wealbk01-第17章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



judged　of；　the　same　with　the　natural　price。　The　whole　quantity

upon　hand　can　be　disposed　of　for　this　price；　and　cannot　be

disposed　of　for　more。　The　competition　of　the　different　dealers

obliges　them　all　to　accept　of　this　price；　but　does　not　oblige

them　to　accept　of　less。

　　　　　The　quantity　of　every　commodity　brought　to　market　naturally

suits　itself　to　the　effectual　demand。　It　is　the　interest　of　all

those　who　employ　their　land；　labour；　or　stock；　in　bringing　any

commodity　to　market；　that　the　quantity　never　should　exceed　the

effectual　demand；　and　it　is　the　interest　of　all　other　people　that

it　never　should　fall　short　of　that　demand。

　　　　　If　at　any　time　it　exceeds　the　effectual　demand；　some　of　the

component　parts　of　its　price　must　be　paid　below　their　natural

rate。　If　it　is　rent；　the　interest　of　the　landlords　will

immediately　prompt　them　to　withdraw　a　part　of　their　land；　and　if

it　is　wages　or　profit；　the　interest　of　the　labourers　in　the　one

case；　and　of　their　employers　in　the　other；　will　prompt　them　to

withdraw　a　part　of　their　labour　or　stock　from　this　employment。

The　quantity　brought　to　market　will　soon　be　no　more　than

sufficient　to　supply　the　effectual　demand。　All　the　different

parts　of　its　price　will　rise　to　their　natural　rate；　and　the　whole

price　to　its　natural　price。

　　　　　If；　on　the　contrary；　the　quantity　brought　to　market　should

at　any　time　fall　short　of　the　effectual　demand；　some　of　the

component　parts　of　its　price　must　rise　above　their　natural　rate。

If　it　is　rent；　the　interest　of　all　other　landlords　will　naturally

prompt　them　to　prepare　more　land　for　the　raising　of　this

commodity；　if　it　is　wages　or　profit；　the　interest　of　all　other

labourers　and　dealers　will　soon　prompt　them　to　employ　more　labour

and　stock　in　preparing　and　bringing　it　to　market。　The　quantity

brought　thither　will　soon　be　sufficient　to　supply　the　effectual

demand。　All　the　different　parts　of　its　price　will　soon　sink　to

their　natural　rate；　and　the　whole　price　to　its　natural　price。

　　　　　The　natural　price；　therefore；　is；　as　it　were；　the　central

price；　to　which　the　prices　of　all　commodities　are　continually

gravitating。　Different　accidents　may　sometimes　keep　them

suspended　a　good　deal　above　it；　and　sometimes　force　them　down

even　somewhat　below　it。　But　whatever　may　be　the　obstacles　which

hinder　them　from　settling　in　this　centre　of　repose　and

continuance；　they　are　constantly　tending　towards　it。

　　　　　The　whole　quantity　of　industry　annually　employed　in　order　to

bring　any　commodity　to　market　naturally　suits　itself　in　this

manner　to　the　effectual　demand。　It　naturally　aims　at　bringing

always　that　precise　quantity　thither　which　may　be　sufficient　to

supply；　and　no　more　than　supply；　that　demand。

　　　　　But　in　some　employments　the　same　quantity　of　industry　will

in　different　years　produce　very　different　quantities　of

commodities；　while　in　others　it　will　produce　always　the　same；　or

very　nearly　the　same。　The　same　number　of　labourers　in　husbandry

will；　in　different　years；　produce　very　different　quantities　of

corn；　wine；　oil；　hops；　etc。　But　the　same　number　of　spinners　and

weavers　will　every　year　produce　the　same　or　very　nearly　the　same

quantity　of　linen　and　woollen　cloth。　It　is　only　the　average

produce　of　the　one　species　of　industry　which　can　be　suited　in　any

respect　to　the　effectual　demand；　and　as　its　actual　produce　is

frequently　much　greater　and　frequently　much　less　than　its　average

produce；　the　quantity　of　the　commodities　brought　to　market　will

sometimes　exceed　a　good　deal；　and　sometimes　fall　short　a　good

deal；　of　the　effectual　demand。　Even　though　that　demand　therefore

should　continue　always　the　same；　their　market　price　will　be

liable　to　great　fluctuations；　will　sometimes　fall　a　good　deal

below；　and　sometimes　rise　a　good　deal　above　their　natural　price。

In　the　other　species　of　industry；　the　produce　of　equal　quantities

of　labour　being　always　the　same；　or　very　nearly　the　same；　it　can

be　more　exactly　suited　to　the　effectual　demand。　While　that　demand

continues　the　same；　therefore；　the　market　price　of　the

commodities　is　likely　to　do　so　too；　and　to　be　either　altogether；

or　as　nearly　as　can　be　judged　of；　the　same　with　the　natural

price。　That　the　price　of　linen　and　woolen　cloth　is　liable　neither

to　such　frequent　nor　to　such　great　variations　as　the　price　of

corn；　every　man's　experience　will　inform　him。　The　price　of　the

one　species　of　commodities　varies　only　with　the　variations　in　the

demand：　that　of　the　other　varies；　not　only　with　the　variations　in

the　demand；　but　with　the　much　greater　and　more　frequent

variations　in　the　quantity　of　what　is　brought　to　market　in　order

to　supply　that　demand。

　　　　　The　occasional　and　temporary　fluctuations　in　the　market

price　of　any　commodity　fall　chiefly　upon　those　parts　of　its　price

which　resolve　themselves　into　wages　and　profit。　That　part　which

resolves　itself　into　rent　is　less　affected　by　them。　A　rent

certain　in　money　is　not　in　the　least　affected　by　them　either　in

its　rate　or　in　its　value。　A　rent　which　consists　either　in　a

certain　proportion　or　in　a　certain　quantity　of　the　rude　produce；

is　no　doubt　affected　in　its　yearly　value　by　all　the　occasional

and　temporary　fluctuations　in　the　market　price　of　that　rude

produce；　but　it　is　seldom　affected　by　them　in　its　yearly　rate。　In

settling　the　terms　of　the　lease；　the　landlord　and　farmer

endeavour；　according　to　their　best　judgment；　to　adjust　that　rate；

not　to　the　temporary　and　occasional；　but　to　the　average　and

ordinary　price　of　the　produce。

　　　　　Such　fluctuations　affect　both　the　value　and　the　rate　either

of　wages　or　of　profit；　according　as　the　market　happens　to　be

either　overstocked　or　understocked　with　commodities　or　with

labour；　with　work　done；　or　with　work　to　be　done。　A　public

mourning　raises　the　price　of　black　cloth　（with　which　the　market

is　almost　always　understocked　upon　such　occasions）；　and　augments

the　profits　of　the　merchants　who　possess　any　considerable

quantity　of　it。　It　has　no　effect　upon　the　wages　of　the　weavers。

The　market　is　understocked　with　commodities；　not　with　labour；

with　work　done；　not　with　work　to　be　done。　It　raises　the　wages　of

journeymen　tailors。　The　market　is　here　understocked　with　labour。

There　is　an　effectual　demand　for　more　labour；　for　more　work　to　be

done　than　can　be　had。　It　sinks　the　price　of　coloured　silks　and

cloths；　and　thereby　reduces　the　profits　of　the　merchants　who　have

any　considerable　quantity　of　them　upon　hand。　It　sinks；　too；　the

wages　of　the　workmen　employed　in　preparing　such　commodities；　for

which　all　demand　is　stopped　for　six　months；　perhaps　for　a

twelvemonth。　The　market　is　here　over…stocked　both　with

commodities　and　with　labour。

　　　　　But　though　the　market　price　of　every　particular　commodity　is

in　this　manner　continually　gravitating；　if　one　may　say　so；

towards　the　natural　price；　yet　sometimes　particular　accidents；

sometimes　natural　causes；　and　sometimes　particular　regulations　of

police；　may；　in　many　commodities；　keep　up　the　market　price；　for　a

long　time　together；　a　good　deal　above　the　natural　price。

　　　　　When　by　an　increase　in　the　effectual　demand；　the　market

price　of　some　particular　commodity　happens　to　rise　a　good　deal

above　the　natural　price；　those　who　employ　their　stocks　in

supplying　that　market　are　generally　careful　to　conceal　this

change。　If　it　was　commonly　known；　their　great　profit　would　tempt

so　many　new　rivals　to　employ　their　stocks　in　the　same　way　that；

the　effectual　demand　being　fully　supplied；　the　market　price　would

soon　be　reduced　to　the　natural　price；　and　perhaps　for　some　time

even　below　it。　If　the　market　is　at　a　great　distance　from　the

residence　of　those　who　supply　it；　they　may　sometimes　be　able　to

keep　the　secret　for　several　years　together；　and　may　so　long　enjoy

their　extraordinary　profits　without　any　new　rivals。　Secrets　of

this　kind；　however；　it　must　be　acknowledged；　can　seldom　be　long

kept；　and　the　extraordinary　profit　can　last　very　little　longer

than　they　are　kept。

　　　　　Secrets　in