wealbk04-第7章

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can　employ；　and　of　which　the　produce　is　likely　to　be　of　the

greatest　value；　every　individual；　it　is　evident；　can；　in　his

local　situation；　judge　much　better　than　any　statesman　or　lawgiver

can　do　for　him。　The　statesman　who　should　attempt　to　direct

private　people　in　what　manner　they　ought　to　employ　their　capitals

would　not　only　load　himself　with　a　most　unnecessary　attention；

but　assume　an　authority　which　could　safely　be　trusted；　not　only

to　no　single　person；　but　to　no　council　or　senate　whatever；　and

which　would　nowhere　be　so　dangerous　as　in　the　hands　of　a　man　who

had　folly　and　presumption　enough　to　fancy　himself　fit　to　exercise

it。

　　　　　To　give　the　monopoly　of　the　home　market　to　the　produce　of

domestic　industry；　in　any　particular　art　or　manufacture；　is　in

some　measure　to　direct　private　people　in　what　manner　they　ought

to　employ　their　capitals；　and　must；　in　almost　all　cases；　be

either　a　useless　or　a　hurtful　regulation。　If　the　produce　of

domestic　can　be　brought　there　as　cheap　as　that　of　foreign

industry；　the　regulation　is　evidently　useless。　If　it　cannot；　it

must　generally　be　hurtful。　It　is　the　maxim　of　every　prudent

master　of　a　family　never　to　attempt　to　make　at　home　what　it　will

cost　him　more　to　make　than　to　buy。　The　tailor　does　not　attempt　to

make　his　own　shoes；　but　buys　them　of　the　shoemaker。　The　shoemaker

does　not　attempt　to　make　his　own　clothes；　but　employs　a　tailor。

The　farmer　attempts　to　make　neither　the　one　nor　the　other；　but

employs　those　different　artificers。　All　of　them　find　it　for　their

interest　to　employ　their　whole　industry　in　a　way　in　which　they

have　some　advantage　over　their　neighbours；　and　to　purchase　with　a

part　of　its　produce；　or　what　is　the　same　thing；　with　the　price　of

a　part　of　it；　whatever　else　they　have　occasion　for。

　　　　　What　is　prudence　in　the　conduct　of　every　private　family　can

scarce　be　folly　in　that　of　a　great　kingdom。　If　a　foreign　country

can　supply　us　with　a　commodity　cheaper　than　we　ourselves　can　make

it；　better　buy　it　of　them　with　some　part　of　the　produce　of　our

own　industry　employed　in　a　way　in　which　we　have　some　advantage。

The　general　industry　of　the　country；　being　always　in　proportion

to　the　capital　which　employs　it；　will　not　thereby　be　diminished；

no　more　than　that　of　the　above…mentioned　artificers；　but　only

left　to　find　out　the　way　in　which　it　can　be　employed　with　the

greatest　advantage。　It　is　certainly　not　employed　to　the　greatest

advantage　when　it　is　thus　directed　towards　an　object　which　it　can

buy　cheaper　than　it　can　make。　The　value　of　its　annual　produce　is

certainly　more　or　less　diminished　when　it　is　thus　turned　away

from　producing　commodities　evidently　of　more　value　than　the

commodity　which　it　is　directed　to　produce。　According　to　the

supposition；　that　commodity　could　be　purchased　from　foreign

countries　cheaper　than　it　can　be　made　at　home。　It　could；

therefore；　have　been　purchased　with　a　part　only　of　the

commodities；　or；　what　is　the　same　thing；　with　a　part　only　of　the

price　of　the　commodities；　which　the　industry　employed　by　an　equal

capital　would　have　produced　at　home；　had　it　been　left　to　follow

its　natural　course。　The　industry　of　the　country；　therefore；　is

thus　turned　away　from　a　more　to　a　less　advantageous　employment；

and　the　exchangeable　value　of　its　annual　produce；　instead　of

being　increased；　according　to　the　intention　of　the　lawgiver；　must

necessarily　be　diminished　by　every　such　regulation。

　　　　　By　means　of　such　regulations；　indeed；　a　particular

manufacture　may　sometimes　be　acquired　sooner　than　it　could　have

been　otherwise；　and　after　a　certain　time　may　be　made　at　home　as

cheap　or　cheaper　than　in　the　foreign　country。　But　though　the

industry　of　the　society　may　be　thus　carried　with　advantage　into　a

particular　channel　sooner　than　it　could　have　been　otherwise；　it

will　by　no　means　follow　that　the　sum　total；　either　of　its

industry；　or　of　its　revenue；　can　ever　be　augmented　by　any　such

regulation。　The　industry　of　the　society　can　augment　only　in

proportion　as　its　capital　augments；　and　its　capital　can　augment

only　in　proportion　to　what　can　be　gradually　saved　out　of　its

revenue。　But　the　immediate　effect　of　every　such　regulation　is　to

diminish　its　revenue；　and　what　diminishes　its　revenue　is

certainly　not　very　likely　to　augment　its　capital　faster　than　it

would　have　augmented　of　its　own　accord　had　both　capital　and

industry　been　left　to　find　out　their　natural　employments。

　　　　　Though　for　want　of　such　regulations　the　society　should　never

acquire　the　proposed　manufacture；　it　would　not；　upon　that

account；　necessarily　be　the　poorer　in　any　one　period　of　its

duration。　In　every　period　of　its　duration　its　whole　capital　and

industry　might　still　have　been　employed；　though　upon　different

objects；　in　the　manner　that　was　most　advantageous　at　the　time。　In

every　period　its　revenue　might　have　been　the　greatest　which　its

capital　could　afford；　and　both　capital　and　revenue　might　have

been　augmented　with　the　greatest　possible　rapidity。

　　　　　The　natural　advantages　which　one　country　has　over　another　in

producing　particular　commodities　are　sometimes　so　great　that　it

is　acknowledged　by　all　the　world　to　be　in　vain　to　struggle　with

them。　By　means　of　glasses；　hotbeds；　and　hot　walls；　very　good

grapes　can　be　raised　in　Scotland；　and　very　good　wine　too　can　be

made　of　them　at　about　thirty　times　the　expense　for　which　at　least

equally　good　can　be　brought　from　foreign　countries。　Would　it　be　a

reasonable　law　to　prohibit　the　importation　of　all　foreign　wines

merely　to　encourage　the　making　of　claret　and　burgundy　in

Scotland？　But　if　there　would　be　a　manifest　absurdity　in　turning

towards　any　employment　thirty　times　more　of　the　capital　and

industry　of　the　country　than　would　be　necessary　to　purchase　from

foreign　countries　an　equal　quantity　of　the　commodities　wanted；

there　must　be　an　absurdity；　though　not　altogether　so　glaring；　yet

exactly　of　the　same　kind；　in　turning　towards　any　such　employment

a　thirtieth；　or　even　a　three…hundredth　part　more　of　either。

Whether　the　advantages　which　one　country　has　over　another　be

natural　or　acquired　is　in　this　respect　of　no　consequence。　As　long

as　the　one　country　has　those　advantages；　and　the　other　wants

them；　it　will　always　be　more　advantageous　for　the　latter　rather

to　buy　of　the　former　than　to　make。　It　is　an　acquired　advantage

only；　which　one　artificer　has　over　his　neighbour；　who　exercises

another　trade；　and　yet　they　both　find　it　more　advantageous　to　buy

of　one　another　than　to　make　what　does　not　belong　to　their

particular　trades。

　　　　　Merchants　and　manufacturers　are　the　people　who　derive　the

greatest　advantage　from　this　monopoly　of　the　home　market。　The

prohibition　of　the　importation　of　foreign　cattle；　and　of　salt

provisions；　together　with　the　high　duties　upon　foreign　corn；

which　in　times　of　moderate　plenty　amount　to　a　prohibition；　are

not　near　so　advantageous　to　the　graziers　and　farmers　of　Great

Britain　as　other　regulations　of　the　same　kind　are　to　its

merchants　and　manufacturers。　Manufactures；　those　of　the　finer

kind　especially；　are　more　easily　transported　from　one　country　to

another　than　corn　or　cattle。　It　is　in　the　fetching　and　carrying

manufactures；　accordingly；　that　foreign　trade　is　chiefly

employed。　In　manufactures；　a　very　small　advantage　will　enable

foreigners　to　undersell　our　own　workmen；　even　in　the　home　market。

It　will　require　a　very　great　one　to　enable　them　to　do　so　in　the

rude　produce　of　the　soil。　If　the　free　importation　of　foreign

manufactures　were　permitted；　several　of　the　home　manufactures

would　probably　suffer；　and　some　of　them；　perhaps；　go　to　ruin

altogether；　and　a　considerable　part　of　the　stock　and　industry　at

present　employed　in　them　would　be　forced　to　find　out　some　other

employment。　But　the　freest　importation　of　the　rude　produce　of　the

soil　could　have　no　such　effect　upon　the　agriculture　of　the

country。

　　　　　If　the　importation　of　foreign　cattle；　for　example；　were　made

ever　so　free；　so　few　could　be　imported　that　the　grazing　trade　of

Great　Britain　could　be　little　affected　by　it。　Live　cattle　are；

perhaps；　the　only　commodity　of　which　the　transportation　is　more

expensive　by　sea　than　by　land。　By　land　they　carry　themselves　to

market。　By　sea；　not　only　the　cattle；　but　their　food　and　their

water　too；　must　be　carried　at　no　small　expense　and　inconveniency。

The　short　sea　between　Ireland　and　Great　Britain；　indeed；　renders

the　importation　of　Irish　cattle　more　easy。　But　though　the　free

importation　of　them；　which　was　lately　permitted　only　for　a

limited　time；　were　rendered　perpetual；　it　could　have　no

considerable　effect　upon　the　interest　of　the　graziers　of　Great

Britain。　Those　parts　of　Great　Britain　which　border　upon　the　Irish

Sea　are　all　grazing　countries。　Irish　cattle　could　never　be

imported　for　their　use；　but　must　be　driven　through　those　very

extensive　countries；　at　no　small　expense　and　inconveniency；

before　they　could　arrive　at　their　proper　market。　Fat　cattle　could

not　be　driven　so　far。　Lean　cattle；　therefore；　only　could　be

imported；　and　such　importation　could　interfere；　not　with　the

interest　of　the　feeding　or　fattening　countries；　to　which；　by

reducing　the　price　of　lean　cattle；　it　would　rather　be

advantageous；　but　with　that　of　the　breeding　countries　only。　The

small　number　of　Irish　cattle　imported　since　their　importation　was

permitted；　together　with　the　good　price　at　which　lean　cattle

still　continue　to　sell；　seem　to　demonstrate　that　even　the

breeding　countries　of　Great　Britain　are　never　likely　to　be　much

affected　by　the　free　importation　of　Irish　cattle。　The　common

people　of　Ireland；　indeed；　are　said　to　have　sometimes　opposed

with　violence　the　exportation　of　their　cattle。　But　if　the

exporters　had　found　any　great　advantage　in　continuing　the　trade；

they　could　easily；　when　the　law　was　on　their　side；　have　conquered

this　mobbish　opposition。

　　　　　Feeding　and　fattening　countries；　besides；　must　always　be

highly　improved；　whereas　breeding　countries　are　generally

uncultivated。　The　high　price　of　lean　cattle；　by　augmenting　the

value　of　uncultivated　land；　is　like　a　bounty　against　improvement。

To　any　country　which　was　highly　improved　throughout；　it　would　be

more　advantageous　to　import　its　lean　cattle　than　to　breed　them。

The　province　of　Holland；　accordingly；　is　said　to　follow　this

maxim　at　present。　The　mountains　of　Scotland；　Wales；　and

Northumberland；　indeed；　are　countries　not　capable　of　much

improvement；　and　seem　destined　by　nature　to　be　the　breeding

countries　of　Great　Britain。　The　freest　importation　of　foreign

cattle　could　have　no　other　effect　than　to　hinder　those　breeding

countries　from　taking　advantage　of　the　increasing　population　and

improvement　of　the　rest　of　the　kingdom；　from　raising　their　price

to　an　exorbitant　height；　and　from　laying　a　real　tax　upon　all　the

more　improved　and　cultivated　parts　of　the　country。

　　　　　The　freest　importation　of　salt　provisions；　in　the　same

manner；　could　have　as　little　effect　upon　the　interest　of　the

graziers　of　Great　Britain　as　that　of　live　cattle。　Salt　provisions

are　not　only　a　very　bulky　commodity；　but　when　compared　with　fresh

meat；　they　are　a　commodity