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wealbk04-第7章

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diminish as much as possible the importation of foreign goods for

home consumption; and to increase as much as possible the

exportation of the produce of domestic industry。 Its two great

engines for enriching the country; therefore; were restraints

upon importation; and encouragements to exportation。

     The restraints upon importation were of two kinds。

     First; restraints upon the importation of such foreign goods

for home consumption as could be produced at home; from whatever

country they were imported。

     Secondly; restraints upon the importation of goods of almost

all kinds from those particular countries with which the balance

of trade was supposed to be disadvantageous。

     Those different restraints consisted sometimes in high

duties; and sometimes in absolute prohibitions。

     Exportation was encouraged sometimes by drawbacks; sometimes

by bounties; sometimes by advantageous treaties of commerce with

foreign states; and sometimes by the establishment of colonies in

distant countries。

     Drawbacks were given upon two different occasions。 When the

home manufactures were subject to any duty or excise; either the

whole or a part of it was frequently drawn back upon their

exportation; and when foreign goods liable to a duty were

imported in order to be exported again; either the whole or a

part of this duty was sometimes given back upon such exportation。

     Bounties were given for the encouragement either of some

beginning manufactures; or of such sorts of industry of other

kinds as supposed to deserve particular favour。

     By advantageous treaties of commerce; particular privileges

were procured in some foreign state for the goods and merchants

of the country; beyond what were granted to those other

countries。

     By established establishment of colonies in distant

countries; not only particular privileges; but a monopoly was

frequently procured for the goods and merchants of the country

which established them。

     The two sorts of restraints upon importation

above…mentioned; together with these four encouragements to

exportation; constitute the six principal means by which the

commercial system proposes to increase the quantity of gold and

silver in any country by turning the balance of trade in its

favour。 I shall consider each of them in a particular chapter;

and without taking much further notice of their supposed tendency

to bring money into the country; I shall examine chiefly what are

likely to be the effects of each of them upon the annual produce

of its industry。 According as they tend either to increase or

diminish the value of this annual produce; they must evidently

tend either to increase or diminish the real wealth and revenue

of the country。



                             CHAPTER II



Of Restraints upon the Importation from Foreign Countries of such

Goods as can be produced at Home 



     BY restraining; either by high duties or by absolute

prohibitions; the importation of such goods from foreign

countries as can be produced at home; the monopoly of the home

market is more or less secured to the domestic industry employed

in producing them。 Thus the prohibition of importing either live

cattle or salt provisions from foreign countries secures to the

graziers of Great Britain the monopoly of the home market for

butcher's meat。 The high duties upon the importation of corn;

which in times of moderate plenty amount to a prohibition; give a

like advantage to the growers of that commodity。 The prohibition

of the importation of foreign woollens is equally favourable to

the woollen manufacturers。 The silk manufacture; though

altogether employed upon foreign materials; has lately obtained

the same advantage。 The linen manufacture has not yet obtained

it; but is making great strides towards it。 Many other sorts of

manufacturers have; in the same manner; obtained in Great

Britain; either altogether or very nearly; a monopoly against

their countrymen。 The variety of goods of which the importation

into Great Britain is prohibited; either absolutely; or under

certain circumstances; greatly exceeds what can easily be

suspected by those who are not well acquainted with the laws of

the customs。

     That this monopoly of the home market frequently gives great

encouragement to that particular species of industry which enjoys

it; and frequently turns towards that employment a greater share

of both the labour and stock of the society than would otherwise

have gone to it; cannot be doubted。 But whether it tends either

to increase the general industry of the society; or to give it

the most advantageous direction; is not; perhaps; altogether so

evident。

     The general industry of the society never can exceed what

the capital of the society can employ。 As the number of workmen

that can be kept in employment by any particular person must bear

a certain proportion to his capital; so the number of those that

can be continually employed by all the members of a great society

must bear a certain proportion to the whole capital of that

society; and never can exceed that proportion。 No regulation of

commerce can increase the quantity of industry in any society

beyond what its capital can maintain。 It can only divert a part

of it into a direction into which it might not otherwise have

gone; and it is by no means certain that this artificial

direction is likely to be more advantageous to the society than

that into which it would have gone of its own accord。

     Every individual is continually exerting himself to find out

the most advantageous employment for whatever capital he can

command。 It is his own advantage; indeed; and not that of the

society; which he has in view。 But the study of his own advantage

naturally; or rather necessarily; leads him to prefer that

employment which is most advantageous to the society。

     First; every individual endeavours to employ his capital as

near home as he can; and consequently as much as he can in the

support of domestic industry; provided always that he can thereby

obtain the ordinary; or not a great deal less than the ordinary

profits of stock。

     Thus; upon equal or nearly equal profits; every wholesale

merchant naturally prefers the home trade to the foreign trade of

consumption; and the foreign trade of consumption to the carrying

trade。 In the home trade his capital is never so long out of his

sight as it frequently is in the foreign trade of consumption。 He

can know better the character and situation of the persons whom

he trusts; and if he should happen to be deceived; he knows

better the laws of the country from which he must seek redress。

In the carrying trade; the capital of the merchant is; as it

were; divided between two foreign countries; and no part of it is

ever necessarily brought home; or placed under his own immediate

view and command。 The capital which an Amsterdam merchant employs

in carrying corn from Konigsberg to Lisbon; and fruit and wine

from Lisbon to Konigsberg; must generally be the one half of it

at Konigsberg and the other half at Lisbon。 No part of it need

ever come to Amsterdam。 The natural residence of such a merchant

should either be at Konigsberg or Lisbon; and it can only be some

very particular circumstances which can make him prefer the

residence of Amsterdam。 The uneasiness; however; which he feels

at being separated so far from his capital generally determines

him to bring part both of the Konigsberg goods which he destines

for the market of Lisbon; and of the Lisbon goods which he

destines for that of Konigsberg; to Amsterdam: and though this

necessarily subjects him to a double charge of loading and

unloading; as well as to the payment of some duties and customs;

yet for the sake of having some part of his capital always under

his own view and command; he willingly submits to this

extraordinary charge; and it is in this manner that every country

which has any considerable share of the carrying trade becomes

always the emporium; or general market; for the goods of all the

different countries whose trade it carries on。 The merchant; in

order to save a second loading and unloading; endeavours always

to sell in the home market as much of the goods of all those

different countries as he can; and thus; so far as he can; to

convert his carrying trade into a foreign trade of consumption。 A

merchant; in the same manner; who is engaged in the foreign trade

of consumption; when he collects goods for foreign markets; will

always be glad; upon equal or nearly equal profits; to sell as

great a part of them at home as he can。 He saves himself the risk

and trouble of exportation; when; so far as he can; he thus

converts his foreign trade of consumption into a home trade。 Home

is in this manner the centre; if I may say so; round which the

capitals of the inhabitants of every country are continually

circulating; and towards which they are always tending; though by

particular causes they may sometimes be driven off and repelled

from it towards more distant employments。
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