登陆注册
5186300000018

第18章 THE COMMODITY(16)

2.Petty treats the division of labour also as a productive force,and he does so on a much grander scale than Adam Smith.See An Essay Concerning the Multiplicetion of Mankind ,Third Edition,1686,pp.35-36.In this essay he shows the advantages which division of labour has for production not only with the example of the manufacture of a watch --as Adam Smith did later with the example of the manufacture of a pin --but considers also a town and a whole country as large-scale industrial establishments.

The Spectator of November 26,1711,refers to this "illustration of the admirable Sir William Petty".McCulloch's conjecture that the Spectetor confused Petty with a writer forty years his junior is therefore wrong.

(See McCulloch,The Literature of Political Economy,a Classified Catalogue,London,1845,p.102.)Pctty regards himself as the founder of a new science.

He says that his method "is not yet very usual","for instead of using only comparative and superlative Words,and intellectual Arguments",he proposes to speak "in Terms of Number,Weight or Measure ;to use only Arguments of Sense,and to consider only such Causes,as have visible Foundations in Nature;leaving those that depend upon the mutable Minds,Opinions,Appetites,and Passions of particular Men,to the Consideration of others"(Political Arithmetick ,etc.,London,1699,Preface).

His audacious genius becomes evident for instance in his proposal to transport "all the movables and People of Ireland,and of the Highlands of Scotland ...into the rest of Great Britain".This would result in the saving of labour-time,in increasing productivity of labour,and "the King and his Subjects would thereby become more Rich and Strong"(Political Aritlmetick ,Chapter 4[p.225]).Also in the chapter of his Political Arithmetick in which --at a time when Holland was still the predominant trading nation and France seemed to be on the way to becoming the principal trading power --he proves that England is destined to conquer the world market:"That the King of England's Subjects,have Stock competent and convenient,to drive the Trade of the whole Commercial World"(op.cit.,Chapter 10[p.

272]).'That the Impediments of England's greatness,are but contingent and removable"(p.247et seq.).A highly original sense of humour pervades all his writings.Thus he shows for example that the conquest of the world market by Holland,which was then regarded as the model country by English economists just as Britain is now regarded as the model country by continental economists,was brought about by perfectly natural causes "without such Angelical Wits and Judgments,as some attribute to the Hollanders"(op.

cit.,pp.175-16).He champions freedom of conscience as a condition of trade,because the poor are diligent and "believe that Labour and Industry is their Duty towards God"so long as they are permitted "to think they have the more Wit and Understanding,especially of the things of God,which they think chiefly belong to the Poor"."From whence it follows that Trade is not fixt to any Species of Religion as such;but rather ...to the Heterodox part of the whole"(op.cit.,pp.183-86).He recommends special public contribution for rogues,since it would be better for the general public to impose a tax on themselves for the benefit of the rogues than to be taxed by them (op.cit.,p.199).On the other hand,he rejects taxes which transfer wealth from industrious people to those who "do nothing at all,but Eat and Drink,Sing,Play,and Dance:nay such as Study the Metaphysicks"[op.cit.,p.198].Petty's writings have almost become bibliographical curiosities and are only available in old inferior editions.'This is the more surprising since William Petty is not only the father of English political economy but also an ancestor of Henry Petty,alias Marquis of Lansdowne,the Nestor of the English Whigs.But the Lansdowne family could hardly prepare a complete edition of Petty's works without prefacing it with his biography,and what is true with regard to the origin of most of the big Whig families,applies also in this case --the less said of it the better.

The army surgeon,who was a bold thinker but quite unscrupulous and just as apt to plunder in Ireland under the aegis of Cromwell as to fawn upon Charles II to obtain the title of baronet to embellish his trash,is not a suitablc image of an ancestor for public display.In most of the writings published during his lifetime,moreover,Petty seeks to prove that England's golden age was the reign of Charles II,a rather heterodox view for hereditary exploiters of the "glorious revolution".Return 3.As against the "black art of finance"of his time,Boisguillebert says:

"The science of finance consists of nothing but a thorough knowledge of the interests of agriculture and commerce"(Le détail de la France,1697.In Eugene Dalre's edition of Economistes financiers du XVIII siècle ,Paris,1843,Vol.I,p.241).

同类推荐
  • A Reading of Life

    A Reading of Life

    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。
  • The Message

    The Message

    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。
  • 度诸佛境界智光严经

    度诸佛境界智光严经

    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。
  • Urbain Grandier

    Urbain Grandier

    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。
  • 兰

    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
  • 只道当时已惘然

    只道当时已惘然

    苏依在一个不能称之为故乡的地方再次邂逅她生命中最为厚重的两个人。多年前,一个许了她十年之约,却以最决绝的方式舍她而去,一个以爱之名,却带给她最刻骨铭心的伤害。再相遇,物是人非,一个满腔怨愤誓要她感同身受,一个满腹悔恨却让她无所适从。原来很多事情不是想着淡忘便能释怀的,再回首,却只道,当时已惘然。
  • Pick me!佛系老公谈谈情

    Pick me!佛系老公谈谈情

    乔语诺爱戚言商十年,换来的结局却是——在订婚前一晚,她被人活活掐死,他却身在国外陪着佳人共度浪漫之夜。重生在她人之身,乔语诺要报复的不只是那些害死她的人,还有他。“戚总,你的心是铁做的,捂不热。”可后来的后来,“她”的尸体被人发现,腐烂不堪,众人嗟叹避而远之。只有那个男人,呢喃自语——“别闹了,你回来我们就结婚。”原来的原来,他爱她,只是错了时间。
  • 大宋王朝1

    大宋王朝1

    本丛书立足大宋,介绍了五代战乱的终结、中央集权的强化、右文抑武的家法、首内虚外的战略、穷则思变的改革以及皇帝的荒唐、官僚的争斗等重大事件或现象;同时,从经济、文化、科技等不同的层面重新审视两宋,试图全方位地向读者展示大宋历史的始末。
  • 幼仪杂箴

    幼仪杂箴

    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。
  • 梦回中国古城

    梦回中国古城

    国家地理·神秘中国是一套以地域事件为单元散点透视、实地实拍、实证实录的图书,从地理人文风貌,到社会历史心态,有记录,有拍摄,有考察,有论证,从不同的角度和侧面,把历史之树的绚丽风采展示给大家。从社会生活的细节上,揭开历史的面纱,看一看神秘中国的精彩。每本书中围绕同一主题生发出的不同故事,就像几片相似的树叶,为中华历史的大树平添几抹生命的绿色。在这里,我们即将看到:秀丽的山川,古老的城镇,尘封的遗迹,神秘的陵寝;我们将接触到:奇石美玉,奇异建筑,珍贵遗产,传奇人物……
  • 汉末魏晋文人群落与文学变迁

    汉末魏晋文人群落与文学变迁

    《汉末魏晋文人群落与文学变迁》是作者在扬州大学读博期间完成的博士论文,这一选题的直接意图是针对中国古代文人“文学的自觉”而提出的,这是从上世纪初一直延续到今天的文学史老话题。为什麽这个问题一直为学界感兴趣呢?因为“文学的自觉”是中国古代文学史上最重要的一次文学转型。今夭我们所见的文人文学的基本格局,就是由这次转型奠定的。所以,弄清这个问题意义重大,它涉及古代文人文学建构历史过程,同时还隐含着古代文人文化品格建树的若干资讯,许多学者封此感兴趣是有理由的。
  • Gould's Book of Fish
  • 命门

    命门

    林亚波下了车,又返身探进车里将放在后座的行李拖了出来,扔在脚下,这才抬起头来,朝不远处的那个建筑物望了望,那是一幢纯白色的小楼,在满山青翠树木的掩映之下,显得格外突兀。林亚波摇了摇头,心里掠过几分无奈,他实在想不明白,就喻洁那样活泼好动的性子,怎么就能在这么偏僻的地方待得住。可事实上,喻洁不但待得住,还待得不愿意下山了。她原本和林亚波约好了,等林亚波休年假时,两人就一起出去旅游。可当林亚波请好了年假之后,打电话给她时,她却在电话里说,自己最近不能下山了。喻洁在电话里对林亚波说,她工作的私立疗养院里,由她负责照顾的一个老头儿病了。
  • 别跟自己过不去(大全集)

    别跟自己过不去(大全集)

    以故事和理论相结合的形式,最后再配以画龙点睛的人生感悟,让您在百忙之中,静下心来细细审视自己,沉淀自己,关爱自己,犹如夏日午后的那杯绿茶,清淡而沁人心脾。希望它能够让您重新感悟人生,发现生活的美好,面带微笑地踏上新的征途!在这个世界上,有许多事情是我们难以预料的。我们不能控制际遇,却可以掌握自己;我们无法预知未来,却可以把握现在;我们不知道自己的生命到底有多长,但我们可以安排当下的生活;我们左右不了变化无常的天气,却可以调整自己的心情。只要活着,就别跟自己过不去。
  • 鬼马女神捕②:绝命预言(下)

    鬼马女神捕②:绝命预言(下)

    为了保护蓝翎,众人各出奇招,墨羽送给蓝翎一个手镯防身。不料,在圣诞化装舞会上,防御手镯被盗,蓝翎陷入无休止的危险。这时,蓝翎的童年伙伴鼻涕龙潜入学校,提醒她身边的人不可信,尤其是姬十四和墨羽!蓝翎这才发现,身边的每个人都藏着不可告人的秘密:姬十四一直在暗中监听蓝翎的房间,而墨羽竟然是导致蓝翎父亲失踪的“元凶”!蓝翎决定查出一切的真相。她从多年前的“拉布拉多惨案”入手,寻到墨羽父亲所在的自由世界,并在那里找到了被囚禁多年的父亲。此时,姬十四尾随而至,而他的目标正是蓝翎的父亲……