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Show ON THE IM:~IED1A'rE CAUSES [ CH. VII. tribution and consumption of the increased supply of cotnmodities takes place as constantly to in .. crease their exchangeable value. In general, an increase of produce and au Increase of value go on together; and this is that natural and healthy state of things, \v hich is 1nost favourable to the progress of \Vealth. An increase in the quantity of produce depends chiefly upon the po\ver of production, and an increase in the value of produce upon its distribution. Production and distribution are the t\vo grand elerrlents of \Vealth, \vhich, combined in their due proportions, are capable of carrying the riches and population of the earth in no great length of tin1e to the utn1ost litnits of its possible resources; but which taken separately, 01' C0111bined in undue proportions, produce only, after the lapse of n1any thousand years, the scanty riches and scanty population, \vhich are at present scattered over the face of the globe. siderable portion of it must become redundant and useless. I quite agree with J\1r. Hicardo, however, in approving all saving of labour and inventions in machinery; but it is because I think that their tendency is to increase the gross produce and to make room. for a larger population and a larger capital. If the saving ~f labour were to be accompanied by the effects stated in :Mr. Ill· cardo's instance, I should agree with l\1. Sismondi and l\1r. Owen in deprecating it as a gre-at misfortune. sEC. VII. ] OF THE PHOGUESS OF 'VEALTH. 427 SECTION YII. Of tlte Distribution occasioned by the D.i·oision. ~~ landed Property considerP.d as the Means of zncreaszng tile exchangeable f7 alae of the wltole Produce. The causes n1ost favourable to that increase of value which depends upon distribution are, 1st, the division of landed property ; 2dly, internal and external comn1erce; 3clly, the maintenance of unproductive consumers. In the first settlement and colonization of new countries, an easy division and su bdiv~sion of the land is a point of the very highest. Importance. Without a facility of obtaining lancl1n small po~·tions by those who have accumul~tted small capitals, and of settlin o· new propnetors upon the soil ' as new familie~ branch off fi·om the pare.n t stocks, no adequate effect can be given to t~1e pnn-ciple of population. This fac~lit~ of_ setthng ~he rising population upon the so1l IS ~till n1o_re Imperiously necessary in inland countries, w~1ch are not favourably situated for external ~nd ~nternal comn1erce. Countries of this clescriptton, If, frotn the lavvs and custon1s relating to landed pr~per~y, great difficulties are thro\vn in the '\Vay o~ Its distribution n1ay remain for ao·es very scantJiy peopled, in ;pite of the principl: of population; w~ilc the cas y division and subdivision of the land as , |