JB_017_225.xml

Title: [30 Aug. 1801 Polit. Economy]

Description: 30 Aug. 1801

Polit. Economy

A1

Method

I. Sponte Acta

5

20

The habit /practice/ of exchange being established, each modification of the

matter of wealth to which soever of the three abovementioned divisions it

belongs, is in virtue of that practice, convertible with more or less facility

and certainty into every other.

The richer a community, the better secured it is thereby against hostility and

famine.}

A stock of instruments of mere enjoyment presupposes on the part of each

individual a pre-assured stock of the articles of subsistence. The stock of

articles of subsistence capable of existing /being produced and kept up/ in a

country in any other wise than that of exchange has its limits: it can never

extend much beyond the stock necessary for the subsistence of the inhabitants

the stock of instruments of mere enjoyment is without limit.

It is only in respect and in virtue of the quantity of the stock of instruments

of mere enjoyment that one country can exceed another in wealth. The quantity of

wealth in any /every/ country is as the quantity of its instruments of

enjoyment.

[Marginal rubric:] A pine apple contains for one particle of subsistence a

hundred of mere enjoyment x potatoe

+ Note

To '.1[?]. Objects Note concluded

It is in consequence of {the} interconvertibility abovementioned that wealth in

any one shape is wealth in every other: that every instrument of mere enjoyment

{is} a pledge of security: and that national power, so far as depends upon

wealth, is in proportion not to absolute, but only to relative opulence: not to

the absolute quantity of the matter of wealth in a nation, but to its ratio to

the mass of population. For, of the aggregate value of the aggregate mass of the

matter of wealth in a nation, the part dedicated to enjoyment is the only

disposable part: the only part applicable to the purpose of defence. What is

necessary to subsistence must be applied to subsistence, or the man must starve.

Hence, the reason why France, so much superior to Britain not only in population

but in absolute wealth, is yet inferior in power, except with relation to

countries, so near adjacent, that the expence of invading them, may be more or

less defrayed by the contributions made in them.

JB_017_339.xml

Title: [6 March 1804 Precognita Ch]

Description: 6 March 1804

Precognita

Ch.1 Analysis

1

Political Economy - Analysis

1. Political Economy a science and an art. p.1.

2 General end in view of Government. p.1.

3. End of government in respect of political economy - augmentation of wealth and

population. p.1.

4. Opulence in ratio of wealth to population. p.1.

5. Agreement and opposition as between wealth and population. p.2.

6. Matter of wealth is subservient to -

1. Subsistence

2. Security.

3. Mere enjoyment. p.2.

7. Quantity of matter to wealth is as original stock - plus increase - minus

decrease. p.2.

8. Modes of increase -

1. positive - 2. diminution of decrease. p.2.

9. Encrease is by -

1. Home produce -

2. Importation - p.2.

10. Decrease by -

1. Consumption -

2. Exportation. p.2.

11 In importation decrease is only as to the community, not as to the world. p.2.

12 So, in exportation, decrease. p.3.

13. Import is generally attended with correspondent export, but not necessarily.

p.3.

14. Consumption is -

1. in the way of use -

2. by deperition. p.3.

JB_017_158.xml

Title: [25 Aug 1801 A Polit. Economy]

Description: 25 Aug 1801

A

Polit. Economy

Method

Method

1

{ Method and Leading Features of an Institute of Political Economy (including

Finance) considered as an Art.(a) ( - Adam Smith considered it only as a

Science).

Objects or Ends in view - Maximum of National Wealth - Maximum of Population.

Uses of the matter of Wealth - 1. Provision for subsistence - present

subsistence and Security in respect of future. 2. Provision for Security in

respect of Defence - against external adversaries - internal adversaries - and

calamities to which without human design the community is exposed. 3. Enjoyment

- viz: mere enjoyment, as far as distinguishable from that share which is the

natural {and} more or less inseparable accompaniment of subsistence and

security.

The modifications of the matter of wealth are correspondent to the above uses.

1. Articles of subsistence. 2. Instruments of security in respect of defence 3.

Instruments of enjoyment. But enjoyment being inseparable from the application

of the articles of subsistence to their respective uses, an article of

subsistence is also an article of enjoyment.

Encrease of population is desirable - as being an encrease of 1. the beings

susceptible of enjoyment: 2. the beings capable of being employ'd as instruments

of defence. It results of course from encrease of the means of subsistence and

can not be carried beyond them.