登陆注册
4712300000030

第30章

But if the landlords stipulate with their farmers for half yearly instead of yearly payments, and if the debtors of the two other rents also make their payments every six months, this will alter the rapidity of circulation: and whereas 10,000 ounces were needed to make the annual payments, only 5000 will now be required, since 5000 ounces paid twice over will have the same effect as 10,000 ounces paid once.

Further if the landlords stipulate with their farmers for quarterly payments, or if they are satisfied to receive their rents from the farmers according as the four seasons of the year enable them to sell their produce, and if all other payments are made quarterly, only 2500 ounces will be needed for the same circulation which would have been conducted by 10,000 ounces paid once a year. Therefore, supposing all payments made quarterly in the little state in question, the proportion of the value of the money needed for the circulation is to the annual produce of the soil (or the three rents), as 2500 livres is to 15,000 livres, or as 1 to 6, so that the money would correspond to the sixth part of the annual produce.

But seeing that each branch of the circulation in the cities is carried out by undertakers, that the consumption of food is met by daily, weekly or monthly payments, and that payment for the clothing purchased once or twice a year by families is made at different times by different people; and whereas the expenditure on drink is usually made daily, that on small beer, coal, and a thousand other articles of consumption is very prompt, it would seem that the proportion we have established for quarterly payments would be too high and that the circulation of a land produce of 15,000 ounces of silver in value could be conducted with much less than 2500 ounces of silver in ready money.

As however the farmers have to make large payments to the landlords at least every quarter and the taxes which the prince or the state collects upon consumption are accumulated by the collectors to make large payments to the Receivers-General, there must be enough ready cash in circulation to make these large payments without difficulty, without hindering the circulation of currency for the food and clothing of the people.

It will be seen from this that the proportion of the amount of money needed for circulation in a state is not incomprehensible, and that this amount may be greater or less in a state according to the mode of living and the rapidity of payments. But it is very difficult to lay down anything definite as regards this quantity in general, as the proportion may differ in different countries, and it is only conjectural when I say that "the real cash or money necessary to carry on the circulation and exchange in a state is about equal in value to one third of all the annual rents of the proprietors of the said state."

Supposing the money in circulation equal to the third of all the rents of the landowners and these rents equal to the third of the annual produce of the land, it follows that "the money circulating in a state is equal in value to the ninth part of all the annual produce of the soil."

Sir William Petty, in a manuscript of 1685, supposes frequently that the money in circulation is equal to one tenth of the produce of the soil. He gives no reason. I suppose it is an opinion which he formed from experience and from his practical knowledge both of the money circulating in Ireland (a great part of the land of which country he had measured as a surveyor) and of the produce which he estimated roughly from observation. I am not far removed from his conclusion to the landlords' rents which are ordinarily paid in money and easily ascertainable by a uniform land tax, rather than to the products of the soil, the prices of which vary daily in the markets, and a large part of which is consumed without entering into the market. In the next chapter I shall give several reasons, supported by examples, to confirm my conclusion. I think it useful, even if not mathematically exact in each country. It is enough if it is near the truth and if it prevents the governors of states from forming extravagant ideas of the amount of money in circulation. There is no branch of knowledge in which one is more subject to error than statistics when they are left to imagination, and none more demonstrable when they are based upon detailed facts.

同类推荐
  • The Boss and the Machine

    The Boss and the Machine

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 盐铁论

    盐铁论

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • Three Lectures on the Rate of Wages

    Three Lectures on the Rate of Wages

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 养真集

    养真集

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 冬日送凉州刺史

    冬日送凉州刺史

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 穿越后我被君主大人缠上了

    穿越后我被君主大人缠上了

    夜紫晴从来没想过自己会穿越,还是穿在了一个和她长得一模一样的花痴大小姐身上,嚣张了24年的夜紫晴开启了虐渣模式,手撕绿茶渣男,揭开伪善姨娘真面目,收小弟,当战神…
  • 毒枭枪声

    毒枭枪声

    漫城,在西南边陲,是个不大的城,然而,这个不大的城,最近却是血案连连,以至于每晚六点半,漫城新闻开始,漫城人从女主持人那红润的唇里,都能猜测出,她将会说出什么内容。果然,今天晚上,在女主持人的唇红齿白间,吐出的珠圆玉润的句子,又一次抓住了人们的神经:“今天早上,在城南靠近边境的苍龙山上,又发现了一具尸体,死者是一个胖子,一弹毙命。在死者身上,发现了少量毒品。目前,对于这个案件,警方正在作进一步的深入调查。”又是一枪毙命,这已经是第三个了。
  • 卿有国色之恃宠为妃

    卿有国色之恃宠为妃

    **启尚国相府二小姐,身份尊贵,国色天香,无双美貌冠绝天下,可第一美人的盛誉却是她大姐,因为她有缺陷,眼盲。**嘉王府澹台世子,容颜倾城,骄奢淫逸,阴晴不定,喜好多变,是超脱一切皇孙贵胄,世家公子的存在,因为他丧心病狂,可成魔,也可成佛。……*她一出生,便瞎了双眼,动手的,是她亲爹。下令的,是她祖母:红颜祸水,恐害我谢家,这丫头,废了眼睛吧。没有亲人宠爱,没有姐妹关爱,没有下人不敬,她在锦衣玉食中长大,可只有她自己知道,相府里的人在用一种温柔残忍的方式将她逼疯,大小姐的生辰宴上,她用匕首,将众星捧月的长姐刺伤。*再次醒来的谢臻凉,成为众矢之的,那些个牛鬼蛇神不屑一顾,只当她还是一脚就能踩死的蝼蚁,却在从云端跌落的一刻,恍然醒悟,狰狞怒吼,恨不能吃了她!谢臻凉勾唇笑,美丽娇嫩:“成者王,败者寇,输了,就好好在地狱待着。乖。”(片段君)某世子语重心长:“一个姑娘家,总杀气腾腾的,不好。折寿。”某姑娘垂眸:……某世子叹息:“除了爷,也没人有胆儿要你。”有也被他弄残了,哼。某姑娘捏拳:……某世子一脸傲娇:“跟了爷。”某姑娘弹了弹袖口:……某世子高高在上:“快点头。”某姑娘抽出一把匕首,抵在他美得惊心动魄的俊脸上,笑得温婉大气,冷得荡气回肠,“本姑娘一向正直善良,体贴温柔。杀气腾腾?正经警告你,莫要胡说。”某世子迎着锃亮的刀光,笑地无所畏惧,闭眼,“来吧。爷的脸,随你划。反正爷整个人都在你身下。”某姑娘嘴角一抽,长腿一抬,将他踢出窗外:“滚去喂你的猪!”……【进坑温馨小提醒】1.女主眼盲是暂时的。男主只宠女主是一辈子的。2.一对一。男主身份多重,性格多变。女主穿越,有隐藏身份,独立强大,内心温柔。3.欢迎跳坑。跳不出来了算我的。笑笑不说话。y∩__∩y4.作者菌可萌可撩可勾搭~欢迎一起玩耍~y∩__∩y
  • 傲娇竹马的小锦鲤

    傲娇竹马的小锦鲤

    “我看不懂篮球比赛,但是我知道他进球的样子超帅,所以……我会在他每一场比赛的台下为他加油呐喊。”——沈沉渔“她喜欢cosplay,喜欢网游,喜欢美术,喜欢摄影,唯独不爱学习,也罢,余生还长,我就亲自指教你一二,沈同学遇见你的那一刻,你就被我纳入余生的规划之中。”——江应伪学渣和真学霸,披着网游外衣,甜甜恋爱的故事。
  • 办公室秘战:在细节中让自己价值百万

    办公室秘战:在细节中让自己价值百万

    职场无小事,可谓成也细节,败也细节。那些微不足道的小事、毫不起眼的细节,也许正是你职场生涯中的转折点。一个细节完全可以改变你的前途和命运,忽视细节将等同于忽视你自己的命运。反之,假如你抓住了每一个细节,关注到了每一个细节,也许是现在,或者在不久的将来,它将使你价值百万。
  • 犀利雄辩的世界演说

    犀利雄辩的世界演说

    本书收入了世界著名的演说,如:恩格斯——在马克思墓前的讲话、黑格尔——在海德堡大学的演说、伽利略——在受审法庭上的演说、李大钊——在天安门集会上的演说等,这些演说在历史上留下了深刻的印迹,让人们领略到了思想巨人的风采。
  • 涌动的生命

    涌动的生命

    你跟我说过,谁嫁给我,一定会幸福,因为我心里装的就是要给她幸福。我会像你说的那样,好好呵护好好珍爱幼珊,好好的,好好生活,好好活着……爱情并非生活的全部,但我也要你好好地活着,获得真实的爱情,在大洋的彼岸,无忧无虑地生活下去!
  • 全宋文

    全宋文

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 相声“三字经”

    相声“三字经”

    《相声三字经》是一本介绍相声历史和演变的书籍,它用一种说唱文学的语言与形式去演绎另一种说唱文学的历史。相声艺术博大精深,以“三字经”的形式讲述相声的发展史更是别树一帜。书中不仅详细地介绍了相声的表演技巧、语言习惯,还有相声界的大师、前辈等名人,还请来徐德亮为“三字经”的内容作注释,使内容更加贴近生活,便于阅读。
  • 太极真人杂丹药方

    太极真人杂丹药方

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。