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manner in which he is commonly accommodated。 Compared; indeed;
with the more extravagant luxury of the great; his accommodation
must no doubt appear extremely simple and easy; and yet it may be
true; perhaps; that the accommodation of a European prince does
not always so much exceed that of an industrious and frugal
peasant as the accommodation of the latter exceeds that of many
an African king; the absolute master of the lives and liberties
of ten thousand naked savages。
CHAPTER II
Of the Principle which gives occasion to the Division of Labour
THIS division of labour; from which so many advantages are
derived; is not originally the effect of any human wisdom; which
foresees and intends that general opulence to which it gives
occasion。 It is the necessary; though very slow and gradual
consequence of a certain propensity in human nature which has in
view no such extensive utility; the propensity to truck; barter;
and exchange one thing for another。
Whether this propensity be one of those original principles
in human nature of which no further account can be given; or
whether; as seems more probable; it be the necessary consequence
of the faculties of reason and speech; it belongs not to our
present subject to inquire。 It is common to all men; and to be
found in no other race of animals; which seem to know neither
this nor any other species of contracts。 Two greyhounds; in
running down the same hare; have sometimes the appearance of
acting in some sort of concert。 Each turns her towards his
companion; or endeavours to intercept her when his companion
turns her towards himself。 This; however; is not the effect of
any contract; but of the accidental concurrence of their passions
in the same object at that particular time。 Nobody ever saw a dog
make a fair and deliberate exchange of one bone for another with
another dog。 Nobody ever saw one animal by its gestures and
natural cries signify to another; this is mine; that yours; I am
willing to give this for that。 When an animal wants to obtain
something either of a man or of another animal; it has no other
means of persuasion but to gain the favour of those whose service
it requires。 A puppy fawns upon its dam; and a spaniel endeavours
by a thousand attractions to engage the attention of its master
who is at dinner; when it wants to be fed by him。 Man sometimes
uses the same arts with his brethren; and when he has no other
means of engaging them to act according to his inclinations;
endeavours by every servile and fawning attention to obtain their
good will。 He has not time; however; to do this upon every
occasion。 In civilised society he stands at all times in need of
the cooperation and assistance of great multitudes; while his
whole life is scarce sufficient to gain the friendship of a few
persons。 In almost every other race of animals each individual;
when it is grown up to maturity; is entirely independent; and in
its natural state has occasion for the assistance of no other
living creature。 But man has almost constant occasion for the
help of his brethren; and it is in vain for him to expect it from
their benevolence only。 He will be more likely to prevail if he
can interest their self…love in his favour; and show them that it
is for their own advantage to do for him what he requires of
them。 Whoever offers to another a bargain of any kind; proposes
to do this。 Give me that which I want; and you shall have this
which you want; is the meaning of every such offer; and it is in
this manner that we obtain from one another the far greater part
of those good offices which we stand in need of。 It is not from
the benevolence of the butcher; the brewer; or the baker that we
expect our dinner; but from their regard to their own interest。
We address ourselves; not to their humanity but to their
self…love; and never talk to them of our own necessities but of
their advantages。 Nobody but a beggar chooses to depend chiefly
upon the benevolence of his fellow…citizens。 Even a beggar does
not depend upon it entirely。 The charity of well…disposed people;
indeed; supplies him with the whole fund of his subsistence。 But
though this principle ultimately provides him with all the
necessaries of life which he has occasion for; it neither does
nor can provide him with them as he has occasion for them。 The
greater part of his occasional wants are supplied in the same
manner as those of other people; by treaty; by barter; and by
purchase。 With the money which one man gives him he purchases
food。 The old clothes which another bestows upon him he exchanges
for other old clothes which suit him better; or for lodging; or
for food; or for money; with which he can buy either food;
clothes; or lodging; as he has occasion。
As it is by treaty; by barter; and by purchase that we
obtain from one another the greater part of those mutual good
offices which we stand in need of; so it is this same trucking
disposition which originally gives occasion to the division of
labour。 In a tribe of hunters or shepherds a particular person
makes bows and arrows; for example; with more readiness and
dexterity than any other。 He frequently exchanges them for cattle
or for venison with his companions; and he finds at last that he
can in this manner get more cattle and venison than if he himself
went to the field to catch them。 From a regard to his own
interest; therefore; the making of bows and arrows grows to be
his chief business; and he becomes a sort of armourer。 Another
excels in making the frames and covers of their little huts or
movable houses。 He is accustomed to be of use in this way to his
neighbours; who reward him in the same manner with cattle and
with venison; till at last he finds it his interest to dedicate
himself entirely to this employment; and to become a sort of
house…carpenter。 In the same manner a third becomes a smith or a
brazier; a fourth a tanner or dresser of hides or skins; the
principal part of the nothing of savages。 And thus the certainty
of being able to exchange all that surplus part of the produce of
his own labour; which is over and above his own consumption; for
such parts of the produce of other men's labour as he may have
occasion for; encourages every man to apply himself to a
particular occupation; and to cultivate and bring to perfection
whatever talent or genius he may possess for that particular
species of business。
The difference of natural talents in different men is; in
reality; much less than we are aware of; and the very different
genius which appears to distinguish men of different professions;
when grown up to maturity; is not upon many occasions so much the
cause as the effect of the division of labour。 The difference
between the most dissimilar characters; between a philosopher and
a common street porter; for example; seems to arise not so much
from nature as from habit; custom; and education。 When they came
into the world; and for the first six or eight years of their
existence; they were perhaps very much alike; and neither their
parents nor playfellows could perceive any remarkable difference。
About that age; or soon after; they come to be employed in very
different occupations。 The difference of talents comes then to be
taken notice of; and widens by degrees; till at last the vanity
of the philosopher is willing to acknowledge scarce any
resemblance。 But without the disposition to truck; barter; and
exchange; every man must have procured to himself every necessary
and conveniency of life which he wanted。 All must have had the
same duties to perform; and the same work to do; and there could
have been no such difference of employment as could alone give
occasion to any great difference of talents。
As it is this disposition which forms that difference of
talents; so remarkable among men of different professions; so it
is this same disposition which renders that difference useful。
Many tribes of animals acknowledged to be all of the same species
derive from nature a much more remarkable distinction of genius;
than what; antecedent to custom and education; appears to take
place among men。 By nature a philosopher is not in genius and
disposition half so different from a street porter; as a mastiff
is from a greyhound; or a greyhound from a spaniel; or this last
from a shepherd's dog。 Those different tribes of animals;
however; though all of the same species; are of scarce any use to
one another。 The strength of the mastiff is not; in the least;
supported either by the swiftness of the greyhound; or by the
sagacity of the spaniel; or by the docility of the shepherd's
dog。 The effects of those different geniuses and talents; for
want of the power or disposition to barter and exchange; cannot
be brought into a common stock; and do not in the least
contribute to the better accommodation ind convenie