| OCR Text |
Show 478 oN THE IJ\IMEDIATE CAUSEs [cH. vn. The solution of this question evidently depends first, upon the solution of the tnain practical ques~ tion, 'vhether the capital of a country can or cannot be redundant; that is, whether the motive to .accumulate may be checked or destroyed by the 'vant of effective demand long before it is checked by the difficulty of procuring the subsistence of the labourer. And secondly, whether, allowing the possibility of such a redundance, there is sufficient reason to believe that, under the actual habits of mankind, it is a probable occurrence. In the Chapter on Profits, but 111ore particularly in the Third Section of the present Chapter, w·here I have considered the effect of accun1ulation as a stitnul us to the increase of wealth, I trust that the first of these questions has been satisfactorily anS\ vered. And in the present Section it has been sbe,vn that the actual habits and practice of the productive classes, in the n1ost in1proved societies, do not lead them to consun1e so large a proportion of what they produce, even though assisted by the landlords, as to prevent their finding frequent difficulties in the employn1ent of their capitals. We may conclude therefore, with little danger of error, that such a body of persons as I have described is not only necessary to the governn1ent, protection, health, and instruction of a country, but is also necessary to call forth those exertions which are required to give full play to its physical resources. With respect to the persons constituting the un· productive classes, and the n1odes by which they SEC. IX.] OF THE PROGRE&S OF WEALT·H. 479 should be supported, it is probable that those which are paid voluntarily by individuals, will be allowed by all to be the n1ost likely to be useful in exciting industry, and the least likely to be prejudicial by interfering with the costs of production. It may be presumed that a person will not take a menial servant, unless he can afford to pay him; and that · he is as likely to be excited to industry by the prospect of this indulgence, as by the prospect of buying ribands and laces. Yet to shew how tnuch the wealth of nations depends upon the proportiot~ of parts, rather than on any positive rules respecting the advantages of productive or unproductive labour generally, it may be worth vvhile to ren1ind the reader that, though the employment of a certain nun1 her of persons in n1cnial service is in every respect desirable, · there could hardly be a taste more unfavourable to the progress of ~realth than a strong preference of menial service to material products.* We n1ay however, for the most part, trust to the inclinations of individuals in this respect; and it- will be allowed generally, that there is little difficulty in reference to those classes which are supported voluntarily, though there tnay be much with regard to those which must be supported by taxation. With regard to these latter classes, such as statesmen, soldiers, sailors, and those who live upon the interest of a national debt, it cannot be denied that they contribute po,verfully to distribution and de- * See Ch. i. p. 35. |
