第2章

Itwillbeevident

thathisfearsarenotaltogethergroundless，ifweconsider，thateveninparishes，wherenomanufactureshavebeen

established，thepoorrateshavebeendoubling，someeveryfourteenyears，andothersheadyeverysevenyears；whilstin

somedistricts，wherethemanufacturesarecarriedontoaconsiderableextent，thepoorratesaremorethantenshillingsin

thepoundupontheimprovedrents。Thatthedistressdoesnotarisefromthehighpriceofcom，willbeclear，ifwe

consider，whatmayperhapshereafterbemorefullystated，thatalthoughforthesetwohundredyearsthepriceofwheat

hasfluctuatedbetweenwideextremes，yetuponcomparingtheaveragepriceswithinthatperiod，theancientsdidnotfinda

cheapermarketthanthemoderns。Ifwetaketheaverageofthesixtyyearswhichterminatedatthecommencementofthe

presentcentury，weshallfindthepriceofwheattohavebeensixshillingsandfourpencehalfpennyperbushel，whereasin

thesubsequentsixtyyearsitwasonlyfiveshillings；andforthelasttwentyyears，endingwiththeyear1782，notmorethan

sixshillingsandsixpence:yetduringthatlongperiodinwhichprovisionswerethecheapest，thepoorrateswere

continuallyadvancing。Thatthedistressdoesnotarisefromthehighpriceofsoap，leather，candles，salt，andothersmall

articlesneedfulinafamily，willappearnotonlyfromthesuperioradvanceinthepriceoflabour（intheproportionofsixto

fourwithinacentury），（3）butfromhence，thatwherethepriceoflabouristhehighestandprovisionsarethecheapest，there

thepoorrateshavebeenmostexorbitant。InScotlandtheyhavenolegalprovisionforthepoor，yetlabourischeaperand

cornisdearerthantheyareinEngland。

SECT。IIUnderthebestadministration，thelawsrelatingtothepoorgiveoccasiontomuchinjustice；undertheworst，theyaretoo

oftentheinstrumentsofoppressionandrevenge。Iftheintentionsofthemagistratearegood，hiscompassionmaybeill

directed；butifatanytimehisjudgmentisblindedbyhispassions，inthekeenessofhisresentmentforsomerealor

imaginaryaffront，heisapttoforgetthepurposeforwhichtheadministrationofthepoorlawswascommittedtohiscare，

andtoabusehispower，bygranting，whenthepropertyofhisowntenantsisnottobeaffectedbyit，themostamplerelief

tothemostunworthyobjects。Thisindeedwouldseldomhappen，ifnonebutgentlemenofaliberaleducationwereputinto

thecommissionofthepeace；orif，aggreeabletotheoriginalconstitutionofourgovernment，thisofficewereelective。But

shouldthewisestandthebestofmenbechosen，yetwecouldnotexpectthatsuchwouldeverywherebefoundwillingto

devotetheirtimeandwholeattentiontotheadministrationofthoselaws，whosenaturaltendencyistoincreasethenumber

ofthepoor，andgreatlytoextendtheboundsofhumanmisery。

SECT。IIIAllwhoareconversantwithTacitushaveadmiredtheextentofhisknowledge，theshrewdnessofhisremarks，andthe

nervousstrengthofhisexpression。InaspeechwhichheputsintothemouthoftheRomanemperorTiberius，wefindthis

passage:\"Languescetindustria，intendetursocordia，sinullusexsemetusnutspecs，&；securiomnesalienasubsidia

expectabunt，sibiignavi，nobisgraves。\"（4）Hopeandfeararethespringsofindustry。Itisthepartofagoodpoliticianto

strengthenthese:butourlawsweakentheoneanddestroytheother。Forwhatencouragementhavethepoortobe

industriousandfrugal，whentheyknowforcertain，thatshouldtheyincreasetheirstoreitwillbedevouredbythe

drones\'？（5）orwhatcausehavetheytofear，whentheyareassured，thatifbytheirindolenceandextravagance，bytheir

drunkennessandvices，theyshouldbereducedtowant，theyshallbeabundantlysupplied，notonlywithfoodandraiment，

butwiththeiraccustomedluxuries，attheexpenceofothers。Thepoorknowlittleofthemotiveswhichstimulatethe

higherrankstoaction—pride，honour，andambition。Ingeneralitisonlyhungerwhichcanspurandgoadthemontolabour；

yetourlawshavesaid，theyshallneverhunger。Thelaws，itmustbeconfessed，havelikewisesaidthattheyshallbe

compelledtowork。Butthenlegalconstraintisattendedwithtoomuchtrouble，violence，andnoise；createsillwill，and

nevercanbeproductiveofgoodandacceptableservice:whereashungerisnotonlyapeaceable，silent，unremitted

pressure，but，asthemostnaturalmotivetoindustryandlabour，itcallsforththemostpowerfulexertions；and，when

satisfiedbythefreebountyofanother，laysalastingandsurefoundationforgoodwillandgratitude。Theslavemustbe

compelledtowork；butthefreemanshouldbelefttohisownjudgmentanddiscretion；shouldbeprotectedinthefull

enjoymentofhisown，beitmuchorlittle；andpunishedwhenheinvadeshisneighbour\'sproperty。Byrecurringtothose

basemotiveswhichinfluencetheslave，andtrustingonlytocompulsion，allthebenefitsoffreeservice，bothtotheservantandtothemaster，mustbelost。Itisuniversallyfound，thatwherebreadcanbeobtainedwithoutcareorlabour，itleadsthroughidlenessandviceto

poverty。BeforetheydiscoveredthegoldandsilverminesofPeruandMexico，theSpaniardsweredistinguishedamongthe

nationsofEuropefortheirindustryandarts，fortheirmanufacturesandtheircommerce。Butwhataretheynow？alazy，

poor，andmiserablepeople。Theyhavebeenruinedbytheirimaginarywealth。ThedeclensionoftheSpaniardshasbeen

attributedtotheexpulsionoftheMoriscoes；andtheblowwascertainlysevere，butnotaltogetheradequatetotheeffect。

Thenumberexpelledwasmorethansixhundredthousand，besidesthosewhodiedbythesword，byfamine，orbythe

sentencesofTheInquisition。TheprincipalchargebroughtagainstthemwastheirobstinateadherencetotheMahometan

religion:thepoliticalreasonassignedfortheirexpulsionwas，thatbytheirindustry，temperance，andfrugality，theywere

abletoworkcheaperthantheSpaniards，whilstbytheirsobrietytheycontributedlittletothepublicrevenue:butthereal

causeofthisimpoliticmeasurewasanorderfromthePope，thattheseinfidelsshouldbeconvertedattheexpenceofthe

Spanishclergy。TheArchbishopofValentiawastopaythreethousandsixhundredducatsyearly，andtheotherbishopsin

proportiontotheirincomes，forthesupportofanArabicmission。（6）Thusthetemperate，thefrugal，andtheindustrious，

beingbanishedfromthekingdom，whilsttheindolentfoundaconstantinfluxofgoldandsilverfromabroad，thewhole

nationsunkbydegreesintothepresentstateoftorpidinactivity。Itismorethanonehundredandseventyyearssincethis

event，andyetinallthattimeSpainhasnotrecoveredherpopulation。Thequantityofgoldandsilverimportedannually

intoCadizandLisbonhasbeenreckonedsixmillionssterling。（7）Herewefindasufficientcauseforthedecayoftheirindustryandarts。###第3章Ourpoorbeganonlytoappearinnumbersafterthedissolutionofthemonasteries。Thenitwastheyfirstattractednotice；

buttheyhadexistedlongbefore，alwaysmostabundantinthevicinityofthereligioushouses。Atthepresentmomentwe

aretold，thatinNaplessixthousandLazaroniaredailyfedbythemonasticorders，underthespeciousnameofcharity，not

uponasuddenemergency，butstatedly，andastheonlymeansoftheirsubsistence。Asapeaceofferingthismaybepolitic

andwise，wellcalculatedtoconciliatethegoodopinionoftheunthinkingmind，andtocommandtheadmirationofthe

vulgar；butatthesametimeitisinconsistentwiththemostestablishedprinciplesofpoliticaleconomy:forasindustryand

frugalityaretheonlyfoundationofnationalprosperity；sotemperanceandlabouraretheonlysourceofhappinessand

wealthtoindividuals。AlearnedJesuit，whohaslatelywrittenandisnowpublishinganelegantdefenceofthatsociety，

assumesgreatmeritfromthiscircumstance，thatinsteadofextortingforthemselvesascantypittancefromthevitalsofthe

people，suchwasthebenevolenceoftheseholyfathers，andsuchtheabundantwealthoftheirestablishments，thatthey

relievedallinthesurroundingvillages，whomadeapplicationtotheircharity。Theirintentions，nodoubt，weregood，but

theirbountymusthavebeenmisapplied。He，whostatedlyemploysthepoorinusefullabour，istheironlyfriend；he，who

onlyfeedsthem，istheirgreatestenemy。Theirhopesandfearsshouldcentreinthemselves:theyshouldhavenohopebut

fromtheirownsobriety，diligence，fidelity，andfromthewell—earntfriendshipoftheiremployers；andthentheironlyfear

wouldbethefearofforfeitingbytheirmisconduct，thatfayourandprotectionwhichwouldbetheirprincipalresourcein

timesofsicknessanddistress。

SECT。IVAwiselegislatorwillendeavourtoconfirmthenaturalbondsofsociety，andgivevigourtothefirstprinciplesonwhich

politicalunionmustdepend。Hewillpreservethedistinctionswhichexistinnatureindependentofhisauthority，andthe

variousrelationswhich，antecedenttohiscreation，connectedmantoman。Hewillstudythenaturalobligationswhicharise

fromtheserelations，thathemaystrengthentheseconnectionsbythesanctionofhislaws。Amongthefirstofthese

relationsstandstherelationofaservanttohismaster；andthefirstdutyrequiredfromaservantisprompt，chearful，and

heartyobedience。Onthisconditionalonecantheconnectionbepreserved，aswithoutduesubordinationallgovernment

mustend。Butourlawstendtoweakenthesebonds，andtodestroythissubordination，bycompellingtheoccupierofland

tofindemploymentforthepoor。Withthisprovision，whathavetheytofearwhendischargedfromservice？Ifonewillnot

employthem，anothermust。Iftheworkbeslightedorneglected，ifitbedesertedinthepressinghour，orspoiledinthe

execution，itistolittle\'purposeforthemastertocomplain；hecanhavenoredress。Doesheseekrelieffromthecivil

power？Theunequalcontestisbegun，andtheremedywillbeworsethanthedisease。Boththeservantandthemaster

knowwhentheworkisillperformed，orwhentheservanthasnotearnthiswages，evenwhenlegalproofiswanting。If

thenthemasterhasnootherremedy，heisatthemercyofhisservants；hemustconniveattheirneglects，andbeartheir

impertinencewithpatience。Thereisnoalternativebutthis，ortomaintainthemwithoutwork。Theappealinthiscasetoa

magistrateisfromasuperiortribunaltotheinferior，fromthestrongertotheweaker。Wherethenaturalsanctionsare

sufficienttosecureobediencewithoutdisturbingthepeaceandgoodorderofsociety；thereawiselegislatorwillbecareful

nottointerfere，lest，byweakeningthese，withoutbeingabletosubstitutebetterintheirplace，heshouldstopthecourseof

justiceandprotecttheguilty。Thewisestlegislatorwillneverbeabletodeviseamoreequitable，amoreeffectual，orinany

respectamoresuitablepunishment，thanhungerisforadisobedientservant。Hungerwilltamethefiercestanimals，itwill

teachdecencyandcivility，obedienceandsubjection，tothemostbrutish，themostobstinate，andthemostperverse。A

goodservantneednotbeafraidofwantingwork。Ifonemastershoulddismisshimfromhisservice，otherswillbehappyto

receivehim。Butshouldamanbenotoriousforathief，andforspoilingorneglectingwork；shouldhebeeithersofalse，so

vicious，orsoill—tempered，thatnomasterwouldbewillingtoemployhim；itwouldcertainlybejustthatheshouldsuffer

hungertillhehadlearnttoreformhisconduct。Thereareperhapsfewparisheswhichcannotproducesomeofthis

untowarddisposition。Indeeditisthegeneralcomplaintoffarmers，thattheirmendonotworksowellastheyusedtodo，

whenitwasreproachfultoberelievedbytheparish。

SECT。VItmayseemstrangeinacountrywhereagriculture，arts，manufactures。，andcommerce，aremostflourishing，allofwhich

haveamutualandcorrespondinginfluenceoneachother，tosaythatthelawsdiscouragemanufactures；yetthismaybe

saidofthepoorlawsinEngland。Byourpresentsystemwepreventtheirintroduction，checktheirprogress，andhasten

theirdeparture。Iftherentalofaparishwerenotboundtoprovidefortheincreasingpoor，everygentlemanoflanded

propertywouldbesolicitoustohavemanufacturersestablishedonhisestates，inordertoconsumetheproduceofhis

lands。Bymultiplyingtheconsumershewouldenhancethevalueofallthevariousproductsofthesoil:hewouldenjoythe

monopolyofhayandpasture，andsharewithallhisneighhourstoagivendistanceinthesaleofcorn。Butwhenhe

considersthatmanufacturesfluctuate，thatthebenefitwhichheistoderivefromthemwillnotbearproportiontothe

burthenwhichhemustentailuponhisproperty；hewillratherwishtokeepthemataconvenientdistance。Theprincipal

benefithecanexpectis，thatthevalueofhispasturesshouldbedoubled:butevenwhilstthemanufactureprospers，the

demandsofthepoor，bothuponhisarableandpasture，willbemorethandoubled，andwhenitfails，thepoor\'sratewill

swallowupthewhole。Thesurroundingparisheswillreapthechiefadvantage:hewillhavethehappinesstoseethemflourish；buttheloadandburthenofthepoorwillremainuponhisownestate。\"Sicvosnonvobisfertisaratra，boves。\"###第4章（8）Ineveryparish，asthelawnowstands，theywhohavelegalsettlements，havethemonopolyoflabour，becausethe

labouringpoorareconfinedtotheirrespectiveparishes。Thisprovisionisperfectlyconsistentwiththewholesystemofour

poorlaws，andwasdesignednotonlytopreventtheevilswhichnaturallyarisefromvagrancy，andwhichmightbeequally

preventedbymorewholesomelaws；buttoprotecteachparishfromintruders，whomightbecomechargeableeitherfor

themselvesorfortheirchildren。Thisprovisionisproductiveofconsiderableevils，whichthelegislaturehasneveryetbeen

abletoremove:fornotonlyhavetheindustriouspoorbeenrestrainedfromseekingemploymentwheretheywould

otherwisehavebeenreceivedwithjoy，andconfinedtotheirownparishes，inwhichtheywereregardedwithanevileye；

butforwantofcompetitionthepriceoflabourtothemanufacturerhasbeenmuchenhanced。Withacertificate，indeed，the

poorarepermittedtoresideinanyparishwhereworkistobehad，butthenacertificateisnoteasilyobtained。Nowitis

evidentthatbyraisingthepriceoflabouryoumustdirectlychecktheprogressofthemanufactures；andbyexperienceitis

found，thatthesameeffectarisesindirectlytoamoreconsiderableextent；forinproportionasyouadvancethewagesof

thepoor，youdiminishthequantityoftheirwork。Allmanufacturerscomplainofthis，anduniversallyagree，thatthepoor

areseldomdiligent，exceptwhenlabourischeap，andcomisdear。Itmustbeconfessedthattoomanyofthemhavesome

littleresemblancetotheanimaldescribedbytravelletsunderthenameofNimblePeter；acreaturesoinactive，that，when

hehasclearedonetree，hewillbereducedtoskinandbonesbeforeheclimbsanother，andsoslowinallhismotions，that

evenstripeswillnotmakehimmendhispace。（9）Drunkennessisthecommonviceofpoverty；notperhapsofpovertyas

such，butoftheuncultivatedmind；foritisthecharacteristicofunpolishednationstobefondofintoxicatingliquors。

Whateverbethecause，itisnotorious，thatwiththecommonpeopletheappetiteforstrongdrinkistheirprevailing

appetite。Whentherefore，bytheadvanceinwages，theyobtainmorethanissufficientfortheirbaresubsistence，theyspend

thesurplusatthealehouse，andneglecttheirbusiness。Isamandrunkoneday？Hewillhavelittleinclinationtoworkthe

next。Thusforeverydrunkenfittwodaysarelost。Byfrequentrepetitionthehabitisconfirmed，and，byreducingthe

numberofworkingdays，theirvalueisenhanced。Inproportiontothisloss，thepriceoflabourwillberaised。Aslongas

menhavenothingtofear，eitherforthemselvesorfortheirfamilies，thispracticewillprevail。Wherethepriceoflabouris

advanced，theindustriousandthesoberwillbydegreesacquireatasteforluxury。Theywillnotbecontentedwithbare

subsistence，withasufficientquantityofcoarseyetwholesomefood，withwarmbuthomespungarments，andwithhealthy

butunfurnishedcottages:theywillcontracthabitsofrefinement，which，whensufferedtopromotetheirindustry，willbe

usefulbothtothemselvesandtothepublic，butwhichinallcases，willhaveatendencytokeepupthepriceoflabour，and

toadvancethepriceofallthosearticleswhichtheyconsume。Eventheywhodonotworkmusteat，and，byincreasingthe

demandforcorn，willenhanceitsvalue，andconsequentlythepriceoflabour。Inthiscaseactionandre—actionareequal，

butnotopposite。Thehighpriceoflabourraisesthevalueofprovisions，andthehighpriceofprovisionsenhancesthe

valueoflabour。Theyarebothincreasedbythepresentsystemofourpoorlaws，andhavebothatendencytocheckthe

progressofmanufactures，andtohastentheirdeparture。Themostspeciousargumentproducedagainstgrantingafree

tradetothesisterkingdomwas，that，havinglabourcheap，andnotbeingburthenedwithapoor\'srate，shewouldbeableto

undersellusinthemarket，andtherebyruinourmanufactures。ShouldEnglandrepealthepresentlaws，andmakeabetterprovisionforthefrugal，thesober，andtheindustrious，amongthepoor，Irelandcouldnolongerboastofthisadvantage。Manufacturesalwaysseekthecheapestcountries。Astheyareleavingthesoutherncountriesandtravellingtothenorth，so

intimewilltheyleavethenorth，and，toaconsiderabledegree，quitthekingdom，unlesssomewiseregulationsareestablishedforthebetterreliefandgovernmentofthelabouringpoor。Thepoorlawstoacertaindegreediscourageimprovementsinagriculture；foritiscertain，thatmorewastelandwouldbe

takenintotillage，ifgentlemenwerenotalarmedbytheincreasingburthenofthepoor。Againsttheclaimsofthechurch，

provisionhasbeenmadebyanexemptionfromtythesforsevenyears；butthedemandsofthepooradmitofnoexemption。

Moniedmenhavegreatlytheadvantageovertheownersandoccupiersofland，asbeingfreefromthoseheavytaxes，

whichthelatterpaytotheking，tothechurch，andtothepoor。Whenthepoor\'srateamountstotenshillings，orevento

fourshillingsinthepound，whowillbeattheexpenceofclearing，fencing，breakingup，manuring，cropping，thewasteand

barrenpartsofanestate？Certainlynogentlemencandoitwithaviewtoprofit。InScotlandthesumsareimmensewhich

havebeenexpendedforthispurpose；butinEnglandamanofpropertywouldchooserathertotakethepublicforhis

debtor，thantobehimselfadebtortothepoor；moreespeciallyasitisnotpossibleforhimtoconjecturewhatwillbethe

extentofthisunlimitedrent—chargeuponhisestate。Wereitnotforthisincumbranceagriculturewouldcertainlybepushed

muchfartherthanithaseverbeen，andmanythousandacresofthepoorercommons，heaths，andmoors，wouldbeinclosed

andcultivated。Thebestwritershavecomplained，thatbyatax，similarinitsoperationtoourpoor\'stax，agriculturein

Francehasbeendepressed，theassessmentbeingmadeinproportiontotheirstockintrade。TheconductoftheFrenchin

thisrespectisnotmoreabsurdthanours。Howwidelydifferenthasbeentheoperationofourland—tax。Ithasbeenaspurto

industry，becausefromthebeginningtheproportionhasbeenneverchanged。Tobeconsistentinprinciple，thelegislature

shouldeitherlimitthesumtobecollectedforthepoor，orifagricultureistobeeffectuallychecked，theyshouldequalize

theland—tax。Hadthistaxfollowedourimprovementswithatightgrasp，andwithawatchfuleye，likethechurch，andlike

thepoor，Englandwouldnotatthisdaydiscoverthesmilingaspectwhichallforeignersadmire，whentheyeverywhere

beholdourvalliescloathedwithflocks，andourhillswithcorn。Awisepoliticianwillstudytoremoveeveryobstaclewhich

canretardtheprogressofimprovement:butsuchisthesystemofourlaws，thatthegreaterthedistressamongthepoor，

thelesswillbetheinducementtocultivateourmorestubbornandunprofitablelands。