven years。 The ancient provincial

restraints upon the transportation of corn from one province of

the kingdom to another have been entirely taken away; and the

liberty of exporting it to all foreign countries has been

established as the common law of the kingdom in all ordinary

cases。 This sect; in their works; which are very numerous; and

which treat not only of what is properly called Political

Economy; or of the nature and causes of the wealth of nations;

but of every other branch of the system of civil government; all

follow implicitly and without any sensible variation; the

doctrine of Mr。 Quesnai。 There is upon this account little

variety in the greater part of their works。 The most distinct and

best connected account of this doctrine is to be found in a

little book written by Mr。 Mercier de la Riviere; some time

intendant of Martinico; entitled; The Natural and Essential Order

of Political Societies。 The admiration of this whole sect for

their master; who was himself a man of the greatest modesty and

simplicity; is not inferior to that of any of the ancient

philosophers for the founders of their respective systems。 〃There

have been; since the world began;〃 says a very diligent and

respectable author; the Marquis de Mirabeau; 〃three great

inventions which have principally given stability to political

societies; independent of many other inventions which have

enriched and adorned them。 The first is the invention of writing;

which alone gives human nature the power of transmitting; without

alteration; its laws; its contracts; its annals; and its

discoveries。 The second is the invention of money; which binds

together all the relations between civilised societies。 The third

is the Economical Table; the result of the other two; which

completes them both by perfecting their object; the great

discovery of our age; but of which our posterity will reap the

benefit。〃

     As the political economy of the nations of modern Europe has

been more favourable to manufactures and foreign trade; the

industry of the towns; than to agriculture; the industry of the

country; so that of other nations has followed a different plan;

and has been more favourable to agriculture than to manufactures

and foreign trade。

     The policy of China favours agriculture more than all other

employments。 In China the condition of a labourer is said to be

as much superior to that of an artificer as in most parts of

Europe that of an artificer is to that of a labourer。 In China;

the great ambition of every man is to get possession of some

little bit of land; either in property or in lease; and leases

are there said to be granted upon very moderate terms; and to be

sufficiently secured to the lessees。 The Chinese have little

respect for foreign trade。 Your beggarly commerce! was the

language in which the Mandarins of Pekin used to talk to Mr。 de

Lange; the Russian envoy; concerning it。 Except with Japan; the

Chinese carry on; themselves; and in their own bottoms; little or

no foreign trade; and it is only into one or two ports of their

kingdom that they even admit the ships of foreign nations。

Foreign trade therefore is; in China; every way confined within a

much narrower circle than that to which it would naturally extend

itself; if more freedom was allowed to it; either in their own

ships; or in those of foreign nations。

     Manufactures; as in a small bulk they frequently cont
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