wealbk04-第15章

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purchase　the　wines　of　France　with　its　own　hardware　and　broadcloth

than　with　either　the　tobacco　of　Virginia　or　the　gold　and　silver

of　Brazil　and　Peru。　A　direct　foreign　trade　of　consumption　is

always　more　advantageous　than　a　roundabout　one。　But　a　round…about

foreign　trade　of　consumption；　which　is　carried　on　with　gold　and

silver；　does　not　seem　to　be　less　advantageous　than　any　other

equally　round…about　one。　Neither　is　a　country　which　has　no　mines

more　likely　to　be　exhausted　of　gold　and　silver　by　this　annual

exportation　of　those　metals　than　one　which　does　not　grow　tobacco

by　the　like　annual　exportation　of　that　plant。　As　a　country　which

has　wherewithal　to　buy　tobacco　will　never　be　long　in　want　of　it；

so　neither　will　one　be　long　in　want　of　gold　and　silver　which　has

wherewithal　to　purchase　those　metals。

　　　　　It　is　a　losing　trade；　it　is　said；　which　a　workman　carries　on

with　the　alehouse；　and　the　trade　which　a　manufacturing　nation

would　naturally　carry　on　with　a　wine　country　may　be　considered　as

a　trade　of　the　same　nature。　I　answer；　that　the　trade　with　the

alehouse　is　not　necessarily　a　losing　trade。　In　its　own　nature　it

is　just　as　advantageous　as　any　other；　though　perhaps　somewhat

more　liable　to　be　abused。　The　employment　of　a　brewer；　and　even

that　of　a　retailer　of　fermented　liquors；　are　as　necessary

divisions　of　labour　as　any　other。　It　will　generally　be　more

advantageous　for　a　workman　to　buy　of　the　brewer　the　quantity　he

has　occasion　for　than　to　brew　it　himself；　and　if　he　is　a　poor

workman；　it　will　generally　be　more　advantageous　for　him　to　buy　it

by　little　and　little　of　the　retailer　than　a　large　quantity　of　the

brewer。　He　may　no　doubt　buy　too　much　of　either；　as　he　may　of　any

other　dealers　in　his　neighbourhood；　of　the　butcher；　if　he　is　a

glutton；　or　of　the　draper；　if　he　affects　to　be　a　beau　among　his

companions。　It　is　advantageous　to　the　great　body　of　workmen；

notwithstanding；　that　all　these　trades　should　be　free；　though

this　freedom　may　be　abused　in　all　of　them；　and　is　more　likely　to

be　so；　perhaps；　in　some　than　in　others。　Though　individuals；

besides；　may　sometimes　ruin　their　fortunes　by　an　excessive

consumption　of　fermented　liquors；　there　seems　to　be　no　risk　that

a　nation　should　do　so。　Though　in　every　country　there　are　many

people　who　spend　upon　such　liquors　more　than　they　can　afford；

there　are　always　many　more　who　spend　less。　It　deserves　to　be

remarked　too；　that；　if　we　consult　experience；　the　cheapness　of

wine　seems　to　be　a　cause；　not　of　drunkenness；　but　of　sobriety。

The　inhabitants　of　the　wine　countries　are　in　general　the　soberest

people　in　Europe；　witness　the　Spainards；　the　Italians；　and　the

inhabitants　of　the　southern　provinces　of　France。　People　are

seldom　guilty　of　excess　in　what　is　their　daily　fare。　Nobody

affects　the　character　of　liberality　and　good　fellowship　by　being

profuse　of　a　liquor　which　is　as　cheap　as　small　beer。　On　the

contrary；　in　the　countries　which；　either　from　excessive　heat　or

cold；　produce　no　grapes；　and　where　wine　consequently　is　dear　and

a　rarity；　drunkenness　is　a　common　vice；　as　among　the　northern

nations；　and　all　those　who　live　between　the　tropics；　the　negroes；

for　example；　on　the　coast　of　Guinea。　When　a　French　regiment　comes

from　some　of　the　northern　provinces　of　France；　where　wine　is

somewhat　dear；　to　be　quartered　in　the　southern；　where　it　is　very

cheap；　the　soldiers；　I　have　frequently　heard　it　observed　are　at

first　debauched　by　the　cheapness　and　novelty　of　good　wine；　but

after　a　few　months'　residence；　the　greater　part　of　them　become　as

sober　as　the　rest　of　the　inhabitants。　Were　the　duties　upon

foreign　wines；　and　the　excises　upon　malt；　beer；　and　ale　to　be

taken　away　all　at　once；　it　might；　in　the　same　manner；　occasion　in

Great　Britain　a　pretty　general　and　temporary　drunkenness　among

the　middling　and　inferior　ranks　of　people；　which　would　probably

be　soon　followed　by　a　permanent　and　almost　universal　sobriety。　At

present　drunkenness　is　by　no　means　the　vice　of　people　of　fashion；

or　of　those　who　can　easily　afford　the　most　expensive　liquors。　A

gentleman　drunk　with　ale　has　scarce　ever　been　seen　among　us。　The

restraints　upon　the　wine　trade　in　Great　Britain；　besides；　do　not

so　much　seem　calculated　to　hinder　the　people　from　going；　if　I　may

say　so；　to　the　alehouse；　as　from　going　where　they　can　buy　the

best　and　cheapest　liquor。　They　favour　the　wine　trade　of　Portugal；

and　discourage　that　of　France。　The　Portugese；　it　is　said；　indeed；

are　better　customers　for　our　manufactures　than　the　French；　and

should　therefore　be　encouraged　in　preference　to　them。　As　they

give　us　their　custom；　it　is　pretended；　we　should　give　them　ours。

The　sneaking　arts　of　underling　tradesmen　are　thus　erected　into

political　maxims　for　the　conduct　of　a　great　empire：　for　it　is　the

most　underling　tradesmen　only　who　make　it　a　rule　to　employ

chiefly　their　own　customers。　A　great　trader　purchases　his　goods

always　where　they　are　cheapest　and　best；　without　regard　to　any

little　interest　of　this　kind。

　　　　　By　such　maxims　as　these；　however；　nations　have　been　taught

that　their　interest　consisted　in　beggaring　all　their　neighbours。

Each　nation　has　been　made　to　look　with　an　invidious　eye　upon　the

prosperity　of　all　the　nations　with　which　it　trades；　and　to

consider　their　gain　as　its　own　loss。　Commerce；　which　ought

naturally　to　be；　among　nations；　as　among　individuals；　a　bond　of

union　and　friendship；　has　become　the　most　fertile　source　of

discord　and　animosity。　The　capricious　ambition　of　kings　and

ministers　has　not；　during　the　present　and　the　preceding　century；

been　more　fatal　to　the　repose　of　Europe　than　the　impertinent

jealousy　of　merchants　and　manufacturers。　The　violence　and

injustice　of　the　rulers　of　mankind　is　an　ancient　evil；　for　which；

I　am　afraid；　the　nature　of　human　affairs　can　scarce　admit　of　a

remedy。　But　the　mean　rapacity；　the　monopolizing　spirit　of

merchants　and　manufacturers；　who　neither　are；　nor　ought　to　be；

the　rulers　of　mankind；　though　it　cannot　perhaps　be　corrected　may

very　easily　be　prevented　from　disturbing　the　tranquillity　of

anybody　but　themselves。

　　　　　That　it　was　the　spirit　of　monopoly　which　originally　both

invented　and　propagated　this　doctrine　cannot　be　doubted；　and　they

who　first　taught　it　were　by　no　means　such　fools　as　they　who

believed　it。　In　every　country　it　always　is　and　must　be　the

interest　of　the　great　body　of　the　people　to　buy　whatever　they

want　of　those　who　sell　it　cheapest。　The　proposition　is　so　very

manifest　that　it　seems　ridiculous　to　take　any　pains　to　prove　it；

nor　could　it　ever　have　been　called　in　question　had　not　the

interested　sophistry　of　merchants　and　manufacturers　confounded

the　common　sense　of　mankind。　Their　interest　is；　in　this　respect；

directly　opposite　to　that　of　the　great　body　of　the　people。　As　it

is　the　interest　of　the　freemen　of　a　corporation　to　hinder　the

rest　of　the　inhabitants　from　employing　any　workmen　but

themselves；　so　it　is　the　interest　of　the　merchants　and

manufacturers　of　every　country　to　secure　to　themselves　the

monopoly　of　the　home　market。　Hence　in　Great　Britain；　and　in　most

other　European　countries；　the　extraordinary　duties　upon　almost

all　goods　imported　by　alien　merchants。　Hence　the　high　duties　and

prohibitions　upon　all　those　foreign　manufactures　which　can　come

into　competition　with　our　own。　Hence；　too；　the　extraordinary

restraints　upon　the　importation　of　almost　all　sorts　of　goods　from

those　countries　with　which　the　balance　of　trade　is　supposed　to　be

disadvantageous；　that　is；　from　those　against　whom　national

animosity　happens　to　be　most　violently　inflamed。

　　　　　The　wealth　of　a　neighbouring　nation；　however；　though

dangerous　in　war　and　politics；　is　certainly　advantageous　in

trade。　In　a　state　of　hostility　it　may　enable　our　enemies　to

maintain　fleets　and　armies　superior　to　our　own；　but　in　a　state　of

peace　and　commerce　it　must　likewise　enable　them　to　exchange　with

us　to　a　greater　value；　and　to　afford　a　better　market；　either　for

the　immediate　produce　of　our　own　industry；　or　for　whatever　is

purchased　with　that　produce。　As　a　rich　man　is　likely　to　be　a

better　customer　to　the　industrious　people　in　his　neighbourhood

than　a　poor；　so　is　likewise　a　rich　nation。　A　rich　man；　indeed；

who　is　himself　a　manufacturer；　is　a　very　dangerous　neighbour　to

all　those　who　deal　in　the　same　way。　All　the　rest　of　the

neighbourhood；　however；　by　far　the　greatest　number；　profit　by　the

good　market　which　his　expense　affords　them。　They　even　profit　by

his　underselling　the　poorer　workmen　who　deal　in　the　same　way　with

him。　The　manufacturers　of　a　rich　nation；　in　the　same　manner；　may

no　doubt　be　very　dangerous　rivals　to　those　of　their　neighbours。

This　very　competition；　however；　is　advantageous　to　the　great　body

of　the　people；　who　profit　greatly　besides　by　the　good　market

which　the　great　expense　of　such　a　nation　affords　them　in　every

other　way。　Private　people　who　want　to　make　a　fortune　never　think

of　retiring　to　the　remote　and　poor　provinces　of　the　country；　but

resort　either　to　the　capital；　or　to　some　of　the　great　commercial

towns。　They　know　that　where　little　wealth　circulates　there　is

little　to　be　got；　but　that　where　a　great　deal　is　in　motion；　some

share　of　it　may　fall　to　them。　The　same　maxims　which　would　in　this

manner　direct　the　common　sense　of　one；　or　ten；　or　twenty

individuals；　should　regulate　the　judgment　of　one；　or　ten；　or

twenty　millions；　and　should　make　a　whole　nation　regard　the　riches

of　its　neighbours　as　a　probable　cause　and　occasion　for　itself　to

acquire　riches。　A　nation　that　would　enrich　itself　by　foreign

trade　is　certainly　most　likely　to　do　so　when　its　neighbours　are

all　rich；　industrious；　and　commercial　nations。　A　great　nation

surrounded　on　all　sides　by　wandering　savages　and　poor　barbarians

might；　no　doubt；　acquire　riches　by　the　cultivation　of　its　own

lands；　and　by　its　own　interior　commerce；　but　not　by　foreign

trade。　It　seems　to　have　been　in　this　manner　that　the　ancient

Egyptians　and　the　modern　Chinese　acquired　their　great　wealth。　The

ancient　Egyptians；　it　is　said；　neglected　foreign　commerce；　and

the　modern　Chinese；　it　is　known；　bold　it　in　the　utmost　contempt；

and　scarce　deign　to　afford　it　the　decent　protection　of　the　laws。

The　modern　maxims　of　foreign　commerce；　by　aiming　at　the

impoverishment　of　all　our　neighbours；　so　far　as　they　are　capable

of　producing　their　intended　effect；　tend　to　render　that　very

commerce　insignificant　and　contemptible。

　　　　　It　is　in　consequence　of　these　maxims　that　the　commerce

between　France　and　England　has　in　both　countries　been　subjected

to　so　many　discouragements　and　restraints。　If　those　two

countries；　however；　were　to　consider　their　real　interest；　without

either　mercantile　jealousy　or　national　animosity；　the　commerce　of

France　might　be　more　advantageous　to　Great　Britain　than　that　of

any　other　country；　and　for　the　same　reason　that　of　Great　Britain

to　France。　France　is　the　nearest　neighbour　to　Great　Britain。　In

the　trade　between　the　southern　coast　of　England　and　the　northern

and　north…western　coasts　of　France；　the　returns　might　be

expected；　in　the　same　manner　as　in　the　inland　trade；　four；　f