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Show 47~ ON THE lMMEDfAT.E CAUSES (CH. VII. they produce an excess of value above ''rhat they consutne, which he either wants himself in kind or which he can advantageously exchange for' something \tvhich he desires, either for present or future use, it is quite obvious that his capital will not be employed in n1aintaining them. When indeed this further value is created and affords a sufficient excitement to the saving and eJnployment of stock, then certainly the power of consumption possessed by the workrnen will greatly add to the whole national demand, and 1nake room for the employment of a 1nuch greater capital. It is 1nost desirable that the labourino- classes 5 should be ~ell paid, for a tnuch rnore in1portant Teason than any that can relate to wealth; nan1ely, the happiness of the great mass of society. But to those who are inclined to say that unproductive consumers cahnot be necessary as a stimulus to the increase of wealth, if the productive classes do but consume a fair proportion of what they produce, I would observe that as a great increase of consumption an1ono' the workino- classes n1ust 1 . b b great Y Increase the cost of production, it must lower profits, and ~in1inish or destroy the 1notive to accun1ulate, before agriculture, manufactures, and con1merce };lave reached any considerable degree of prosperity. If each labourer \Vere actua! ly to consu1ne double the quantity of corn wh1ch he docs at present, such a demand, instead of giving a stin1ulus to wealth, \Vould probably throw a great quantity of land out of cultivation~ SEC. IX.] OF THE PROGRESS OF vVEAJ..,TH. 473 and greatly diminish both Internal and external commerce. There is certainly ho\vever very little danger of a diminution of wealth from this cause. Ov;ing to the principle of population, all the tendencies are · the other "ray; and there is tnuch more reason to fear that the \Vorking classes \vill consume too little for their ow·n happiness, than that they will consume too n1uch to allow of an adequate increase of wealth. I only adverted to the circumstance to shew that, supposing so impossible a case as a very great consun1ption an1ong the '\Vorking producers, such consun1ption \vould not be of the kind to push the wealth of a country to its greatest extent. It may be said, perhaps, that though, owing to the laws which regulate the increase of popu I a- . tion, it is in no respect probable that the corn wages of labour should continue pern1anently very high, yet the same consumption would take place if the labouring classes did not "'ork so 1nany hours in the day, and it was necessary to employ a greater number in each occupation. I have always thought and felt that many an1o11g the labourino· classes in this country 'vork too hard for their he~lth, happiness, and intellectual ~m-provetnent · and if a areater deQ"ree of relaxation ' ' b (....1 • from severe toil ~could be given to them 'v1th a tolerably fair prospect of its being. en1plo~ed in innocent a1nusements and useful Jnstruction, I should consider it as very cheaply purchased, by the sa~rifice of a portion of the national wealth |