Part 4

Under what Point of View Premiums and other Encouragements of Exportation may be considered. 182

On the Influence of the various Kinds of Taxation upon national Prices. 188

On the Object of all Ministers of Finance in laying Taxes. 192

Effects of a general Poll-tax. 193

Effects of a Land-tax. 196

Reflexions on the foregoing System. 203

Effects of an Impost exclusively laid on Luxury. 208

Effects of a merciless Tax upon all Articles of the most general Consumption. 218

Effects of compound Taxation. 223

Some Doubts on the supposed Impossibility of laying all Taxes on Consumption. 231

Recapitulation of the foregoing Thoughts on Taxes, and their Effects. 242

Further Considerations on the Necessity of a Correspondence between the Prices of Agriculture and those of Industry. 248

Of a Cause little suspected of high Prices. 257

The happy Issue of a desperate Combat between Monopoly and some private Interests. 265

Reflexions on a very strange Revolution in ~France~. 270

The pretended Balance of ~France~ in Point of Trade. 291

Exportations and Importations considered as a Game. 308

The nominal Value of the generality of Exports considered, with Respect to its Effect on foreign Correspondence. 338

On Luxury. 352

On Colonies. 372

Preface in ~French~. 399

THOUGHTS ON THE MECHANISM of SOCIETIES.

The first step that led to civilisation was, probably, some kind of slavery, whatever might be its nature. It seems impossible that the strongest and most industrious, following no other impulse than that of a consciousness of his superiority, should have come to the noble resolution of sharing generously, with the weak and idle, the fruits of his own labours and industry; nor can it be supposed that he could suffer any one, but himself, to pronounce on the prerogatives due to his courage and his abilities. But the most consummate knowledge of the means which may have paved the way to despotism, would throw but a faint light on the various subjects which I propose to take under consideration. The Epoch which it may be useful to dwell upon, is that, wherein the chiefs of the different states, being in no anxiety for an authority which is no longer contested, are the first to acknowledge its limits, and begin at last to be solicitous for the happiness of their subjects.

Such, in my opinion, is now the prevailing system all over Europe. The advantage of true freedom is fully felt, and its influence over all-commanding wealth universally acknowledged. But, in order to compare the inferences with the principles, to appreciate the measures by their effects, I shall fix upon that Nation whose avowed maxims, and best known circumstances, are most likely to furnish me with a train of arguments, without having recourse to any further suppositions but such as may appear necessary to clear up the facts that will be adduced in support of those arguments, and to render the consequences, to be deduced from them, more lucid and pointed.

I shall begin with the most interesting article in the present situation of affairs, namely, how far the wealth of a State, and the affluence of the Subject, may be affected by a NATIONAL DEBT?

A general View of the present State of GREAT BRITAIN.

Mr. Arthur Young’s valuation of the Revenue, in his Political Arithmetic, is the result of his own private observations. Nothing ever occurred to me on the subject, that can come up with the minute accounts he gives us of the different provinces which he has visited in the north, south, and east of England.

I am ready to suppose, with that gentleman, that the joint revenue of England and Scotland may be computed, the landed produce and commercial profits included, at 110 millions sterling.