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unemployed will be developed； and especially because the reciprocal
exchange between manufacturing power and agricultural power is so
much greater； the closer the agriculturist and manufacturer are
placed to one another； and the less they are liable to be
interrupted in the exchange of their various products by accidents
of all kinds。
In my letters to Mr。 Charles J。 Ingersoll； President of the
Society for Promoting Arts and Industries in Philadelphia； of the
year 1828 （entitled； 'Outlines of a New System of Political
Economy'）； I tried to explain the advantages of a union of the
manufacturing power with agriculture in one and the same country；
and under one and the same political power； in the following
manner。 Supposing you did not understand the art of grinding corn；
which has certainly been a great art in its time； supposing further
that the art of baking bread had remained unknown to you； as
（according to Anderson） the real art of salting herrings was still
unknown to the English in the seventeenth century； supposing；
therefore； that you had to send your corn to England to be ground
into flour and baked into bread； how large a quantity of your corn
would not the English retain as pay for the grinding and baking；
how much of it would the carters； seamen； and merchants consume；
who would have to be employed in exporting the corn and importing
the bread； and how much would come back into the hands of those who
cultivated the corn？ There is no doubt that by such a process the
foreign trade would receive a considerable impetus； but it is very
doubtful whether this intercourse would be specially advantageous
to the welfare and independence of the nation。 Consider only in
case of a war breaking out between your country （the United States）
and Great Britain； what would be the situation of those who
produced corn for the English mills and bakehouses； and on the
other hand the situation of those who had become accustomed to the
taste of the English bread。 Just as； however； the economical
prosperity of the corn…cultivating interest requires that the corn
millers should live in its vicinity； so also does the prosperity of
the farmer especially require that the manufacturer should live
close to him； so also does the prosperity of a flat and open
country require that a prosperous and industrial town should exist
in its centre； and so does the prosperity of the whole agriculture
of a country require that its own manufacturing power should be
developed in the highest possible degree。
Let us compare the condition of agriculture in the vicinity of
a populous town with its condition when carried on in distant
provinces。 In the latter case the farmer can only cultivate for
sale those products which can bear a long transport； and which
cannot be supplied at cheaper prices and in better quality from
districts lying nearer to those who purchase them。 A larger portion
of his profits will be absorbed by the costs of transport。 He will
find it difficult to procure capital which he may employ usefully
on his farm。 From want of better examples and means of education he
will not readily be led to avail himself of new processes； of
better implements； and of new methods of cultivation。 The labourer
himself； from want of good example； of stimulus to exertion； and to
emulation in the exercise of his productive powers； will only
develop those powers inefficiently； and will indulge himself in
loitering about and in idleness。
On the other hand； in the proximity of the town； the farmer is
in a position to use every patch of land for those crops which best
suit the character of the soil。 He will produce the greatest
variety of things to the best advantage。 Garden produce； poultry；
eggs； milk； butter； fruit； and especially articles which the farmer
residing at a distance considers insignificant and secondary
things； will bring to the farmer near the town considerable profit。
While the distant farmer has to depend mainly on the mere breeding
of cattle； the other will make much better profits from fattening
them； and will thereby be led to perfect his cultivation of root
crops and fodder。 He can utilise with much profit a number of
things which are of little or no use to the distant farmer； e。g。
stone； sand； water power； &c。 The most numerous and best machines
and implements as well as all means for his instruction； are close
at hand。 It will be easy for him to accumulate the capital
necessary for the improvement of his farm。 Landed proprietors and
workmen； by the means of recreation which the town affords； the
emulation which it excites among them； and the facility of making
profits； will be incited to exert all their mental and bodily
powers for the improvement of their condition。 And precisely the
same difference exists between a nation which unites agriculture
and manufactures on its own territory； and a nation which can only
exchange its own agricultural products for foreign manufactured
goods。
The whole social state of a nation will be chiefly determined
by the principle of the variety and division of occupations and the
cooperation of its productive powers。 What the pin is in the pin
manufactory； that the national well…being is to the large society
which we term 'the nation。' The most important division of
occupations in the nation is that between the mental and material
ones。 Both are mutually dependent on one another。 The more the
mental producers succeed in promoting morality； religion；
enlightenment； increase of knowledge； extension of liberty and of
perfection of political institutions security of persons and
property within the State； and the independence and power of the
nation externally so much greater will be the production of
material Wealth。 On the other hand； the more goods that the
material producers produce； the more will mental production be
capable of being promoted。
The most important division of occupations； and the most
important co…operation of productive powers in material production；
is that of agriculture and manufacture。 Both depend mutually upon
one another； as we have shown。
As in the pin manufactory； so also in the nation does the
productiveness of every individual of every separate branch of
production and finally of the whole nation depend on the
exertions of all individuals standing in proper relation to one
another。 We call this relation the balance or the harmony of the
productive powers。 It is possible for a nation to possess too many
philosophers； philologers； and literati； and too few skilled
artisans； merchants； and seamen。 This is the consequence of highly
advanced and learned culture which is not supported by a highly
advanced manufacturing power and by an extensive internal and
external trade； it is as if in a pin manufactory far more pin heads
were manufactured than pin points。 The surplus pin heads in such a
nation are： a mass of useless books； subtle theoretical systems；
and learned controversies； through which the mind of the nation is
more obscured than cultivated； and is withdrawn from useful
occupations； consequently its productive powers are retarded in
their progress almost as much as if it possessed too many priests
and too few instructors of youth； too many soldiers and too few
politicians； too many administrators and too few judges and
defenders of justice and right。
A nation which only carries on agriculture； is an individual
who in his material production lacks one arm。 Commerce is merely
the medium of exchange between the agricultural and the
manufacturing power； and between their separate branches。 A nation
which exchanges agricultural products for foreign manufactured
goods is an individual with one arm； which is supported by a
foreign arm。 This support may be useful to it； but not so useful as
if it possessed two arms itself； and this because its activity is
dependent on the caprice of the foreigner。 In possession of a
manufacturing power of its own； it can produce as much provisions
and raw materials as the home manufacturers can consume； but if
dependent upon foreign manufacturers； it can merely produce as much
surplus as foreign nations do not care to produce for themselves；
and which they are obliged to buy from another country。
As between the different districts of one and the same country；
so does the division of labour and the co…operation of the