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！
AN INQUIRY INTO THE NATURE AND CAUSES OF THE WEALTH OF NATIONS
by Adam Smith
1776
BOOK THREE
OF THE DIFFERENT PROGRESS OF OPULENCE IN DIFFERENT NATIONS
Of the Natural Progress of Opulence
THE great commerce of every civilised society is that
carried on between the inhabitants of the town and those of the
country。 It consists in the exchange of rude for manufactured
produce； either immediately； or by the intervention of money； or
of some sort of paper which represents money。 The country
supplies the town with the means of subsistence and the materials
of manufacture。 The town repays this supply by sending back a
part of the manufactured produce to the inhabitants of the
country。 The town； in which there neither is nor can be any
reproduction of substances； may very properly be said to gain its
whole wealth and subsistence from the country。 We must not；
however； upon this account； imagine that the gain of the town is
the loss of the country。 The gains of both are mutual and
reciprocal； and the division of labour is in this； as in all
other cases； advantageous to all the different persons employed
in the various occupations into which it is subdivided。 The
inhabitants of the country purchase of the town a greater
quantity of manufactured goods； with the produce of a much
smaller quantity of their own labour； than they must have
employed had they attempted to prepare them themselves。 The town
affords a market for the surplus produce of the country； or what
is over and above the maintenance of the cultivators； and it is
there that the inhabitants of the country exchange it for
something else which is in demand among them。 The greater the
number and revenue of the inhabitants of the town； the more
extensive is the market which it affords to those of the country；
and the more extensive that market； it is always the more
advantageous to a great number。 The corn which grows within a
mile of the town sells there for the same price with that which
comes from twenty miles distance。 But the price of the latter
must generally not only pay the expense of raising and bringing
it to market； but afford； too； the ordinary profits of
agriculture to the farmer。 The proprietors and cultivators of the
country； therefore； which lies in the neighbourhood of the town；
over and above the ordinary profits of agriculture； gain； in the
price of what they sell； the whole value of the carriage of the
like produce that is brought from more distant parts； and they
have； besides； the whole value of this carriage in the price of
what they buy。 Compare the cultivation of the lands in the
neighbourhood of any considerable town with that of those which
lie at some distance from it； and you will easily satisfy
yourself how much the country is benefited by the commerce of the
town。 Among all the absurd speculations that have been propagated
concerning the balance of trade； it has never been pretended that
either the country loses by its commerce with the town； or the
town by that with the country which maintains it。
As subsistence is； in the nature of things； prior to
conveniency and luxury； so the industry which procures the former
must necessarily be prior to that which ministers to the latter。
The cultivation and improvement of the country； therefore； which
affords subsistence； must； necessarily； be prior to the increase
of the town； which furnishes only the means of conveniency and
luxury。 It is the surplus produce of the country only； or what is
over and above the maintenance of the cultivators； that
constitutes the subsistence of the town； which can therefore
increase only with the increase of this surplus produce。 The
town； indeed； may not always derive its whole subsistence from
the country in its neighbourhood； or even from the territory to
which it belongs； but from very distant countries； and this；
though it forms no exception from the general rule； has
occasioned considerable variations in the progress of opulence in
different ages and nations。
That order of things which necessity imposes in general；
though not in every particular country； is； in every particular
country； promoted by the natural inclinations of man。 If human
institutions had never thwarted those natural inclinations； the
towns could nowhere have increased beyond what the improvement
and cultivation of the territory in which they were situated
could support； till such time； at least； as the whole of that
territory was completely cultivated and improved。 Upon equal； or
nearly equal profits； most men will choose to employ their
capitals rather in the improvement and cultivation of land than
either in manufactures or in foreign trade。 The man who employs
his capital in land has it more under his view and command； and
his fortune is much less liable to accidents than that of the
trader； who is obliged frequently to commit it； not only to the
winds and the waves； but to the more uncertain elements of human
folly and injustice； by giving great credits in distant countries
to men with whose character and situation he can seldom be
thoroughly acquainted。 The capital of the landlord； on the
contrary； which is fixed in the improvement of his land； seems to
be as well secured as the nature of human affairs can admit of。
The beauty of the country besides； the pleasures of a country
life； the tranquillity of mind which it promises； and wherever
the injustice of human laws does not disturb it； the independency
which it really affords； have charms that more or less attract
everybody； and as to cultivate the ground was the original
destination of man； so in every stage of his existence he seems
to retain a predilection for this primitive employment。
Without the assistance of some artificers； indeed； the
cultivation of land cannot be carried on but with great
inconveniency and continual interruption。 Smiths； carpenters；
wheelwrights； and ploughwrights； masons； and bricklayers；
tanners； shoemakers； and tailors are people whose service the
farmer has frequent occasion for。 Such artificers； too； stand
occasionally in need of the assistance of one another； and as
their residence is not； like that of the farmer； necessarily tied
down to a precise spot； they naturally settle in the
neighbourhood of one another； and thus form a small town or
village。 The butcher； the brewer； and the baker soon join them；
together with many other artificers and retailers； necessary or
useful for supplying their occasional wants； and who contribute
still further to augment the town。 The inhabitants of the town
and those of the country are mutually the servants of one
another。 The town is a continual fair or market； to which the
inhabitants of the country resort in order to exchange their rude
for manufactured produce。 It is this commerce which supplies the
inhabitants of the town both with the materials of their work；
and the means of their subsistence。 The quantity of the finished
work which they sell to the inhabitants of the country
necessarily regulates the quantity of the materials and
provisions which they buy。 Neither their employment nor
subsistence； therefore； can augment but in proportion to the
augmentation of the demand from the country for finished work；
and this demand can augment only in proportion to the extension
of improvement and cultivation。 Had human institutions；
therefore； never disturbed the natural course of things； the
progressive wealth and increase of the towns would； in every
political society； be consequential； and in proportion to the
improvement and cultivation of the territory or country。
In our North American colonies； where uncultivated land is
still to be had upon easy terms； no manufactures for distant sale
have ever yet been established in any of their towns。 When an
artificer has acquired a little more stock than is necessary for
carrying on his own business in supplying the neighbouring
country； he does not； in North Americ