第 29 节
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无边的寒冷 更新:2021-02-21 11:55 字数:9322
ears; but I think England is not capable to sustain double its present Number of Inhabitants; because it is undoubtedly at present above half cultivated and improved; yet I think I have made it evident; we have not near Land enough in Use to support its present Inhabitants。 Dr John Lawrence in his new System of Agriculture; Page 45; says; 'tis believed that almost one half Part of the Kingdom is Commons。
19。 If we take the Rents of good Lands in England; at a Medium; to be about 10 Shillings per Acre; and the Rents of bad Lands; at a Medium; to be about two Shillings and Sixpence per Acre; and that their Quantities are near equal; then the Rents of Lands will be about 6 Shillings per Acre now at a Medium; and as far as I can learn 6 or 7 Shillings per Acre at Medium; is as much as the Lands of England are now worth; and I believe I may be bold to say; the Lands of England; at a Medium; have not let for less than one Shilling and Six…pence per Acre for four hundred Years backwards。
20。 Money is the Tradesman's working Tools; without which he can't proceed in Trade at all; therefore; since the Increase of Money amongst the People will increase the Price of Things in greater Proportion than the Rents can be raised; the more Money circulates in Trade; the more must the Traders have in their Hands to carry it on; and this will necessarily raise Tradesmen so much nearer the Rank of Gentry; as the Quantity of Cash they circulate is greater in Proportion to the Rents; than it would be if the Price of Things were kept lower; the Way above suggested。
21。 I would by no means have us follow their Example of burying our Money; any further; than that every Man should be his own Banker; that is; I would have no publick Banking any ways encouraged; nor any Companies ever incorporated; because; besides many Evils that necessarily adhere to all trading Corporations; their Stock and Bonds have the same Effects as Banking; viz。 operating two Ways at the same time; in their Trade; and in our Markets; so that any thing can always be bought with them; just as if such Paper were Gold and Silver; I say; I would therefore have none of these Things encouraged; and then if Property were but sufficiently diffused amongst the People in general; we might sleep very safe with large Sums under slender Fastenings; for it is Necessity which makes Thieves。 Now if every Man were his own Banker; and Trade put on so good a Foot; as to diffuse Property so effectually; that every industrious and prudent Tradesman; though his Circumstances were not great; might get Money; there would soon be Millions locked up in the Hands of the People of this Kingdom; and as this is the fit and natural Way of burying Money; so this would reduce the Price of our Goods below the Rates; which the Cash; if it were all afloat; would support them at; and which now by Banking and other artificial Moneys; i。e。 Paper Effects having the Operation of Money; are certainly; vastly above the Rates which the real Specie itself; which we have now amongst us; would support them at。 But perhaps the Merchants may object; they can't do so much Business without more Hands; if there were no Banking at all; to which I answer; that such as have so much Business as to require a Hand the more on that Account; must employ one; yet I will mention a Practice in Holland well known to many of our Merchants。 The Merchants in Holland; frequently make large Payments in a coarse; and therefore a bulky Sort of Specie; called Sea d'Halve; which they deliver each other in Bags unopened; containing 375 Guldens; and numbered; or ticketed without Sides so many; and also weighing so much; which they may tell over at home if they please; and if any thing is found short; the merchant that paid it; on telling him how much it fell short; immediately; without any Questions; makes it good; and if there be an overplus; they always reckon themselves obliged to carry that overplus to the Owner。 This honourable Way of dealing in the valuable Article of Money; may possibly seem strange to us; who are not used to it; but I believe if we had no Banking; and our Specie were as coarse and bulky as theirs; the Merchants would soon find it convenient to introduce this Practice amongst them; and no doubt would discharge it as honourably; and then large Payments might be made almost as quick as Draughts on the Bankers with the Entries they occasion; and the necessary Settlements with the Bankers about them afterwards; besides; that the vast Damage arising by Failure of Bankers; would this Way be intirely prevented。
22。 The Indians are so politick; as to take only or chiefly Silver; because it's next to impossible it should ever be so plentiful; as to reduce its Value in respect of Gold; which to be sure they know to be continually growing so plentiful in Europe; as to lower its Value in respect of Silver; besides Silver being of so much less value than Gold can't be much diminished but it will be obvious; nor is there near the Temptation to counterfeit it。 What is it therefore; which infatuates us and other Nations to such a Degree; as to carry the Indians almost all our Silver? The Author of the Plan of the English Commerce; 2d Edition printed 1730; will answer this Question for me; for Page 65; he says; China and India; and other Eastern Countries have the most extended Manufactures; and the greatest Variety of them in the World; and their Manufactures push themselves on the World by the meer Stress of their Cheapness; which causes their Consumption; and Page 66; he says; the Wages of their labouring People do not exceed two Pence Sterling per Day。
23。 If there were full Employment for the working People; their Wages would as certainly rise to the just Value of Labour; as we know every thing else doth; for which the Demand is equal to the Quantity; and therefore I deny that there is Work enough to employ the People; or that Property is reasonably or sufficiently diffused; till Necessaries are rendered so plentiful; and thereby so cheap; that the Wages of the labouring Man will purchase as many of them as the decent and comfortable Support of a middling Family requires in that Station of Life。
24。 E。 Phillips; Page 44; says; I believe I shall be allowed to compute the Rents of the Kingdom at 20 Millions。
25。 All taxes on commodities of universal Consumption raise; at least; 10 per cent more than their Rate on the People; because the Dealers in those Commodities exact that Interest for the Money advanced for the Tax; If I put this Exceeding at 15 per cent; I believe Experience will justify me。 See Fog's Journal of February the 20th; 1732…3。 If we consider that Taxes on Goods inhance the Charge of Living; and consequently of Labour; in some Degree at least; we can't doubt but that the Taxes on Goods must inhance their Price to the Consumer; at least as much as I have supposed; because Labour enters so essentially into every thing; as to constitute the chief Value thereof。
26。 In a Mass of People; there is not above one half labouring or manufacturing。 For suppose we have 8 Millions of People; and that the Limits of the Age of Labour be placed between 13 and 63; and that 2/3 of the People are between these Ages; from these we must deduct at least 1/6; under the following Classes; Female; sequestered from Labour by the Condition of their Sex; the Idle; by Rank or Choice; Men of Profession; such as vend the Manufacture of others; but add no real Value to them; the Sick and Impotent。 By this Computation; there only remains one half labouring or manufacturing。 I am persuaded I put the Number too high; and that there are not above three Millions of working People。 The Price of Labour is raised in proportion to the Scarcity of Labourers; they being somewhat like their Commodities; dear in Proportion to their Scarcity: Any Number of labouring People sitting idle increaseth the Price of Labour; double of the Proportion which that Number bears in the whole。 For Example: Suppose three Millions of labouring People; and 30;000 Men carrying Arms; or levying Taxes; 30;000 is one per cent on 3 Millions; and these living on the Labour of the rest makes another one per cent in all two; or double of that Proportion。 See Fog's Journal of January 20th; 1732…3。
27。 See the last Paragraph of the Spectator; no。 200。
28。 The Sum coin'd in Queen Elizabeth's Time; who reform'd most of the old Specie; shews we then had not much Money amongst us; whereas the Sums coin'd in the Reigns of King Charles IId; and King James IId; being 6 Millions and an Half of Gold; and 2;200;000 in Silver; shew we had a vast Balance in our Favour; near 9 Millions being coin'd during these two Reigns。 And this suggests that my Argument is just; that asserts the vast Increase of People during these Reigns; was owing to such a vast Balance of Trade in our Favour。
29。 Mr Richard Bradley; Professor of Botany in the University of Cambridge; and Fellow of the Royal Society; in his Philosophical Inquiry into the ate sever Winter; and Scarcity and Dearness of Provisions; printed 1729; page 5 and 6; says; 〃It was generally computed that we had in England; in the Year 1715; about 13 Millions Sterling Money; of which it was reckon'd there were about 11 Millions ci