第 16 节
作者:
无边的寒冷 更新:2021-02-21 11:55 字数:9322
。e。 Money) increases in greater Proportion than the People increase; so will the Prices of every thing advance; and that in much greater Proportion than the Rents will or can rise; wherefore it can't but be beneficial even for Trade; that as much of these Metals be used in Splendor; as is consistent with the abovementioned Circumstances; because by thus keeping so much of those Metals out of Trade; the more just Distinction will it keep up amongst the several Ranks and Stations of Men;(20*) whilst at the same time it will give so much greater Employment; and that in the most nice and curious Arts; to Mechanicks; etc。 and prevent our Markets from rising so high; as to hinder the Exportation of our Commodities; or give too great Encouragement to the Importation of foreign Goods。 I am induced to make this Remark; from the Practice of the East…Indians; who; as I have often heard; carry this Matter so far; as to bury the Money they get by Trade; as E。 Phillips; Esq; Page 7 also says; that they have since the Year 1602; buried above 150 Millions of Silver; which hath been brought into Europe。(21*) 'Tis by this Practice they keep all their Goods and Manufactures at such low Rates; that all Europe thinks it not only worth while to trade with them; but to carry prodigious Quantities of Silver(22*) to purchase their Commodities; whilst our Goods cannot possibly find much Vend with them; being so much dearer than theirs; as we see the Great Circulation of Gold amongst us; makes our Goods in respect of the Prices of theirs; who this Way prevent the Money they gain by Trade from raising the Prices of their Commodities。 Thus will they not always preserve the Balance of Trade in their Favour; but make many other Nations carry their Money to them; besides what Use they may make of such immense Wealth; if any Exigence or Design should oblige them to use it; which Wealth is as many times more powerful to them than it would be to us; as the Wages of their labouring People are lower than ours。 But an Objection arises here; which though it allows; that if all the Things our Gentry consume and use were our own natural Produce; they would; as I have proved; be the richer for executing this Proposal; yet since they consume so many foreign Goods; as perhaps constitute half their Expence; viz。 Teas; Sugars; Fruits; Linens; Cambrick; Laces; Wines; etc。 the Prices of which depend so much on what they cost at the Places they are brought from; that they can receive but little Alteration by the Execution of this Proposal; the Gentry therefore will not be the richer for such a Reduction of Labour; and Prices of our natural Produce; as would hereby be effected。 To which I answer; That all Nations have some Commodities peculiar to them; which therefore are undoubtedly designed to be the Foundation of Commerce between the several Nations; and produce a great deal of Employment by maritime Affairs; etc。 for Mankind; which probably; without such Peculiarities; could not be; and in this Respect; I suppose we are distinguished; as well as other Nations; and I have before taken Notice; that if one Nation be by Nature more distinguished in this Respect than another; as they will by that Means gain more Money than such other Nations; so the Prices of all their Commodities and labour will be higher in such Proportion; as my fourth Maxim demonstrates; and consequently; they will not be a Jot the richer or more powerful for having more Money than their Neighbours。 But if we import any kind of Goods cheaper than we can now raise them; which otherwise might as well be raised at home; in this Case; undoubtedly; 'tis indispensibly necessary for us to practice the Method I prescribe; which is the only one; by which we ever can be enabled to raise all such Commodities at home; and thereby furnish so many new Branches of Employment and Trade for our own People; and remove the Inconvience of receiving any Goods from abroad; which we can any ways raise on as good Terms our selves; and as this should be done to prevent every Nation from finding their Account with us; by any such Commodities whatsoever; so this would more effectually shut out all such foreign Goods than any Law can do。 And as this is all the Prohibition and Restraint; whereby any foreign Trade should be obstructed; so if this Method be continually observed and practised; as it most certainly ought; our Gentry would find themselves the richer; notwithstanding their Consumption of such other foreign Goods; as being the Peculiarities of other Nations; we may be obliged to import。 For if; when we have increased our Produce to so great a Degree; as to reduce the Rates of Labour considerably too; and have thereby enabled ourselves to raise many Kinds of Goods; which we now import; cheaper than we now import them; which is the necessary Consequence of executing this Proposal; I say; when we have thus raised all we can at home; and thereby put our Trade into a flourishing State; the Goods we import after this is done; being cheaper than we can raise such Goods ourselves; which they must be; or we shall not import them; I say; it's plain the Consumption of any such Goods cannot occasion so great an Expence; as they would if we could shut them out; by an Act of Parliament; to raise them ourselves。 If therefore it would be true; as the Objection allows; that the Gentry would be the richer for executing this Proposal; if all the Goods they consume and use were the natural Produce of our own Country; they must be so; notwithstanding their Consumption of any Quantity of foreign Goods; which we can import and sell at cheaper Rates than we can possibly raise them ourselves; for none but such cheaper foreign Goods; can ever find a Vend in any Nation; except they be the Peculiarities of other foreign Nations; to which I have given a full Answer above。 From hence therefore it must appear; that it is impossible any body should be the poorer; for using any foreign Goods at cheaper Rates than we can raise them ourselves; after we have done all we possibly can to raise such Goods as cheap as we import them; and find we cannot do it; nay this very Circumstance makes all such Goods come under the Character of the Peculiarities of those Countries; which are able to raise any such Goods cheaper than we can do; for they will necessarily operate as such。 8thly; The full and sufficient Execution of this Proposal; is the only Means by which Property can be reasonably and sufficiently diffused amongst all Ranks of People。 For whilst the working People have not sufficient and full Employment;(23*) their Labour; like all other Things; whose Quantity is greater than the Demand for them; must be disposed of below its true and just Value; which I have shewn is; or ought to be; as near as possible; so much as will produce a comfortable Subsistence for a Family; suitable to that Rank of Life: Now so long as these in general work so considerably below this Point; that their Wages are generally insufficient to support such a Family; as the Estimate supposes them to have; Property is evidently not so much diffused; as in the Nature and Reason of Things it ought to be; which will necessarily be attended with many Kinds of Evils; in Proportion to the Degree; which the working Peoples Wages fall short of the Point abovementioned: For hence the Wealthy having the working Peoples Labour and Skill so much too cheap; do not only engross that Property; in which the labouring People have a just and natural Right; so far as their Wages fall short of the End aforesaid; but they hereby accumulate a great deal of Wealth; in which the middling People have a reasonable and natural Property; and many of them who understand Trade; are enabled by the Force of such unequal Wealth; to trade on Terms too low to admit many of the middling People to get a Livelihood; suitable to their Rank and Station: For instance; suppose a Man in Trade worth 10000 l。 and the Reduction of Interest hath actually brought too many such into several Retail Trades; I say; suppose such a one; in order to turn his Stock once in the Year; will vend his Goods at 10 per cent profit; this will produce 1000 l。 per annum; now let another in the same Way of Trade worth 1000 l。 sell at the same Rate (as he must; or have very little Business) and let him be supposed (because a less Stock may commonly be oftener return'd than a greater) to turn his Stock twice a Year; which; since giving Credit is become so general; is as often as such a Stock in Retail Trade can generally be returned; this though it produces 20 l。 per Cent on this Capital; or 200 l。 per Annum; shall hereafter be shewn to be very insufficient to bear all Charges of Trade; and support a middling Family; so as it is undoubtedly reasonable such a Family should live; for whose Support 1000 l。 of their own Money is employed in Trade: Whilst the other making 10 per Cent on his large Capital; may still more and more encrease it; at the same time that he is bringing on the Ruin of many that have but middling Capitals。 Hence therefore it must appear; that not only the labouring Mechanicks; but many of the middling People must with them be dispossessed of that Property; which their Rank in Life; and the Good of the Community; nat