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wealbk05-第62章

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those times of violence and disorder; besides; it was convenient

to have a hoard of money at hand; that in case they should be

driven from their own home they might have something of known

value to carry with them to some place of safety。 The same

violence which made it convenient to hoard made it equally

convenient to conceal the hoard。 The frequency of treasure…trove;

or of treasure found of which no owner was known; sufficiently

demonstrates the frequency in those times both of hoarding and of

concealing the board。 Treasure…trove was then considered as an

important branch of the revenue of the sovereign。 All the

treasure…trove of the kingdom would scarce perhaps in the present

times make an important branch of the revenue of a private

gentleman of a good estate。

     The same disposition to save and to hoard prevailed in the

sovereign as well as in the subjects。 Among nations to whom

commerce and manufactures are little known; the sovereign; it has

already been observed in the fourth book; is in a situation which

naturally disposes him to the parsimony requisite for

accumulation。 In that situation the expense even of a sovereign

cannot be directed by that vanity which delights in the gaudy

finery of a court。 The ignorance of the times affords but few of

the trinkets in which that finery consists。 Standing armies are

not then necessary; so that the expense even of a sovereign; like

that of any other great lord; can be employed in scarce anything

but bounty to his tenants and hospitality to his retainers。 But

bounty and hospitality very seldom lead to extravagance; though

vanity almost always does。 All the ancient sovereigns of Europe

accordingly; it has already been observed; had treasures。 Every

Tartar chief in the present times is said to have one。

     In a commercial country abounding with every sort of

expensive luxury; the sovereign; in the same manner as almost all

the great proprietors in his dominions; naturally spends a great

part of his revenue in purchasing those luxuries。 His own and the

neighbouring countries supply him abundantly with all the costly

trinkets which compose the splendid but insignificant pageantry

of a court。 For the sake of an inferior pageantry of the same

kind; his nobles dismiss their retainers; make their tenants

independent; and become gradually themselves as insignificant as

the greater part of the wealthy burghers in his dominions。 The

same frivolous passions which influence their conduct influence

his。 How can it be supposed that he should be the only rich man

in his dominions who is insensible to pleasures of this kind? If

he does not; what he is very likely to do; spend upon those

pleasures so great a part of his revenue as to debilitate very

much the defensive power of the state; it cannot well be expected

that he should not spend upon them all that part of it which is

over and above what is necessary for supporting that defensive

power。 His ordinary expense becomes equal to his ordinary

revenue; and it is well if it does not frequently exceed it。 The

amassing of treasure can no longer be expected; and when

extraordinary exigencies require extraordinary expenses; he must

necessarily call upon his subjects for an extraordinary aid。 The

present and the late king of Prussia are the only great princes

of Europe who; since the death of Henry IV of France in 1610; are

supposed to have amassed any considerable treasure。 The parsimony

which leads to accumulation has become almost as rare in

republican as in monarchical governments。 The Italian republics;

the United Provinces of the Netherlands; are all in debt。 The

canton of Berne is the single republic in Europe which has

amassed any considerable treasure。 The other Swiss republics have

not。 The taste for some sort of pageantry; for splendid

buildings; at least; and other public ornaments; frequently

prevails as much in the apparently sober senate…house of a little

republic as in the dissipated court of the greatest king。

     The want of parsimony in time of peace imposes the necessity

of contracting debt in time of war。 When war comes; there is no

money in the treasury but what is necessary for carrying on the

ordinary expense of the peace establishment。 In war an

establishment of three of four times that expense becomes

necessary for the defence of the state; and consequently a

revenue three or four times greater than the peace revenue。

Supposing that the sovereign should have; what he scarce ever

has; the immediate means of augmenting his revenue in proportion

to the augmentation of his expense; yet still the produce of the

taxes; from which this increase of revenue must be drawn; will

not begin to come into the treasury till perhaps ten or twelve

months after they are imposed。 But the moment in which war

begins; or rather the moment in which it appears likely to begin;

the army must be augmented; the fleet must be fitted out; the

garrisoned towns must be put into a posture of defence; that

army; that fleet; those garrisoned towns must be furnished with

arms; ammunition; and provisions。 An immediate and great expense

must be incurred in that moment of immediate danger; which will

not wait for the gradual and slow returns of the new taxes。 In

this exigency government can have no other resource but in

borrowing。

     The same commercial state of society which; by the operation

of moral causes; brings government in this manner into the

necessity of borrowing; produces in the subjects both an ability

and an inclination to lend。 If it commonly brings along with it

the necessity of borrowing; it likewise brings along with it the

facility of doing so。

     A country abounding with merchants and manufacturers

necessarily abounds with a set of people through whose hands not

only their own capitals; but the capitals of all those who either

lend them money; or trust them with goods; pass as frequently; or

more frequently; than the revenue of a private man; who; without

trade or business; lives upon his income; passes through his

hands。 The revenue of such a man can regularly pass through his

hands only once in a year。 But the whole amount of the capital

and credit of a merchant; who deals in a trade of which the

returns are very quick; may sometimes pass through his hands two;

three; or four times a year。 A country abounding with merchants

and manufacturers; therefore; necessarily abounds with a set of

people who have it at all times in their power to advance; if

they choose to do so; a very large sum of money to government。

Hence the ability in the subjects of a commercial state to lend。

     Commerce and manufactures can seldom flourish long in any

state which does not enjoy a regular administration of justice;

in which the people do not feel themselves secure in the

possession of their property; in which the faith of contracts is

not supported by law; and in which the authority of the state is

not supposed to be regularly employed in enforcing the payment of

debts from all those who are able to pay。 Commerce and

manufactures; in short; can seldom flourish in any state in which

there is not a certain degree of confidence in the justice of

government。 The same confidence which disposes great merchants

and manufacturers; upon ordinary occasions; to trust their

property to the protection of a particular government; disposes

them; upon extraordinary occasions; to trust that government with

the use of their property。 By lending money to government; they

do not even for a moment diminish their ability to carry on their

trade and manufactures。 On the contrary; they commonly augment

it。 The necessities of the state render government upon most

occasions willing to borrow upon terms extremely advantageous to

the lender。 The security which it grants to the original creditor

is made transferable to any other creditor; and; from the

universal confidence in the justice of the state; generally sells

in the market for more than was originally paid for it。 The

merchant or monied man makes money by lending money to

government; and instead of diminishing; increases his trading

capital。 He generally considers it as a favour; therefore; when

the administration admits him to a share in the first

subscription for a new loan。 Hence the inclination or willingness

in the subjects of a commercial state to lend。

     The government of such a state is very apt to repose itself

upon this ability and willingness of its subjects to lend it

their money on extraordinary occasions。 It foresees the facility

of borrowing; and therefore dispenses itself from the duty of

saving。

     In a rude state of society there are no great mercantile or

manufacturing capitals。 The individuals who hoard whatever money

they can save; and who conceal their hoard; do so from a distrust

of the justice of government; from a fear that if it was known

that they had a hoard; and where that
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