wealbk04-第54章

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class。　Their　original　and　annual　expenses　are　for　the　same　reason

called；　in　this　system；　productive　expenses；　because；　over　and

above　replacing　their　own　value；　they　occasion　the　annual

reproduction　of　this　net　produce。

　　　　　The　ground　expenses；　as　they　are　called；　or　what　the

landlord　lays　out　upon　the　improvement　of　his　land；　are　in　this

system；　too；　honoured　with　the　appellation　of　productive

expenses。　Till　the　whole　of　those　expenses；　together　with　the

ordinary　profits　of　stock；　have　been　completely　repaid　to　him　by

the　advanced　rent　which　he　gets　from　his　land；　that　advanced　rent

ought　to　be　regarded　as　sacred　and　inviolable；　both　by　the　church

and　by　the　king；　ought　to　be　subject　neither　to　tithe　nor　to

taxation。　If　it　is　otherwise；　by　discouraging　the　improvement　of

land　the　church　discourages　the　future　increase　of　her　own

tithes；　and　the　king　the　future　increase　of　his　own　taxes。　As　in

a　well…ordered　state　of　things；　therefore；　those　ground　expenses；

over　and　above　reproducing　in　the　completest　manner　their　own

value；　occasion　likewise　after　a　certain　time　a　reproduction　of　a

net　produce；　they　are　in　this　system　considered　as　productive

expenses。

　　　　　The　ground　expenses　of　the　landlord；　however；　together　with

the　original　and　the　annual　expenses　of　the　farmer；　are　the　only

three　sorts　of　expenses　which　in　this　system　are　considered　as

productive。　All　other　expenses　and　all　other　orders　of　people；

even　those　who　in　the　common　apprehensions　of　men　are　regarded　as

the　most　productive；　are　in　this　account　of　things　represented　as

altogether　barren　and　unproductive。

　　　　　Artificers　and　manufacturers　in　particular；　whose　industry；

in　the　common　apprehensions　of　men；　increases　so　much　the　value

of　the　rude　produce　of　land；　are　in　this　system　represented　as　a

class　of　people　altogether　barren　and　unproductive。　Their　labour；

it　is　said；　replaces　only　the　stock　which　employs　them；　together

with　its　ordinary　profits。　That　stock　consists　in　the　materials；

tools；　and　wages　advanced　to　them　by　their　employer；　and　is　the

fund　destined　for　their　employment　and　maintenance。　Its　profits

are　the　fund　destined　for　the　maintenance　of　their　employer。

Their　employer；　as　he　advances　to　them　the　stock　of　materials；

tools；　and　wages　necessary　for　their　employment；　so　he　advances

to　himself　what　is　necessary　for　his　own　maintenance；　and　this

maintenance　he　generally　proportions　to　the　profit　which　he

expects　to　make　by　the　price　of　their　work。　Unless　its　price

repays　to　him　the　maintenance　which　he　advances　to　himself；　as

well　as　the　materials；　tools；　and　wages　which　he　advances　to　his

workmen；　it　evidently　does　not　repay　to　him　the　whole　expense

which　he　lays　out　upon　it。　The　profits　of　manufacturing　stock

therefore　are　not；　like　the　rent　of　land；　a　net　produce　which

remains　after　completely　repaying　the　whole　expense　which　must　be

laid　out　in　order　to　obtain　them。　The　stock　of　the　farmer　yields

him　a　profit　as　well　as　that　of　the　master　manufacturer；　and　it

yields　a　rent　likewise　to　another　person；　which　that　of　the

master　manufacturer　does　not。　The　expense；　therefore；　laid　out　in

employing　and　maintaining　artificers　and　manufacturers　does　no

more　than　continue；　if　one　may　say　so；　the　existence　of　its　own

value；　and　does　not　produce　any　new　value。　It　is　therefore

altogether　a　barren　and　unproductive　expense。　The　expense；　on　the

contrary；　laid　out　in　employing　farmers　and　country　labourers；

over　and　above　continuing　the　existence　of　its　own　value；

produces　a　new　value；　the　rent　of　the　landlord。　It　is　therefore　a

productive　expense。

　　　　　Mercantile　stock　is　equally　barren　and　unproductive　with

manufacturing　stock。　It　only　continues　the　existence　of　its　own

value；　without　producing　any　new　value。　Its　profits　are　only　the

repayment　of　the　maintenance　which　its　employer　advances　to

himself　during　the　time　that　he　employs　it；　or　till　he　receives

the　returns　of　it。　They　are　only　the　repayment　of　a　part　of　the

expense　which　must　be　laid　out　in　employing　it。

　　　　　The　labour　of　artificers　and　manufacturers　never　adds

anything　to　the　value　of　the　whole　annual　amount　of　the　rude

produce　of　the　land。　It　adds；　indeed；　greatly　to　the　value　of

some　particular　parts　of　it。　But　the　consumption　which　in　the

meantime　it　occasions　of　other　parts　is　precisely　equal　to　the

value　which　it　adds　to　those　parts；　so　that　the　value　of　the

whole　amount　is　not；　at　any　one　moment　of　time；　in　the　least

augmented　by　it。　The　person　who　works　the　lace　of　a　pair　of　fine

ruffles；　for　example；　will　sometimes　raise　the　value　of　perhaps　a

pennyworth　of　flax　to　thirty　pounds　sterling。　But　though　at　first

sight　he　appears　thereby　to　multiply　the　value　of　a　part　of　the

rude　produce　about　seven　thousand　and　two　hundred　times；　he　in

reality　adds　nothing　to　the　value　of　the　whole　annual　amount　of

the　rude　produce。　The　working　of　that　lace　costs　him　perhaps　two

years'　labour。　The　thirty　pounds　which　he　gets　for　it　when　it　is

finished　is　no　more　than　the　repayment　of　the　subsistence　which

he　advances　to　himself　during　the　two　years　that　he　is　employed

about　it。　The　value　which；　by　every　day's；　month's；　or　year's

labour；　he　adds　to　the　flax　does　no　more　than　replace　the　value

of　his　own　consumption　during　that　day；　month；　or　year。　At　no

moment　of　time；　therefore；　does　he　add　anything　to　the　value　of

the　whole　annual　amount　of　the　rude　produce　of　the　land：　the

portion　of　that　produce　which　he　is　continually　consuming　being

always　equal　to　the　value　which　he　is　continually　producing。　The

extreme　poverty　of　the　greater　part　of　the　persons　employed　in

this　expensive　though　trifling　manufacture　may　satisfy　us　that

the　price　of　their　work　does　not　in　ordinary　cases　exceed　the

value　of　their　subsistence。　It　is　otherwise　with　the　work　of

farmers　and　country　labourers。　The　rent　of　the　landlord　is　a

value　which；　in　ordinary　cases；　it　is　continually　producing；　over

and　above　replacing；　in　the　most　complete　manner；　the　whole

consumption；　the　whole　expense　laid　out　upon　the　employment　and

maintenance　both　of　the　workmen　and　of　their　employer。

　　　　　Artificers；　manufacturers；　and　merchants　can　augment　the

revenue　and　wealth　of　their　society　by　parsimony　only；　or；　as　it

in　this　system；　by　privation；　that　is；　by　depriving　themselves　a

part　of　the　funds　destined　for　their　own　subsistence。　They

annually　reproduce　nothing　but　those　funds。　Unless；　therefore；

they　annually　save　some　part　of　them；　unless　they　annually

deprive　themselves　of　the　enjoyment　of　some　part　of　them；　the

revenue　and　wealth　of　their　society　can　never　be　in　the　smallest

degree　augmented　by　means　of　their　industry。　Farmers　and　country

labourers；　on　the　contrary；　may　enjoy　completely　the　whole　funds

destined　for　their　own　subsistence；　and　yet　augment　at　the　same

time　the　revenue　and　wealth　of　their　society。　Over　and　above　what

is　destined　for　their　own　subsistence；　their　industry　annually

affords　a　net　produce；　of　which　the　augmentation　necessarily

augments　the　revenue　and　wealth　of　their　society。　Nations

therefore　which；　like　France　or　England；　consist　in　a　great

measure　of　proprietors　and　cultivators　can　be　enriched　by

industry　and　enjoyment。　Nations；　on　the　contrary；　which；　like

Holland　and　Hamburg；　are　composed　chiefly　of　merchants；

artificers；　and　manufacturers　can　grow　rich　only　through

parsimony　and　privation。　As　the　interest　of　nations　so

differently　circumstanced　is　very　different；　so　is　likewise　the

common　character　of　the　people：　in　those　of　the　former　kind；

liberality；　frankness　and　good　fellowship　naturally　make　a　part

of　that　common　character：　in　the　latter；　narrowness；　meanness；

and　a　selfish　disposition；　averse　to　all　social　pleasure　and

enjoyment。

　　　　　The　unproductive　class；　that　of　merchants；　artificers；　and

manufacturers；　is　maintained　and　employed　altogether　at　the

expense　of　the　two　other　classes；　of　that　of　proprietors；　and　of

that　of　cultivators。　They　furnish　it　both　with　the　materials　of

its　work　and　with　the　fund　of　its　subsistence；　with　the　corn　and

cattle　which　it　consumes　while　it　is　employed　about　that　work。

The　proprietors　and　cultivators　finally　pay　both　the　wages　of　all

the　workmen　of　the　unproductive　class；　and　of　the　profits　of　all

their　employers。　Those　workmen　and　their　employers　are　properly

the　servants　of　the　proprietors　and　cultivators。　They　are　only

servants　who　work　without　doors；　as　menial　servants　work　within。

Both　the　one　and　the　other；　however；　are　equally　maintained　at

the　expense　of　the　same　masters。　The　labour　of　both　is　equally

unproductive。　It　adds　nothing　to　the　value　of　the　sum　total　of

the　rude　produce　of　the　land。　Instead　of　increasing　the　value　of

that　sum　total；　it　is　a　charge　and　expense　which　must　be　paid　out

of　it。

　　　　　The　unproductive　class；　however；　is　not　only　useful；　but

greatly　useful　to　the　other　two　classes。　By　means　of　the　industry

of　merchants；　artificers；　and　manufacturers；　the　proprietors　and

cultivators　can　purchase　both　the　foreign　goods　and　the

manufactured　produce　of　their　own　country　which　they　have

occasion　for　with　the　produce　of　a　much　smaller　quantity　of　their

own　labour　than　what　they　would　be　obliged　to　employ　if　they　were

to　attempt；　in　an　awkward　and　unskilful　manner；　either　to　import

the　one　or　to　make　the　other　for　their　own　use。　By　means　of　the

unproductive　class；　the　cultivators　are　delivered　from　many　cares

which　would　otherwise　distract　their　attention　from　the

cultivation　of　land。　The　superiority　of　produce；　which；　in

consequence　of　this　undivided　attention；　they　are　enabled　to

raise；　is　fully　sufficient　to　pay　the　whole　expense　which　the

maintenance　and　employment　of　the　unproductive　class　costs　either

the　proprietors　or　themselves。　The　industry　of　merchants；

artificers；　and　manufacturers；　though　in　its　own　nature

altogether　unproductive；　yet　contributes　in　this　manner

indirectly　to　increase　the　produce　of　the　land。　It　increases　the

productive　powers　of　productive　labour　by　leaving　it　at　liberty

to　confine　itself　to　its　proper　employment；　the　cultivation　of

land；　and　the　plough　goes　frequently　the　easier　and　the　better　by

means　of　the　labour　of　the　man　whose　business　is　most　remote　from

the　plough。

　　　　　It　can　never　be　the　interest　of　the　proprietors　and

cultivators　to　restrain　or　to　discourage　in　any　respect　the

industry　of　merchants；　artificers；　and　manufacturers。　The　greater

the　liberty　which　this　unproductive　class　enjoys；　the　greater

will　be　the　competition　in　all　the　different　trades　which　compose

it；　and　the　cheaper　will　the　other　two　classes　be　supplied；　both

with　foreign　goods　and　with　the　manufactured　produce　of　their　own

country。

　　　　　It　can　never　be　the　interest　of　the　unproductive　class　to

oppress　the　other　two　classes。　It　is　the　surplus　produce　of　the

land；　or　what　remains　after　deducting　the　maintenance；　first；　of

the　cultivators；　and　afterwards　of　the　proprietors；　that

maintains　and　employs　the　unproductive　class。　The　greater　this

surplus　the　greater　must　likewise　be　the　maintenance　and

employment