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Show 524 St:MMARY. PAGE The desire to shnplify has occa ioned an unwillingness to acknowledge the operation of more causes than one in the production of effects . observed 6 The rule of Newton, which teaches us not to admit more causes of any phenomenon than are necessary to account for it, implies that those which are necessary must be admitted i The sa.me tendency to simplify occasions the rejection of li-mitations and exceptions i}}., The necessity of limitations and exceptions illustrated in the doctrines laid down by Adam Smith respecting frugality and saving 8 The san1e necessity illustrated in the rules which relate to the division of land 9 The tendency to premature generalization a1non g political economists occasions also an unwillingness to bring their theories to the test of experience The first business of philosophy is to account for things as they arc A comprehensive attention to facts is necessary, both to prevent the nmltiplication of theories, and to confirm those which are just 10 11 ib. The science ,of political economy is essentially practical, and applicable to the comn1on business of human life . . . 12 Some eminent political economi ts think that, though exceptions may e:xi t to the general rules of political economy, they need not be noticed 13 But the most perfect sincerity, together with the greatest degree of accuracy attainable, are necessary to give that credit and circulation to general principles, which is so de-sirable 14 Another class of persons seem to be satisfied with what has been already done in political economy, and shrink from further inquiries, if they do not imn1ediately see the practi-cal results to which they lead . . . . . . . . . · 15 Such a tendency, if indulged too far, strikes at the root of all improvement in science . · ib. More of the propositions in political economy will bear the SUl\1:\\fARY. 525 PAGE test of cui bono than those of any other department of human knowledge 16 Further inquiries, however difficult, should be pursued, both with a view to the improvement and completion of the science, and the practical advantages likely to result from them . ib. It is of great in1portance to draw a line, with tolerable preci ... sion, between those cases where the expected result are certain, and those where they are uncertain 17 Practical statesmen, who have not leisure for the ncce sa:ry inquiries, should not object, under the guidance ~f a sound discretion, to make use of the leisure of others ib. The principle of non-interference, necessarily limited in practice-I st, By some duties connected with political economy, which it is universally acknowledged belong to the sovereign 1 8 2dly, By the prevalence, in almost every country, of bad regulations, which require to be amended or 1·emoved .. I 9 3dly, By the necessity of taxation ib. The propriety of interfering but little, does not super ede, in any degree, the use of the most extensive profcs ional knowledge either in a statesman or a physician 20 One of the specific objects of the present work is to fit the general rules of political economy for practice, by endeavouring to consider all the causes which concur in the pro-duction of particular phenomena 21 This mode of proceeding is exposed to a danger of an opposite kind to that which arises frorr1 a tendency to simplification, a danger which Adam Smith has not always avoided . ib. A just mean between th~ two extremes is the point aimed at with a view of arriving at the truth 22 With a great wish to avoid controversy it was impossible not to notice specifically and largely Mr. Ricardo's distinguished work on the Principles of Political Economy and Taxation ib. The questions which it ·dis~us~es are so important that they should, if possible, be settled 23 |