JB_017_161.xml

Title: [24 Aug 1801 A I Polit. Economy]

Description: 24 Aug 1801

A I

Polit. Economy

1

Method and Leading features for an Institute of Political Economy considered as

an Art.(a)

Objects or Ends in view - 1 Maximum of wealth 2 maximum of population.

I. Sponte Acta Cases in which and measures or operations by which the end is

promoted by individuals, acting of themselves, and without any special

interference {in this view (i:e in the view of the promotion of that end) on the

part of government}(b)

II. Agenda - Cases in which, and measures by which, that end may be promoted by

the hand of government.

III. Non Agenda - Cases in which, and measures by which, that end will not be

promoted by the hand of government.

II. Population

IV, V, VI. The same heads, {as with reference to wealth}.+

VII Finance. III. Wealth and Population together.

viz. matters of fact forming the subject of the [...?] [...?] Statisticks.

VIII. Noscenda - including Data and Danda. {Matters of fact, requisite to be

known as a ground for Agenda and Non-Agenda.} /reporters commissioned or

uncommissioned Government and [...?] furnish facts: if Adam Smith has in most

instances with a superior degree of success, set himself to trace /point/ out

the connection between those facts./ with a reference to the Agenda and

Non-Agenda with relation to which they may respectively be of use:(c) a

reference necessary to justify the expence, trouble and vexation attending the

collection in each instance.

(a) By Adam Smith, it is considered directly and constantly, only as a Science:

indirectly and occasionally only as an Art.

(b) In this is included the cases (actual and possible) for Preventions and

Patents.

(c) of Noscenda The most constructive indication I know of is that given by

Necker:[?] Ashmore[?] - Rex[?] Fin. Town[?] but without reference to particular

uses, as determined by particular Agenda or Non-Agenda. The most instructive

body of Data the world has yet seen is that furnished during Mr Pitt's

Administration principally by the House of Commons Committee of Finance of which

the pretended reimpression is but a mutilated extract.

+ Here, The Budget of Sponte Acta contains not much, but every thing: that of Non

Agenda every thing that the budget of Sponte acta contains. }

JB_017_282.xml

Title: [28 Aug. 1801 E Polit. Economy]

Description: 28 Aug. 1801

E

Polit. Economy

Method

Finance

3

90

{10}[?]

Chapter 5.

Of Finance

Section 1 General Observations

Under the head of Sponte Acta, there is nothing except by accident, there

remains therefore Agenda and Non Agenda. Finance operates in toto in diminution

of wealth - the object or end in view should be to render the diminution as

small as possible, and as pure as possible from collateral vexation and

inconvenience in every shape.

The operations of Finance are reducible to Receipt and disbursement or say

Expenditure. Receipt may be 1 without condition of return 2. on condition of

return i:e: on the footing of a loan

Disbursement is accordingly 1 Disbursement at large 2. Disbursement in discharge

of Loans All expenditure supposes /in all cases supposes/ previous receipt, and

commonly /in most cases/ necessitates future for the purpose of replacing it.

Receipt and Expenditure are either 1. of money, 2. of particular articles for

service.

All other sources or efficient causes are inconsiderable in their amount in

comparison of taxation.

Every sum expended supposes therefore a correspondent amount already raised or

to be raised by taxes.

The Practical Rule {supposed to be a new one. To judge of/ which ought to be

observed in judging/ the eligibility /expediency/ of any branch of expenditure,

compare the benefit of it with the burthen of a correspondent portion of the

produce of the most burthensome species of tax /tax/. {For by striking off so

much expenditure you may save so many much tax.}

JB_017_309.xml

Title: [[...?] March[?] 1804 Polit. Economy]

Description: [...?] March[?] 1804

Polit. Economy

Sponte acta

{ Ch. 2. Leading Features

' 5. Wealth I. Sponte acta

The national wealth is the sum of the particular masses of the matter of wealth belonging respectively to the several individuals of whom the political community - the nation - is composed. Every atom of that matter added by any such individual to his own stock without being taken from that of any other individual is so much added to the stock of national wealth.

To add to his own particular stock and to add in such period of time more than use or otherwise is taken from it in that same portion of time is with a very few exceptions, is the constant aim and occupation of every individual in every civilized nation. Enjoyment is the offspring of wealth; wealth of labour. What men want from government is - not incitement to labour, but security against disturbance: - security to each for his portion of the matter of wealth, while labouring to acquire it or occupied in enjoying it. For the purpose of encreasing wealth, individuals require neither to be forced to labour nor allured. The want of that which is not to be had without labour, is sufficient force: the assurance of being able to enjoy it is sufficient allurement. Leave men to themselves, each man is occupied either in the acquisition of wealth (the instrument of enjoyment) or in some actual enjoyment which in the eyes of the only competent[?] judge, is of more value. If idleness is to be discouraged, it is not because it is the non-acquisition of wealth, but because it is the source of crimes.

Whoever takes upon him to add to national wealth by coercive and thence vexatious measures stands engaged to make out two propositions: 1. that more wealth will be produced by the coercion than would have been without it: 2. that the comfort flowing from the extra wealth thus produced, is more than equivalent to whatever vexation may be found attached to the measure by which it was produced.}

{If Non agenda have been acta, the doing away of these malá acta may form so many additions to the catalogue of Agenda.}