wealbk01-第12章

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landlord；　farmer；　and　labourer。　His　produce；　therefore；　should

pay　him　the　rent　of　the　first；　the　profit　of　the　second；　and　the

wages　of　the　third。　The　whole；　however；　is　commonly　considered　as

the　earnings　of　his　labour。　Both　rent　and　profit　are；　in　this

case；　confounded　with　wages。

　　　　　As　in　a　civilised　country　there　are　but　few　commodities　of

which　the　exchangeable　value　arises　from　labour　only；　rent　and

profit　contributing　largely　to　that　of　the　far　greater　part　of

them；　so　the　annual　produce　of　its　labour　will　always　be

sufficient　to　purchase　or　command　a　much　greater　quantity　of

labour　than　what　employed　in　raising；　preparing；　and　bringing

that　produce　to　market。　If　the　society　were　annually　to　employ

all　the　labour　which　it　can　annually　purchase；　as　the　quantity　of

labour　would　increase　greatly　every　year；　so　the　produce　of　every

succeeding　year　would　be　of　vastly　greater　value　than　that　of　the

foregoing。　But　there　is　no　country　in　which　the　whole　annual

produce　is　employed　in　maintaining　the　industrious。　The　idle

everywhere　consume　a　great　part　of　it；　and　according　to　the

different　proportions　in　which　it　is　annually　divided　between

those　two　different　orders　of　people；　its　ordinary　or　average

value　must　either　annually　increase；　or　diminish；　or　continue　the

same　from　one　year　to　another。　　　



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　VII



　　　　　　　　　　　Of　the　Natural　and　Market　Price　of　Commodities　



　　　　　THERE　is　in　every　society　or　neighbourhood　an　ordinary　or

average　rate　both　of　wages　and　profit　in　every　different

employment　of　labour　and　stock。　This　rate　is　naturally　regulated；

as　I　shall　show　hereafter；　partly　by　the　general　circumstances　of

the　society；　their　riches　or　poverty；　their　advancing；

stationary；　or　declining　condition；　and　partly　by　the　particular

nature　of　each　employment。

　　　　　There　is　likewise　in　every　society　or　neighbourhood　an

ordinary　or　average　rate　of　rent；　which　is　regulated　too；　as　I

shall　show　hereafter；　partly　by　the　general　circumstances　of　the

society　or　neighbourhood　in　which　the　land　is　situated；　and

partly　by　the　natural　or　improved　fertility　of　the　land。

　　　　　These　ordinary　or　average　rates　may　be　called　the　natural

rates　of　wages；　profit；　and　rent；　at　the　time　and　place　in　which

they　commonly　prevail。

　　　　　When　the　price　of　any　commodity　is　neither　more　nor　less

than　what　is　sufficient　to　pay　the　rent　of　the　land；　the　wages　of

the　labour；　and　the　profits　of　the　stock　employed　in　raising；

preparing；　and　bringing　it　to　market；　according　to　their　natural

rates；　the　commodity　is　then　sold　for　what　may　be　called　its

natural　price。

　　　　　The　commodity　is　then　sold　precisely　for　what　it　is　worth；

or　for　what　it　really　costs　the　person　who　brings　it　to　market；

for　though　in　common　language　what　is　called　the　prime　cost　of

any　commodity　does　not　comprehend　the　profit　of　the　person　who　is

to　sell　it　again；　yet　if　he　sell　it　at　a　price　which　does　not

allow　him　the　ordinary　rate　of　profit　in　his　neighbourhood；　he　is

evidently　a　loser　by　the　trade；　since　by　employing　his　stock　in

some　other　way　he　might　have　made　that　profit。　His　profit；

besides；　is　his　revenue；　the　proper　fund　of　his　subsistence。　As；

while　he　is　preparing　and　bringing　the　goods　to　market；　he

advances　to　his　workmen　their　wages；　or　their　subsistence；　so　he

advances　to　himself；　in　the　same　manner；　his　own　subsistence；

which　is　generally　suitable　to　the　profit　which　he　may　reasonably

expect　from　the　sale　of　his　goods。　Unless　they　yield　him　this

profit；　therefore；　they　do　not　repay　him　what　they　may　very

properly　be　said　to　have　really　cost　him。

　　　　　Though　the　price；　therefore；　which　leaves　him　this　profit　is

not　always　the　lowest　at　which　a　dealer　may　sometimes　sell　his

goods；　it　is　the　lowest　at　which　he　is　likely　to　sell　them　for

any　considerable　time；　at　least　where　there　is　perfect　liberty；

or　where　he　may　change　his　trade　as　often　as　he　pleases。

　　　　　The　actual　price　at　which　any　commodity　is　commonly　sold　is

called　its　market　price。　It　may　either　be　above；　or　below；　or

exactly　the　same　with　its　natural　price。

　　　　　The　market　price　of　every　particular　commodity　is　regulated

by　the　proportion　between　the　quantity　which　is　actually　brought

to　market；　and　the　demand　of　those　who　are　willing　to　pay　the

natural　price　of　the　commodity；　or　the　whole　value　of　the　rent；

labour；　and　profit；　which　must　be　paid　in　order　to　bring　it

thither。　Such　people　may　be　called　the　effectual　demanders；　and

their　demand　the　effectual　demand；　since　it　may　be　sufficient　to

effectuate　the　bringing　of　the　commodity　to　market。　It　is

different　from　the　absolute　demand。　A　very　poor　man　may　be　said

in　some　sense　to　have　a　demand　for　a　coach　and　six；　he　might　like

to　have　it；　but　his　demand　is　not　an　effectual　demand；　as　the

commodity　can　never　be　brought　to　market　in　order　to　satisfy　it。

　　　　　When　the　quantity　of　any　commodity　which　is　brought　to

market　falls　short　of　the　effectual　demand；　all　those　who　are

willing　to　pay　the　whole　value　of　the　rent；　wages；　and　profit；

which　must　be　paid　in　order　to　bring　it　thither；　cannot　be

supplied　with　the　quantity　which　they　want。　Rather　than　want　it

altogether；　some　of　them　will　be　willing　to　give　more。　A

competition　will　immediately　begin　among　them；　and　the　market

price　will　rise　more　or　less　above　the　natural　price；　according

as　either　the　greatness　of　the　deficiency；　or　the　wealth　and

wanton　luxury　of　the　competitors；　happen　to　animate　more　or　less

the　eagerness　of　the　competition。　Among　competitors　of　equal

wealth　and　luxury　the　same　deficiency　will　generally　occasion　a

more　or　less　eager　competition；　according　as　the　acquisition　of

the　commodity　happens　to　be　of　more　or　less　importance　to　them。

Hence　the　exorbitant　price　of　the　necessaries　of　life　during　the

blockade　of　a　town　or　in　a　famine。

　　　　　When　the　quantity　brought　to　market　exceeds　the　effectual

demand；　it　cannot　be　all　sold　to　those　who　are　willing　to　pay　the

whole　value　of　the　rent；　wages；　and　profit；　which　must　be　paid　in

order　to　bring　it　thither。　Some　part　must　be　sold　to　those　who

are　willing　to　pay　less；　and　the　low　price　which　they　give　for　it

must　reduce　the　price　of　the　whole。　The　market　price　will　sink

more　or　less　below　the　natural　price；　according　as　the　greatness

of　the　excess　increases　more　or　less　the　competition　of　the

sellers；　or　according　as　it　happens　to　be　more　or　less　important

to　them　to　get　immediately　rid　of　the　commodity。　The　same　excess

in　the　importation　of　perishable；　will　occasion　a　much　greater

competition　than　in　that　of　durable　commodities；　in　the

importation　of　oranges；　for　example；　than　in　that　of　old　iron。

　　　　　When　the　quantity　brought　to　market　is　just　sufficient　to

supply　the　effectual　demand；　and　no　more；　the　market　price

naturally　comes　to　be　either　exactly；　or　as　nearly　as　can　be

judged　of；　the　same　with　the　natural　price。　The　whole　quantity

upon　hand　can　be　disposed　of　for　this　price；　and　cannot　be

disposed　of　for　more。　The　competition　of　the　different　dealers

obliges　them　all　to　accept　of　this　price；　but　does　not　oblige

them　to　accept　of　less。

　　　　　The　quantity　of　every　commodity　brought　to　market　naturally

suits　itself　to　the　effectual　demand。　It　is　the　interest　of　all

those　who　employ　their　land；　labour；　or　stock；　in　bringing　any

commodity　to　market；　that　the　quantity　never　should　exceed　the

effectual　demand；　and　it　is　the　interest　of　all　other　people　that

it　never　should　fall　short　of　that　demand。

　　　　　If　at　any　time　it　exceeds　the　effectual　demand；　some　of　the

component　parts　of　its　price　must　be　paid　below　their　natural

rate。　If　it　is　rent；　the　interest　of　the　landlords　will

immediately　prompt　them　to　withdraw　a　part　of　their　land；　and　if

it　is　wages　or　profit；　the　interest　of　the　labourers　in　the　one

case；　and　of　their　employers　in　the　other；　will　prompt　them　to

withdraw　a　part　of　their　labour　or　stock　from　this　employment。

The　quantity　brought　to　market　will　soon　be　no　more　than

sufficient　to　supply　the　effectual　demand。　All　the　different

parts　of　its　price　will　rise　to　their　natural　rate；　and　the　whole

price　to　its　natural　price。

　　　　　If；　on　the　contrary；　the　quantity　brought　to　market　should

at　any　time　fall　short　of　the　effectual　demand；　some　of　the

component　parts　of　its　price　must　rise　above　their　natural　rate。

If　it　is　rent；　the　interest　of　all　other　landlords　will　naturally

prompt　them　to　prepare　more　land　for　the　raising　of　this

commodity；　if　it　is　wages　or　profit；　the　interest　of　all　other

labourers　and　dealers　will　soon　prompt　them　to　employ　more　labour

and　stock　in　preparing　and　bringing　it　to　market。　The　quantity

brought　thither　will　soon　be　sufficient　to　supply　the　effectual

demand。　All　the　different　parts　of　its　price　will　soon　sink　to

their　natural　rate；　and　the　whole　price　to　its　natural　price。

　　　　　The　natural　price；　therefore；　is；　as　it　were；　the　central

price；　to　which　the　prices　of　all　commodities　are　continually

gravitating。　Different　accidents　may　sometimes　keep　them

suspended　a　good　deal　above　it；　and　sometimes　force　them　down

even　somewhat　below　it。　But　whatever　may　be　the　obstacles　which

hinder　them　from　settling　in　this　centre　of　repose　and

continuance；　they　are　constantly　tending　towards　it。

　　　　　The　whole　quantity　of　industry　annually　employed　in　order　to

bring　any　commodity　to　market　naturally　suits　itself　in　this

manner　to　the　effectual　demand。　It　naturally　aims　at　bringing

always　that　precise　quantity　thither　which　may　be　sufficient　to

supply；　and　no　more　than　supply；　that　demand。

　　　　　But　in　some　employments　the　same　quantity　of　industry　will

in　different　years　produce　very　different　quantities　of

commodities；　while　in　others　it　will　produce　always　the　same；　or

very　nearly　the　same。　The　same　number　of　labourers　in　husbandry

will；　in　different　years；　produce　very　different　quantities　of

corn；　wine；　oil；　hops；　etc。　But　the　same　number　of　spinners　and

weavers　will　every　year　produce　the　same　or　very　nearly　the　same

quantity　of　linen　and　woollen　cloth。　It　is　only　the　average

produce　of　the　one　species　of　industry　which　can　be　suited　in　any

respect　to　the　effectual　demand；　and　as　its　actual　produce　is

frequently　much　greater　and　frequently　much　less　than　its　average

produce；　the　quantity　of　the　commodities　brought　to　market　will

sometimes　exceed　a　good　deal；　and　sometimes　fall　short　a　good

deal；　of　the　effectual　demand。　Even　though　that　demand　therefore

should　continue　always　the　same；　their　market　price　will　be

liable　to　great　fluctuations；　will　sometimes　fall　a　good　deal

below；　and　sometimes　rise　a　good　deal　above　their　natural　price。

In　the　other　species　of　industry；　the　produce　of　equal　quantities

of　labour　being　always　the　same；　or　very　nearly　the　same；　it　can

be　more　exactly　suited　to　the　effectual　demand。　While　that　demand

continues　the　same；　therefore；　the　mar