友情提示:如果本网页打开太慢或显示不完整,请尝试鼠标右键“刷新”本网页!
money answers all things-第3部分
快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完,想下次继续接着阅读,可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能!
ll support; the People therefore must be wretched; and that Government weak; til so many of the Poor People; as distress each other by their Numbers; are remov'd where they can have Land to support them。 The Case is the same exactly in every Nation; where the Land which is cultivated doth not afford enough to make all Things very plentiful; for this alone can make the People happy。 XII。 The Quantity of Land; to be further put to Cultivation and Tillage; must be so great; as to increase the Plenty of every Thing to such a Degree; that the Price of every Thing may by that Plenty be so greatly lower'd that the Rates of Labour may also thereby be lower'd; till Money thence come to be plentiful amongst the People in general。 'Till this End be answer'd; nothing material is effected; nor can Trade be enlarged abroad; or relieved at home: For the Cultivation of Land is the sole natural Encouragement Trade can possibly receive; because all Things must first come out of the Ground; and; according as the Produce of the Earth is more or less plentiful; so will the Consumption of all Things be greater or less; that is; so much more or less Trade will there be amongst the People。 On this the Revenue of the Nation doth so much depend; that the whole Amount of it will be greater or less; as this is; or is not duly encouraged; besides that the same Sums will effect more or less accordingly。 XIII。 The Cash of any Nation will always decrease; and become scarce; in Proportion as the Rents are raised; above what the Plenty of Money circulating in Trade amongst the People; will well enable them to pay; and where there is not Land enough cultivated to keep down the Rents; and thereby to remedy this Mischief; and support the People; it may go to such an Extream; as to leave very little Money in the Nation。 For where Rents are raised; every Thing else must and will rise too: Whence other Nations will be able to supply our Market; and as most of our Commodities will hence become too dear to be taken by them in return; so we shall vent much less of our Goods at other foreign Markets; and so the Balance of Trade will turn against us; and draw off our Money as long as we have any。 XIV。 Rents have been advanc'd; from this single Principle; which alone can possibly raise the Price of any Thing; viz。 a Demand for Farms; etc。 in greater Proportion then they were well to be had。 And as this hath in a great Measure hindered the People from going on; as such Demand for Farms shews they naturally would; in cultivating more Land as they increased in Numbers; so that Surplus or Increase of the People have been obliged to imploy themselves in Trades; Manufactures; and Professions; till they have so much overstock'd and embarass'd all these; that their Trades; etc。 will not answer to support them; whilst at the same time the Necessaries of Life; and Rents have been greatly advanc'd; to what they were formerly。 This therefore must be remedied; or Multitude must be ruin'd: Nor can the Gentlemen escape; for if Money become so scarce; (as it certainly in a great Measure is at present amongst the People;) that the Fruits of the Earth will hardly bring Money enough to support the Farmers; and pay all Charges exclusive of Rent; as many Gentlemen already find; who; on that Account; are obliged to take their Farms into their own Management: The Gentlemen; I say; can fare no better than to become skilful; industrious Farmers themselves; and get their Living by that Means; till Money; as it hath heretofore been; becomes plentiful enough to pay all Charges; with a Surplus to pay Rent; which will be done whenever the Rents are lowered enough to make Money flush; or plentiful amongst the Trading Part of the People; but not sooner。 XV。 If all the Gentlemen in the Nation would lower their Rents; at the Request of the People; this could not answer the End; because the Demand for the Fruits of the Earth; which the Land at present cultivated can produce; is; and will continue to be so great; if the People be not diminished; as necessarily to keep the Price higher than the Money circulating amongst them will well enable them to pay for them; and because; until many more of the People are employ'd in Cultivation; etc。 to lessen the Number of Poor; and make greater Plenty; all kinds of Trade; Manufactures; and Professions must needs continue so overstocked with Numbers of People imploy'd in them; as absolutely to spoil them all; as to the Profits; which is the sole End of Trade。 Therefore the natural Way to lower the Rents; can only be; by putting such very great Tracts of waste Land into Cultivation; as may make Farms abound; which will lower; and make the Rents easy; and will employ the People; not in Cultivation only; but in every Kind of Manufacture; Trade and Calling。 For all this will be the necessary Consequence of cultivating such large Tracts of waste Land; as must be cultivated to make Farms abound; and Rents easy。 But I am sensible; this Proposal must meet with almost an insuperable Objection; from all Gentlemen whose Estates consist of Land; since if the Plenty of every thing must be increased so much; that the Produce of the Earth may become a great deal cheaper; the Rents must be lowered a great deal too; I am so apprehensive of the Power of his Prejudice; that I fear it will be very hard to remove it。 but I shall endeavour to do it; by shewing that it is no real Loss to Gentlemen this Way to lower their Estates。 What I have said is a strong Argument to the Purpose; that the Scarcity of Money among the People; that the Scarcity of Money among the People will unavoidably disable the Farmers to pay their Rents。 To this Cause; which doth naturally lessen the Consumption of all Things; in such Proportion as the Cash grows scarcer; and thereby keeps the Fruits of the Earth from rising to a Price; that might enable the Farmers to pay their Rents; it must be ascribed; that Corn; etc。 hath hardly of late fetched Money enough to pay all Charges; exclusive of Rent; and not to the Plenty of Corn considered in itself。 For cheap as Corn is; the Number of Poor; as most Parishes find; is greatly encreased of late Years; witness the Numbers we are continually transporting; and the late Invention of erecting Workhouses for the Poor; and Complaints of Tradesmen all over the Kingdom; which have been; and are very great; and very just。 Now suppose Corn; etc。 were considerably advanced; to enable the Farmers to pay their Rents; what must become of the trading Part of the Nation; who already with justice; complain they can hardly get Money to support themselves; at the present Rates of Things? And how much more would the Poor and their Calamities increase; by such a Rise of Necessaries; together with the still greater Decay of Trade it must occasion; since if the Prices of Things were to be advance; the People in general for want of Money must; if possible; be still less Consumers; and consequently make just so much less Business amongst them; who have already much too little? Besides; it is always found that as Trade lessens (or is divided amongst more Particulars; which is much the same Thing in Effect) the Profits of Trade lessen in still greater Proportion to the Business
快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部!
温馨提示: 温看小说的同时发表评论,说出自己的看法和其它小伙伴们分享也不错哦!发表书评还可以获得积分和经验奖励,认真写原创书评 被采纳为精评可以获得大量金币、积分和经验奖励哦!