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of money-第3部分

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the　people；　the　simple　or　refined；　is　the　most　advantageous　to　the
state　or　public？　I　should；　without　much　scruple；　prefer　the　latter；　in
a　view　to　politics　at　least；　and　should　produce　this　as　an　additional
reason　for　the　encouragement　of　trade　and　manufactures。
　　　　While　men　live　in　the　ancient　simple　manner；　and　supply　all　their
necessaries　from　domestic　industry　or　from　the　neighbourhood；　the
sovereign　can　levy　no　taxes　in　money　from　a　considerable　part　of　his
subjects；　and　if　he　will　impose　on　them　any　burthens；　he　must　take
payment　in　commodities；　with　which　alone　they　abound；　a　method
attended　with　such　great　and　obvious　inconveniencies；　that　they　need
not　here　be　insisted　on。　All　the　money　he　can　pretend　to　raise；　must
be　from　his　principal　cities；　where　alone　it　circulates；　and　these；　it
is　evident；　cannot　afford　him　so　much　as　the　whole　state　could；　did
gold　and　silver　circulate　throughout　the　whole。　But　besides　this
obvious　diminution　of　the　revenue；　there　is　another　cause　of　the
poverty　of　the　public　in　such　a　situation。　Not　only　the　sovereign
receives　less　money；　but　the　same　money　goes　not　so　far　as　in　times　of
industry　and　general　commerce。　Every　thing　is　dearer；　where　the　gold

and　silver　are　supposed　equal；　and　that　because　fewer　commodities　come
to　market；　and　the　whole　coin　bears　a　higher　proportion　to　what　is　to
be　purchased　by　it；　whence　alone　the　prices　of　every　thing　are　fixed
and　determined。
　　　　Here　then　we　may　learn　the　fallacy　of　the　remark；　often　to　be　met
with　in　historians；　and　even　in　common　conversation；　that　any
particular　state　is　weak；　though　fertile；　populous；　and　well
cultivated；　merely　because　it　wants　money。　It　appears；　that　the　want
of　money　can　never　injure　any　state　within　itself：　For　men　and
commodities　are　the　real　strength　of　any　community。　It　is　the　simple
manner　of　living　which　here　hurts　the　public；　by　confining　the　gold
and　silver　to　few　hands；　and　preventing　its　universal　diffusion　and
circulation。　On　the　contrary；　industry　and　refinements　of　all　kinds
incorporate　it　with　the　whole　state；　however　small　its　quantity　may
be：　They　digest　it　into　every　vein；　so　to　speak；　and　make　it　enter
into　every　transaction　and　contract。　No　hand　is　entirely　empty　of　it。
And　as　the　prices　of　every　thing　fall　by　that　means；　the　sovereign　has
a　double　advantage：　He　may　draw　money　by　his　taxes　from　every　part　of
the　state；　and　what　he　receives；　goes　farther　in　every　purchase　and
payment。
　　　　We　may　infer；　from　a　comparison　of　prices；　that　money　is　not　more
plentiful　in　CHINA；　than　it　was　in　EUROPE　three　centuries　ago：　But
what　immense　power　is　that　empire　possessed　of；　if　we　may　judge　by　the
civil　and　military　establishment　maintained　by　it？　POLYBIUS　tells　us；
that　provisions　were　so　cheap　in　ITALY　during　his　time；　that　in　some
places　the　stated　price　for　a　meal　at　the　inns　was　a　semis　a　head；
little　more　than　a　farthing！　Yet　the　ROMAN　power　had　even　then　subdued
the　whole　known　world。　About　a　century　before　that　period；　the
CARTHAGINIAN　ambassador　said；　by　way　of　raillery；　that　no　people　lived
more　sociably　amongst　themselves　than　the　ROMANS；　for　that；　in　every
entertainment；　which；　as　foreign　ministers；　they　received；　they　still
observed　the　same　plate　at　every　table。　The　absolute　quantity　of　the
precious　metals　is　a　matter　of　great　indifference。　There　are　only　two
circumstances　of　any　importance；　namely；　their　gradual　encrease；　and
their　thorough　concoction　and　circulation　through　the　state；　and　the
influence　of　both　these　circumstances　has　here　been　explained。
　　　　In　the　following　Essay　we　shall　see　an　instance　of　a　like　fallacy
as　that　above　mentioned；　where　a　collateral　effect　is　taken　for　a
cause；　and　where　a　consequence　is　ascribed　to　the　plenty　of　money；
though　it　be　really　owing　to　a　change　in　the　manners　and　customs　of
the　people。
�

the　End

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