八喜电子书 > 经管其他电子书 > money answers all things >

第7部分

money answers all things-第7部分

小说: money answers all things 字数: 每页4000字

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!
————未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!



e continually giving Gold and Silver; do give sufficient to supply such a needful Balance to every Nation。 For the Gold and Silver; which the Mines; since the Europeans have possess'd them; have furnished Europe in general with; have not only furnished Quantities equal to the Increase of Mankind since that Time; but so much more Gold and Silver; as to inhance the Price of all Kinds of Commodities in Europe in general; but especially in those Nations who have; either directly or indirectly; had the most considerable Trade with the Countries where the Mines are; and this in all Probability they will always continue to do; but if not; I have and shall shew how to do that which will be always equivalent。     And as to the Countries; which are thus continually furnishing this Ballance to the rest of the World; they having the Mines; have that which is equivalent to such a Balance in their Favour。     I shall now proceed to some Observation concerning Prohibitions on Trade; and also concerning prohibiting the current Coin to be exported。     It was before observed; that it is reasonably expected; every Man should; some way or other; maintain himself and Family honestly; and that; to this End; the Affairs of the World must be so wisely constituted in their own Nature; as to furnish sufficient Employment for every Body; since any considerable Defect in this Respect must leave some unimploy'd and consequently without Maintenance: And further; that there is no Employment in the World; but what the People mutually cause each other。     These Employments arise solely out of the several Wants; etc。 of Mankind; which constitute all the various Trades; Professions; and Occupations of Men; to which I will add; and hereafter prove; that these are so wisely  proportioned; as fully to employ all that need or will be employed; and therefore these are the natural Foundations of all commerce amongst Mankind and sufficient to subsist them all; if not obstructed by any Means。     All Nations of the World; therefore; should be regarded as one Body of Tradesmen; exercising their various Occupations for the mutual Benefit and Advantage of each other。     A very considerable Part of these Employments relate to maritime Affairs and Commerce; by transporting the Commodities of the several Nations from one Nation to another。     This makes ships needful; which; considering all things that any way relate to them; furnish Employment for a prodigious Part of Mankind; besides the inland Carriage of the Goods which the ships are loaded with; and the Merchants; and Writers; and all the Trades that depend on them; which must needs enable every Nation to support a prodigious Number of Inhabitants; more than the same Territory could support; if there were not this Commerce between the several Nations to employ the People。     Now since Mankind never complained of having too much Trade; but many do really want Business sufficient to get a Livelihood; Prohibitions do; in the very Nature of them; cut off so much Employment from the People; as there would be more; if there were no such Prohibitions。 And though this will; I think; chiefly affect the Nations who prohibit the Exportation of their own Commodities; because other Nations will either raise those Things themselves; or substitute something else of their own; if they can't get the same Things from other Nations; which I believe one way or other they almost always may; yet hence 'tis evident; such Prohibitions lessen the Number of Merchants and Ships; with all their Appendages; so far as such Prohibitions can affect them; which undoubtedly must cut off a Livelihood from abundance of People; who therefore must be obliged to seek their Livelihood in domestick Affairs; which being not sufficient to subsist so many People; upon the same Territory; without proportionable maritime Trade; must bring great Inconvenience on such a Nation; for want of so much of this Branch of Employment for the People。     And as other Nations; for want of looking thoroughly into the foundation of the Trade of the World; will certainly make Reprisals by Prohibitions;(9*) as we know they actually do; the Calamity of every Nation; that is no wiser; will increase; since they cut off so much Trade and Employment from Mankind; as these mutual Prohibitions can affect。     But no Inconvenience can arise by an unrestrained Trade; but very great Advantage; since if the Cash of the Nation be decreased by it; which Prohibitions are designed to prevent; those Nations that get the Cash will certainly find every thing advance in Price; as the Cash increases amongst them。 And if we; who part with the Money; make our Plenty great enough to make Labour sufficiently cheap; which is always constituted of the Price of Victuals and Drink; our Manufactures; and everything else; will soon become so moderate as to turn the Balance of Trade in our Favour; and thereby fetch the Money back again。 Thus Money; on which Trade floats; like a Tide; by ebbing and flowing; will bring vast Business to our People; and furnish them with Employment and Happiness。 But all this doth absolutely depend on cultivating such large Tracts of Land; as will make the Plenty great enough to reduce the Price of Labour; and all other Things in consequence thereof; so as to enable us to trade on Terms as reasonable as any other Nation; without which we must shut ourselves in a great Measure out of the foreign Trade of the World; as Merchants very well know; and every body will easily believe; since they that can work cheapest; must and will have the Trade。     But those who prohibit the Exportation of the rough Principles of their Manufactures; are willing to have them exported when wrought up; and fully manufactured。 Now beside that they must expect Reprisals to be made by other Nations; who will shift as much as they can without such Goods; for the sake; as they all seem to imagine; of employing their own People; not considering how much such shrinking and contracting their Trade within themselves; cuts off the more valuable maritime Trade and Employment; which all should strive to promote and enlarge; not only for the Reason I gave before; but because such Nations will always be the richest and most powerful (in respect to the Bigness of their Territory) who have the most maritime Trade; whether the Quantity of Cash amongst the People be as great as any other Nation or not; beside all this; I say; it may not be amiss to consider; what a vast Value must be risqued at Sea; when things are fully manufactured; to what would be risqued in their rough Principles; and what a Tendency the vast Value of Goods; fully manufactured; hath to make the Balance of Trade fluctuate; so as to hazard very great Quantities of Gold and Silver; much oftener at Sea; to make the Balance; than there otherwise would be Occasion for: And after all; how difficult is it; sufficiently to prevent the Exportation or Importation of any thing; which those who want it will be at the Charge to get; and what a Damage do a great many honest People sustain; by the unavoidable Inconveniences attending Prohibitions and high Duties; besides the Iniquity they too often occasion! But let us a little consider; whether a free and unrestrained Trade hath any Inconveniencies; we ought to guard against。(10*) I will not contend for it; with respect to France; though I can't see it could do us any Harm; even in that Case; if we were prudent enough to prevent the Inconvenience; by imploying more Land as our Cash decreases; thereby to employ the People; and lower the Price of things still so much; that whatever Cash remains amongst us; it may however be so plentiful as to circulate Trade to the utmost; and so make the People in general happy; notwithstanding its Decrease。 For I am sensible that as France can work vastly cheaper; because they can live for a great deal less than we can do; so they can make most of the Manufactures we make; as well as we can; and therefore if we were to open Trade with them; they would bring us all sorts of Goods so cheap; that our Manufactures would be at an End; till the Money they would by this Means get of us rais'd the Prices of their things so much; and our Want of Money should fall ours to such a Degree; that we could go on with our Manufactures as cheap as they; and when Trade would stand between that Nation and us; as it doth between us and other Nations who mutually take Goods of each other; and I think this would enlarge the maritime Trade of both Nations; together with all the Trades relating thereto (i。e。 would furnish still further Means of employing abundance of People of both Nations this Way); and at last; this will terminate in the particular Advantages each Nation naturally hath in the Produce of their respective Countries: And if any Nation is blest in this respect more than another; the Difference this will make; will be only that of having more Money amongst them; than such other Nations have in proportion to the Number of their People; and the Prices of Things in each Nation will be dearer and cheaper respectively; yet if they should go to make any other Advantage of this; to restrain; and so increase the Money amongst them; this would soon prove to their Hurt; because as their Goods will certainly rise as their Cash increases; so this will make the Opportunity greater for other nations; who will from hence be able to outdo them in Cheapness; to drive them out of their Trade at other foreign Markets; and probably; notwithstanding all they can do to prevent it; such cheap Commodities will find the Way to them likewise。     But we must consider our Trade; with respect to all other Nations; as well as France。 Suppose; therefore; that such an unrestrained Trade with France; or any other nation; should diminish our Cash so very considerably; that we could not give above half the Price for Things in general as we at present do: if we take care to keep our Trade alive; by employing the People in cultivating more Lands; that our Produce and Manufactures may be cheap enough to carry on Trade with such Nations; it must needs enlarge our Trade mightily with those nations; whose Cash keeps their Prices of things near to; or above the Rates ours are now at; insomuch that I think we must needs have the Balance on all 

返回目录 上一页 下一页 回到顶部 0 0

你可能喜欢的