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Show OF THE WAGES OF LABOUR. [cu. IV. ,vages. S u C11 h1oo ·h or low wages ser. ve. only to d etern11. ne the t·ate of }Jrofits, an.d thet.r Influence in this respect will be fully considered In the nex.t chapter. . ( 293 ) CHAPTER V. OF THE PROFITS OJ? CAPITAL. SEC'flON I. Of Profits as affected by the increasing Difficulty of procuring tile ltleans oj' Subsistence. lor has been usual, in speaking of that portion of the national revenue which goes to the capitalist in return for the employn1ent of his capital, to call it by the name of the profits of stock. But stock is not so appropriate an expression in this case, as capital. Stock is a general term, and may be defined to be all the material possessions of a country, or all its actual wealth, whatever may be its destination; while capital is that particular portion of these possessions, or of this accumulated wealth, \vhich is destined to be employed with a view to profit. They are often, however, used indiscriminately; and perhaps no great error may arise from it; but it may be useful to recollect that all stock is not properly speaking capital, though all capital is stock. The profits of capital consist of the difference be- · tween the value of the advances necessary to produce a cotntnodity, and the value of the cou1n1odity when producerl; and these advances e;tre generally u 3 |