第 20 节
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无边的寒冷 更新:2021-02-21 11:55 字数:9322
almost perishing for want of Work enough to render Labour so valuable; as to be a sufficient; fit and natural Motive to make them industrious。 But; besides this Difficulty of wanting Hands sufficient to execute this Proposal effectually; 'tis objected; that the working People will not now work above 3 or 4 Days in a Week; but get drunk the other 2 or 3 days; and that this would be worse; if Necessaries were rendered so cheap as I am contending for。 In answer to which I must observe; that Necessaries can't be rendered so cheap; as I am aiming at; without employing more of the labouring Peoples Time and Labour; to raise such a Plenty of them as may make them cheaper。 Nor can there be this additional Employment for their Time and Labour; till the Reduction of the Price of Necessaries shall not only be this Way attempted; but proceeded in: If therefore I can prove that; notwithstanding the working People do waste a great deal of their Time; they nevertheless do Work enough; and too much too; as Things now stand; and that they would do more; if it were provided in a Way that would encourage their Industry; I hope no such Stress ought to be laid on this Objection; as to hinder the Execution of this Proposal。 And; First; I say the working People do work enough; because there is always such a Plenty of all Kinds of Goods in the Hands of the Venders; that the Consumers can always buy what they want。 This being undeniably true; shews that the working People; who alone make all these; do Work enough; the End of making them being to supply the Wants of the Consumers。 Again; I say; if it is become a Custom to hawk Goods about; to such an extraordinary Degree; that the Traders and Shopkeepers in most Parts of the Kingdom have petition'd the Parliament to have it prevented; because it disabled many of them to live; and pay their Rents; as they justly alledge; then there is not only Work enough; but too much done; since it hurts both the Traders; and Landlords of Houses; by a greater Plenty of Goods than those who should be the Consumers of them are able to purchase: For this too great Plenty of Goods is the sole Foundation of Hawking them。 The like may be said of giving any considerable Credit; either as to Sums or Time。 I wish I could say; the Plenty of the Necessaries of Life was as great as the Plenty of all other Things always is: But this is so far otherwise; that but 4 or 5 Years ago; many Thousands of Poor; in several Parts of the Kingdom; were forced to live on such unwholesome Trash; as introduced a Distemper little less than Pestilential; and almost; if not altogether as fatal to them; whole Families being frequently swept away by it in a few Days; and probably many were actually starved to Death。 See Mr Richard Bradley's Philosophical Enquiry into the late severe Winter; and Scarcity and Dearness of Provision。 Again; if there be any flagrant Marks of a Decay of Trade upon us (and I will presently produce enough of them) then there is evidently more Work done; than either our domestick or foreign Trade doth require; let the Time wasted by our working People be what it will: For a decay of Trade; and a sufficient Demand for the Goods we make; are incompatible Things。 But I shall offer an Instance; to shew that the working People can and will do a great deal more Work than they do; if they were sufficiently encouraged。 For I take it for a Maxim; that the People of no Class will ever want Industry; if they don't want Encouragement: The Truth of which is as certain and undeniable; as that the Consumer; if he had money to pay for ti; and was willing to buy; never yet went entirely without any staple Commodity whatsoever; or indeed without any other common thing he wanted。 And if the labouring People do so much Work under the discouraging Wages; which I have shewn; are not equal to 2/3 of the necessary Charge of a middling Family; what might we not expect; if they were animated by a sufficient Supply; and those Temptation removed; which I have shewn; are the greatest Snares to them; and which I think would certainly in a great Measure be remov'd; if this Proposal were to be executed? The Instance I shall produce; to prove that the working People can and will do a great deal more Work than they do;if they were somewhat better incouraged; shall be that of a general Mourning for the Death of a Prince。 The Charge brought against the working People; as above; shews that they don't want Time to do a great deal more Work than they do; and a Time of general Mourning for a Prince necessarily requires abundance of Goods to be made in a very short time; besides the considerable Stock we may suppose to be in Hand; towards supplying the extraordinary Demand of such Occasions; and we know the Weavers; Dyers; Taylors; etc。 do at such Times work almost Night and Day; only for the Encouragement of somewhat better Pay and Wages; which an extraordinary Demand for any Goods is necessarily connected with; and if this can be carried so far; as to cloath so great a Part of the People of the Kingdom in so short a time; as we usually see them put themselves in Mourning on such Occasions; it must be plain that the working People not only can; but would do a great deal more Work than they do; if they were but somewhat better encouraged by their Wages to do so。 Lastly; The full and sufficient Execution of this Proposal is the only natural Way to extend Dominion; and introduce Liberty amongst Mankind。 For wherever so much Land is continually put to use; as will call for all Land is continually put to use; as will call for all the Hands; Trade; and Manufactures will suffer to employ themselves this Way; as this will necessarily give full employment to all the People; and make such Plenty of every Thing; that the meanest of the People will certainly find a comfortable Subsistence for themselves and Families; so it will infallibly draw the People out of every Nation round us; that doth not attend to this Point in the same Degree; and consequently cause the People to forsake every arbitrary and oppressive Government; to find such a Settlement; as the Business so much Land continually added and improv'd will necessarily provide for them。 'Tis true; this will in time fill this Island with Inhabitants; and improve every Spot of Ground in it。 And I suppose it must be this Way that Benjamin Motte Computes that the People may be doubled; in so short a Time as 24 or 25 Years: If this be not the Way; I am not able to conjecture how so great an Increase of People should arise; in the small Space he assert they may be doubled and quadrupled; for I am sure the natural Increase of Mankind will require a vastly longer Term; only to double in。 But however; if my 9th and 10th Principles are true; and I think them self…evident; then the full and sufficient Execution of this Proposal must be a great Advantage to the Government; by increasing the Number and Riches of their Subjects; and their Revenues together with them; which Things are inseparably connected。 Nay; this matter ought most certainly to be carried so far as to fill Ireland with Inhabitants; by granting for a considerable Term; on small Acknowledgments; a proper Quantity of any waste Land; that any Person shall choose; and be able to undertake the full Improvement of。 And this; I think; these Kingdoms would soon become vastly more powerful; since 'tis probable; that in less than a Century there would be double the present Number of People found in them。 Nor could this possibly fail; I think; unless the Nations round us; to prevent the Loss of their Subjects; should take the same Measures; and then the Increase of each Nation would be only such as the natural Increase of Mankind will produce。 but this great Advantage wold arise to Mankind by this Means; that Happiness and Liberty wold be as general and extensive; as the Method I prescribe shall be practised。 And this may shew the Folly and Absurdity of making War; on the ambitious Principle of extending Dominion; since War; if it be continued a few Years; commonly ruins the Generality of the People of such Nations as are vanquish'd; as we know the late War did France; and what we who conquer'd got by it; the Taxes we at present groan under; and from which perhaps we shall never be reliev'd; will amply testify。 But the Folly of making War; to extend Dominion; appears; in what War lays waste and depopulates Countries; and thereby puts such Nations to great and extraordinary Charges and Difficulties; to preserve and defend such unpeopled Territories from the easy Inroads and Invasions of their Neighbours; who have as many more Opportunities of Entrance; as the extended unpeopled Territory of any Potentate doth necessarily afford。 If therefore it be absurd to make War to extend Dominion; I should say Territory; for that is all that can be got by it;(27*) and if; as I have before shewn; it be unnecessary on the Account of Trade also; it will follow that War; except in our own necessary Self…defence; is unnatural and wicked; since these ordinary Causes; viz。 extending Dominion or Trade will not justify it。 Yet I think there is one Case; in which making War on other Nations may be justifiable; viz。 Fighting for Territory when we are over…