PART III. Of the Expence of Public Works and ARTICLE Ift. Of the Public Works and Inftitu- tions for facilitating the Commerce of Society. Ift, For facilitating the general Commerce of the Society. 2dly, For facilitating particular ARTICLE 2d. Of the Expence of the Inftitutions ibid. AN INQUIRY INTO THE NATURE AND CAUSES OF THE WEALTH OF NATIONS. BOOK IV. CHAP. IX. Of the agricultural Systems, or of thofe Syfiems of political Economy, which reprefent the Produce of Land as either the fole or the principal Source of the Revenue and Wealth of every Country. TH IV. CHAP. HE agricultural fyftems of political œco- BOOK nomy will not require fo long an explanation as that which I have thought it neceffary to bestow upon the mercantile or commercial fyftem. That fyftem which reprefents the produce of land as the fole fource of the revenue and wealth of every country has, fo far as I know, never been adopted by any nation, and it at prefent exifts VOL. IV. B only IX. IV. BOOK only in the fpeculations of a few men of great learning and ingenuity in France. It would not, furely, be worth while to examine at great length thè errors of a system which never has done, and probably never will do any harm in any part of the world. I fhall endeavour to explain, however, as diftinctly as I can, the great outlines of this very ingenious fyftem. Mr. Colbert, the famous minifter of Lewis XIV., was a man of probity, of great industry and knowledge of detail; of great experience and acutenefs in the examination of public accounts, and of abilities, in fhort, every way fitted for introducing method and good order into the collection and expenditure of the public revenue. That minifter had unfortunately embraced all the prejudices of the mercantile fyftem, in its nature and effence a fyftem of reftraint and regulation, and fuch as could fcarce fail to be agreeable to a laborious and plodding man of bufinefs, who had been accustomed to regulate the different departments of public offices, and to establish the neceffary checks and controuls for confining each to its proper fphere. The industry and commerce of a great country he endeavoured to regulate upon the fame model as the departments of a public office; and instead of allowing every man to pursue his own intereft his own way, upon the liberal plan of equality, liberty and juftice, he bestowed upon certain branches of industry extraordinary privileges, while he laid others under as extraordinary restraints. He was not only difpofed, like other European ministers, to encourage |
