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entrusted until there comes a period of extreme necessity for



them; on one side or other; and then exacts in exchange for them



all that the distressed farmer can spare of other kinds of



produce: it is easy to see that by ingeniously watching his



opportunities; he might possess himself regularly of the greater



part of the superfluous produce of the two estates; and at last;



in some year of severest trial or scarcity; purchase both for



himself and maintain the former proprietors thenceforward as his



labourers or servants。



    This would be a case of commercial wealth acquired on the



exactest principles of modern political economy。 But more



distinctly even than in the former instance; it is manifest in



this that the wealth of the State; or of the three men considered



as a society; is collectively less than it would have been had



the merchant been content with juster profit。 The operations of



the two agriculturists have been cramped to the utmost; and the



continual limitations of the supply of things they wanted at



critical times; together with the failure of courage consequent



on the prolongation of a struggle for mere existence; without any



sense of permanent gain; must have seriously diminished the



effective results of their labour; and the stores finally



accumulated in the merchant's hands will not in any wise be of



equivalent value to those which; had his dealings been honest;



would have filled at once the granaries of the farmers and his



own。



    The whole question; therefore; respecting not only the



advantage; but even the quantity; of national wealth; resolves



itself finally into one of abstract justice。 It is impossible to



conclude; of any given mass of acquired wealth; merely by the



fact of its existence; whether it signifies good or evil to the



nation in the midst of which it exists。 Its real value depends on



the moral sign attached to it; just as sternly as that of a



mathematical quantity depends on the algebraical sign attached to



it。 Any given accumulation of commercial wealth may be



indicative; on the one hand; of faithful industries; progressive



energies; and productive ingenuities: or; on the other; it may be



indicative of mortal luxury; merciless tyranny; ruinous chicane。



Some treasures are heavy with human tears; as an ill…stored



harvest with untimely rain; and some gold is brighter in sunshine



than it is in substance。



    And these are not; observe; merely moral or pathetic



attributes of riches; which the seeker of riches may; if he



chooses; despise; they are; literally and sternly; material



attributes of riches; depreciating or exalting; incalculably; the



monetary signification of the sum in question。 One mass of money



is the outcome of action which has created; another; of action



which has annihilated;  ten times as much in the gathering of



it; such and such strong hands have been paralyzed; as if they



had been numbed by nightshade: so many strong men's courage



broken; so many productive operations hindered; this and the



other false direction given to labour; and lying image of



prosperity set up; on Dura plains dug into seven…times…heated



furnaces。 That which seems to be wealth may in verity be only the



gilded index of far…reaching ruin: a wrecker's handful of coin



gleaned from the beach to which he has beguiled an argosy; a



camp…follower's bundle of rags unwrapped from the breasts of



goodly soldiers dead; the purchase…pieces of potter's fields;



wherein shall be buried together the citizen and the stranger。



    And therefore; the idea that directions can be given for the



gaining of wealth; irrespectively of the consideration of its



moral sources; or that any general and technical law of purchase



and gain can be set down for national practice; is perhaps the



most insolently futile of all that ever beguiled men through



their vices。 So far as I know; there is not in history record of



anything so disgraceful to the human intellect as the modern idea



that the commercial text; 〃Buy in the cheapest market and sell in



the dearest;〃 represents; or under any circumstances could



represent; an available principle of national economy。 Buy in the



cheapest market? yes; but what made your market cheap? Charcoal



may be cheap among your roof timbers after a fire; and bricks may



be cheap in your streets after an earthquake; but fire and



earthquake may not therefore he national benefits。 Sell in the



dearest?  Yes; truly; but what made your market dear? You sold



your bread well to…day: was it to a dying man who gave his last



coin for it; and will never need bread more; or to a rich man who



to…morrow will buy your farm over your head; or to a soldier on



his way to pillage the bank in which you have put your fortune?



    None of these things you can know。 One thing only you can



know: namely; whether this dealing of yours is a just and



faithful one; which is all you need concern yourself about



respecting it; sure thus to have done your own part in bringing



about ultimately in the world a state of things which will not



issue in pillage or in death。 And thus every question concerning



these things merges itself ultimately in the great question of



justice; which; the ground being thus far cleared for it。 I will



enter upon the next paper; leaving only; in this; three final



points for the reader's consideration。



    It has been shown that the chief value and virtue of money



consists in its having power over human beings; that; without



this power; large material possessions are useless; and to any



person possessing such power; comparatively unnecessary。 But



power over human beings is attainable by other means than by



money。 As I said a few pages back; the money power is always



imperfect and doubtful; there are many things which cannot be



reached with it; others which cannot be retained by it。 Many joys



may be given to men which cannot be bought for gold; and many



fidelities found in them which cannot be rewarded with it。



    Trite enough;  the reader thinks。 Yes: but it is not so



trite;  I wish it were;  that in this moral power; quite



inscrutable and immeasurable though it be; there is a monetary



value just as real as that represented by more ponderous



currencies。 A man's hand may be full of invisible gold; and the



wave of it; or the grasp; shall do more than another's with a



shower of bullion。 This invisible gold; also; does not



necessarily diminish in spending。 Political economists will do



well some day to take heed of it; though they cannot take



measure。



    But farther。 Since the essence of wealth consists in its



authority over men; if the apparent or nominal wealth fail in



this power; it fails in essence; in fact; ceases to be wealth at



all。 It does not appear lately in England; that our authority



over men is absolute。 The servants show some disposition to rush



riotously upstairs; under an impression that their wages are not



regularly paid。 We should augur ill of any gentleman's property



to whom this happened every other day in his drawing…room。



    So; also; the power of our wealth seems limited as respects



the comfort of the servants; no less than their quietude。 The



persons in the kitchen appear to be ill…dressed; squalid;



half…starved。 One cannot help imagining that the riches of the



establishment must be of a very theoretical and documentary



character。



    Finally。 Since the essence of wealth consists in power over



men; will it not follow that the nobler and the more in number



the persons are over whom it has power; the greater the wealth?



Perhaps it may even appear; after some consideration; that the



persons themselves are the wealth that these pieces of gold with



which we are in the habit of guiding them; are; in fact; nothing



more than a kind of Byzantine harness or trappings; very



glittering and beautiful in barbaric sight; wherewith we bridle



the creatures; but that if these same living creatures could be



guided without the fretting and jingling of the Byzants in their



mouths and ears; they might themselves be more valuable than



their bridles。 In fact; it may be discovered that the true veins



of wealth are purple  and not in Rock; but in Flesh  perhaps



even that the final outcome and consummation of all wealth is in



the producing as many as possible full…breathed; bright…eyed; and



happy…hearted human creatures。 Our modern wealth; I think; has



rather a tendency the other way;  most politica

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