第 16 节
作者:
两块 更新:2021-02-21 10:51 字数:9322
or trial whereof suppose one shilling were proclaimed to be worth two what other effect could this have; then the raising of all Commodities unto a double price? Now if it were proclaimed; That Labourers Wages; etc。 should not rise at all upon this raising of Money; then would this Act be as onely a Tax upon the said Labourers; as forcing them to lose half their wages; which would not be onely unjust but impossible; unless they could live with the said half; (which is not to be supposed) for then the Law that appoints such Wages were ill made; which should allow the Labourer but just wherewithall to live; for if you allow double; then he works but half so much as he could have done; and otherwise would; which is a loss to the Publick of the fruit of so much labour。 12。 But suppose the Quart d'Esen of France commonly esteemed worth eighteen pence were raised to three shillings; then 'tis true; that all the Moneys of England would be indeed Quart d'Esens pieces; but as true; that all the English Money would be carried away; and that our Quart d'Esens would contain but half so much Bullion as our own Money did; so that raising of Money may indeed change the species; but with so much loss as the Forreign Pieces were raised unto; above their intrinsick value。 13。 But for remedy of this; suppose we raised the Quart d'Esen double; and prohibited the Exportation of our own money in Exchange thereof。 I answer; that such a Prohibition is nugatory; and impossible to be executed; and if it were not; yet the raising of the said species would but make us sell the Commodities bought with raised Quart d'Escens; in effect but at half the usual rate; which unto them that want such commodities will as well yield the full; so that abating our prices; will as well allure strangers to buy extraordinary proportions of our Commodities; as raising their money will do: But neither that; nor abating the price will strangers use more of our Commodities then thye want; for although the first year they should carry away an unuseful and superfluous proportion; yet afterwards they would take so much the less。 14。 If this be true; as in substance it is; why then have so many wise States in several ancient; as well as modern times frequently practised this Artifice; as a means to draw in money into their respective Dominions。 I answer; that something is to be attributed to the stupidity and ignorance of the people; who cannot of a sudden understand this matter: for I finde many men wise enough; who though they be well informed that raising of maoney signifies little; yet cannot suddently digest it。 As for example; and unegaged person who had money in his purse in England; and should hear that a shilling was made fourteen pence in Ireland; would more readily run theither to by Land then before; not suddenly apprehending; that for the same Land which he might have bought before for six years Purchase; he shall now pay seven。 Nor will Sellers in Ireland of a sudden apprehend cause to raise their Land proportionally; but will at least be contented to compound the business; viz。 to sell at six and an half; and if the difference be a more ragged fraction; men under a long time will not apprehend it; nor ever be able exactly to govern their practice according to it。 15。 Secondly; Although I apprehend no little real difference between raising Forreign Money to double; and abasing half in the price of our own Commodities; yet to sell them on tacite condition to be paid in Forraign present Money; shall increase our money; forasmuch as between raising the money; and abasing the price; is the same difference as between selling for money and in barter; which latter is the dearer; or between selling for present money; and for time; barter resolving into the nature of uncertain time。 16。 I say; suppose English Cloth were sold at six shillings a yard; and French Canvas at eighteen pence the ell; the question is; whether it were all one in order to increase Money in England to raise the French Money double; or to abate half of the price of our Cloth? I think the former; because that former way or proposition carries with it a condition of having Forreign Money in specie; and not Canvas in barter; between which two wayes the world generally agrees there is a difference。 Wherefore if we can afford to abate half our price; but will not do it but for our neighbours money; then we gain so much as the said difference between Money and Barter amounts unto; by such raising of our Neighbours Money。 17。 But the fundamental solution of this Question depends upon a real and not an imaginary way of computing the prices of Commodities; in order to which real way I premise these suppositions: First; then; suppose there be in a Territory a thousand people; let these people be supposed sufficient to Till this whole Territory as to the Husbandry of Corn; which we will suppose to contain all necessaries for like; as in the Lords Prayer we suppose the word Bread doth; and let the production of a Bushel of this corn be supposed of equal labour to that of producing an ounce of Silver。 Suppose again that a tenth part of this Land; and tenth of the people; viz。 an hundred of them; can produce Corn enough for the whole; suppose that the Rent of Land (found out as above…mentioned) be a fourth part of the whole product; (about which proportion it really is; as we may perceive by paying a fourth Sheaf instead of Rent in some places) suppose also that whereas but an hundred are necessary for this Husbandry; yet that two hundred have taken up the Trade; and suppose that where a Bushel of Corn would suffice; yet men out of delicacy will use two; making use of the Flower onely of both。 Now the Inferences from hence are; First; That the goodness of badness; or the value of Land depends upon the greater or lesser share of the product given for it in proportion to the simple labour bestowed to raised the said Product。 Secondly; That the proportion betwee Corn and Silver signifie onley an artificial value; not a natural; because the comparison if bewteen a thing naturally useful; and a thing in its self unnecessary; which (by the way) is part of the reason why there are not so great changes and leaps n the prodceed of Silver as of other commdodities。 Thirdly; That natural dearness and cheapness depends upon the few or more hands requisite to necessaries of Nature: As Corn is cheaper where one man produces Corn for ten; then where he can do the like but for six; and withal; according as the Climate disposes men to a necessity of spending more or less。 But Political Cheapness depends upon the paucity of Supernumerary Interlopers into any Trade over and above all that are necessary; viz。 Corn will be twice as dear whre are two hundred Husbandmen to do the same work which an hundred could perform: the proportion thereof being compounded with the proportion of superfluous expence; (viz。 if to the cause of dearness abovementioned be added to the double Expence to what is necessary) then the natural price will appear quadrupled; and this quadruple Price is the true Political Price computed upon naturall grounds。 And this again proportioned to the common artificall Standard Silver gives what was sought; that is; the true Price Currant。 18。 But forasmuch as almost all Commodities have their Substitutes or Succedanea; and that almost all uses may be answered serveral wayes; and for that novelty; surprize; example of Superiors; and opinion of unexaminable effects do adde or take away from the price of Things; we must adde these contingent Causes to the permanent Causes abovementioned; in the judicious foresight and computation whereof lies the excellency of a Merchant。 Now to apply this Digression; I say; that to encrease Money; it is as well necessary to know how to abate the raise; the price of Commodities; and that of Money; which was the scope of the said Digression。 19。 To conclude this whole Chapter; we say; that raising or embasing of Moneys is a very pittiful and unequal way of Taxing the people; and 'tis a sign that the State sinketh; which catcheth hold on such Weeds as are accompanied with the dishonour of impressing a Princes Effigies to justifie Adulterate Commodities; and the breach of Publick Faith; such as is the calling a thing what it really is not。
Chapter 15
Of Excise
It is generally allowed by all; that men should contribute tothe Publick Charge but according to the share and interest they have in the Publick Peace; that is; according to their Estates or Riches: now there are two sorts of Riches; one actual; and the other potential。 A man is actually and truly rich according to what he eateth; drinketh; weareth; or any other way really and actually enjoyeth; others are but potentially or imaginatively rich; who though they have power overmuch; make little use of it; these being rather Stewards and Exchangers for the other sort; then owners for themselves。 2。 Concluding therefore that every man ought to contribute according to what he taketh to himself; and actually enjoyeth。 The first thing to be done is; to compute what the Total of the Expence of this Nation is by particular men upon themselves and then what part thereof is necessary for the