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its own supply; and that new produce would constitute a new

capital for carrying on the new employment; which in the same

manner would draw nothing from the old one。

     The monopoly of the colony trade; on the contrary; by

excluding the competition of other nations; and thereby raising

the rate of profit both in the new market and in the new

employment; draws produce from the old market and capital from

the old employment。 To augment our share of the colony trade

beyond what it otherwise would be is the avowed purpose of the

monopoly。 If our share of that trade were to be no greater with

than it would have been without the monopoly; there could have

been no reason for establishing the monopoly。 But whatever forces

into a branch of trade of which the returns are slower and more

distant than those of the greater part of other trades; a greater

proportion of the capital of any country than what of its own

accord would go to that branch; necessarily renders the whole

quantity of productive labour annually maintained there; the

whole annual produce of the land and labour of that country; less

than they otherwise would be。 It keeps down the revenue of the

inhabitants of that country below what it would naturally rise

to; and thereby diminishes their power of accumulation。 It not

only hinders; at all times; their capital from maintaining so

great a quantity of productive labour as it would otherwise

maintain; but it hinders it from increasing so fast as it would

otherwise increase; and consequently from maintaining a still

greater quantity of productive labour。

     The natural good effects of the colony trade; however; more

than counterbalance to Great Britain the bad effects of the

monopoly; so that; monopoly and all together; that trade; even as

it carried on at present; is not only advantageous; but greatly

advantageous。 The new market and the new employment which are

opened by the colony trade are of much greater extent than that

portion of the old market and of the old employment which is lost

by the monopoly。 The new produce and the new capital which has

been created; if one may say so; by the colony trade; maintain in

Great Britain a greater quantity of productive labour than what

can have been thrown out of employment by the revulsion of

capital from other trades of which the returns are more frequent。

If the colony trade; however; even as it is carried on at

present; is advantageous to Great Britain; it is not by means of

the monopoly; but in spite of the monopoly。

     It is rather for the manufactured than for the rude produce

of Europe that the colony trade opens a new market。 Agriculture

is the proper business of all new colonies; a business which the

cheapness of land renders more advantageous than any other。 They

abound; therefore; in the rude produce of land; and instead of

importing it from other countries; they have generally a large

surplus to export。 In new colonies; agriculture either draws

hands from all other employments; or keeps them from going to any

other employment。 There are few hands to spare for the necessary;

and none for the ornamental manufactures。 The greater part of the

manufactures of both kinds they find it cheaper to purchase of

other countries than to make for themselves。 It is chiefly by

encouraging the manufactures of Europe that the colony trade

indirectly encourages its agriculture。 The manufactures of

Europe; to whom that trade gives employment; constitute a new

market for the produce of the land; and the most advantageous of

all markets; the home market for the corn and cattle; for the

bread and butcher's meat of Europe; is thus greatly extended by

means of the trade to America。

     But that the monopoly of the trade of populous and thriving

colonies is not alone sufficient to establish; or even to

maintain manufactures in any country; the examples of Spain and

Portugal sufficiently demonstrate。 Spain and Portugal were

manufacturing countries before they had any considerable

colonies。 Since they had the richest and most fertile in the

world; they have both ceased to be so。

     In Spain and Portugal the bad effects of the monopoly;

aggravated by other causes; have perhaps nearly overbalanced the

natural good effects of the colony trade。 These causes seem to be

other monopolies of different kinds; the degradation of the value

of gold and silver below what it is in most other countries; the

exclusion from foreign markets by improper taxes upon

exportation; and the narrowing of the home market; by still more

improper taxes upon the transportation of goods from one part of

the country to another; but above all; that irregular and partial

administration of justice; which often protects the rich and

powerful debtor from the pursuit of his injured creditor; and

which makes the industrious part of the nation afraid to prepare

goods for the consumption of those haughty and great men to whom

they dare not refuse to sell upon credit; and from they are

altogether uncertain of repayment。

     In England; on the contrary; the natural good effects of the

colony trade; assisted by other causes; have in a great measure

conquered the bad effects of the monopoly。 These causes seem to

be: the general liberty of trade; which; notwithstanding some

restraints; is at least equal; perhaps superior; to what it is in

any other country; the liberty of exporting; duty free; almost

all sorts of goods which are the produce of domestic industry to

almost any foreign country; and what perhaps is of still greater

importance; the unbounded liberty of transporting them from any

one part of our own country to any other without being obliged to

give any account to any public office; without being liable to

question or examination of any kind; but above all; that equal

and impartial administration of justice which renders the rights

of the meanest British subject respectable to the greatest; and

which; by securing to every man the fruits of his own industry;

gives the greatest and most effectual encouragement to every sort

of industry。

     If the manufactures of Great Britain; however; have been

advanced; as they certainly have; by the colony trade; it has not

been by means of the monopoly of that trade but in spite of the

monopoly。 The effect of the monopoly has been; not to augment the

quantity; but to alter the quality and shape of a part of the

manufactures of Great Britain; and to accommodate to a market;

from which the returns are slow and distant; what would otherwise

have been accommodated to one from which the returns are frequent

and near。 Its effect has consequently been to turn a part of the

capital of Great Britain from an employment in which it would

have maintained a greater quantity of manufacturing industry to

one in which it maintains a much smaller; and thereby to

diminish; instead of increasing; the whole quantity of

manufacturing industry maintained in Great Britain。

     The monopoly of the colony trade; therefore; like all the

other mean and malignant expedients of the mercantile system;

depresses the industry of all other countries; but chiefly that

of the colonies; without in the least increasing; but on the

contrary diminishing that of the country in whose favour it is

established。

     The monopoly hinders the capital of that country; whatever

may at any particular time be the extent of that capital; from

maintaining so great a quantity of productive labour as it would

otherwise maintain; and from affording so great a revenue to the

industrious inhabitants as it would otherwise afford。 But as

capital can be increased only by savings from revenue; the

monopoly; by hindering it from affording so great a revenue as it

would otherwise afford; necessarily hinders it from increasing so

fast as it would otherwise increase; and consequently from

maintaining a still greater quantity of productive labour; and

affording a still greater revenue to the industrious inhabitants

of that country。 One great original source of revenue; therefore;

the wages of labour; the monopoly must necessarily have rendered

at all times less abundant than it otherwise would have been。

     By raising the rate of mercantile profit; the monopoly

discourages the improvement of land。 The profit of improvement

depends upon the difference between what the land actually

produces; and what; by the application of a certain capital; it

can be made to produce。 If this difference affords a greater

profit than what can be drawn from an equal capital in any

mercantile employment; the improvement of land will draw capital

from all mercantile employments。 If the profit is less;

mercantile employments will draw capital from the improvement of

land。 Whatever; therefore; raises the rate of mercantile profit;

either lessens the superiority or increases the inferiority of

the profit of improvement; and in the one case hinders capital

from going to improvement; and in the other draws capital from

it。 But by discouraging improvement; the monopoly necessarily

retards the nat

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