Treating,inthefirstpart,oftheinfluenceofexternalconditions,ofrace,andofcultureonlibertyinthiswidersense,he
proceedstodivideallproductiveeffortintotwogreatclasses,accordingastheactionisexercisedonthingsoronmen,and
censurestheeconomistsforhavingrestrictedtheirattentiontotheformer。Hestudiesinhissecondandthirdparts
respectivelytheconditionsoftheefficiencyofthesetwoformsofhumanexertion。Intreatingofeconomiclife,strictlyso
called,heintroduceshisfourfolddivisionofmaterialindustry,inpartadoptedbyJ。S。Mill,as"(1)extractive,(2)voiturière,
(3)manufacturièure,(4)agricole,"adivisionwhichisusefulforphysicaleconomics,butwillalways,whenthelargersocial
aspectofthingsisconsidered,beinferiortothemorecommonlyacceptedoneintoagricultural,manufacturing,and
commercialindustry,bankingbeingsupposedascommonpresidentandregulator。Dunoyer,havinginviewonlyactionon
materialobjects,relegatesbanking,aswellascommerceproper,totheseparateheadofexchange,which,alongwith
associationandgratuitoustransmission(whetherintervivosormortiscausa),heclassesapartasbeing,notindustries,inthe
samesensewiththeoccupationsnamed,butyetfunctionsessentialtothesocialeconomy。Theindustrieswhichactonman
hedividesaccordingastheyoccupythemselveswith(1)theameliorationofourphysicalnature,(2)thecultureofour
imaginationandsentiments,(3)theeducationofourintelligence,and(4)theimprovementofourmoralhabits;andhe
proceedsaccordinglytostudythesocialofficesofthephysician,theartist,theeducator,andthepriest。WemeetinDunoyer
theideasafterwardsemphasisedbyBastiatthattherealsubjectsofhumanexchangeareservices;thatallvalueisdueto
humanactivity;thatthepowersofnaturealwaysrenderagratuitousassistancetothelabourofmanandthattherentofland
isreallyaformofinterestoninvestedcapital。Thoughhehaddisclaimedthetaskofapracticaladviserintheoften—quoted
sentence"Jen’imposerien;jeneproposemêmerien;j’exposé,"hefindshimself,likealleconomists,unabletoabstainfrom
offeringcounsel。Andhispolicyisopposedtoanystateinterferencewithindustry。Indeedhepreachesinitsextremerigour
thelaisserfairedoctrine,whichhemaintainsprincipallyonthegroundthatthespontaneouseffortsoftheindividualforthe
improvementofhiscondition,bydevelopingforesight,energy,andperseverance,arethemostefficientmeansofsocial
culture。ButhecertainlygoestoofarwhenherepresentstheactionofGovernmentsasnormallyalwaysrepressiveandnever
directive。Hewasdoubtlessledintothisexaggerationbyhisoppositiontotheartificialorganizationsoflabourproposedby
somanyofhiscontemporaries,againstwhichhehadtovindicatetheprincipleofcompetition;buthiscriticismofthese
schemestook,asComteremarks,tooabsoluteacharacter,tendingtotheperpetualinterdictionofatruesystematisationof
industry。(64)
AMERICA
AtthispointitwillbeconvenienttoturnasideandnoticethedoctrinesoftheAmericaneconomistCarey。Notmuchhad
beendonebeforehiminthesciencebycitizensoftheUnitedStates。BenjaminFranklin,otherwiseofworld—widerenown,
wasauthorofanumberoftracts,inmostofwhichhemerelyenforcespracticallessonsofindustryandthrift,butinsome
throwsoutinterestingtheoreticideas。Thus,fiftyyearsbeforeSmith,hesuggested(asPetty,however,hadalreadydone)
humanlabourasthetruemeasureofvalue(ModestInquiryintotheNatureandNecessityofaPaperCurrency,1721),and
inhisObservationsconcerningtheIncreaseofMankind(1751)heexpressesviewsakintothoseofMalthus。Alexander
Hamilton,secretaryofthetreasury,in1791presentedinhisofficialcapacitytotheHouseofRepresentativesoftheUnited
StatesaReportonthemeasuresbywhichhomemanufacturescouldbepromoted。(65)Inthisdocumenthegivesacritical
accountofthetheoryofthesubject,representsSmith’ssystemoffreetradeaspossibleinpracticeonlyifadoptedbyall
nationssimultaneously,ascribestomanufacturesagreaterproductivenessthantoagriculture,andseekstorefutethe
objectionsagainstthedevelopmentoftheformerinAmericafoundedonthewantofcapital,thehighrateofwages,andthe
lowpriceofland。TheconclusionatwhichhearrivesisthatforthecreationofAmericanmanufacturesasystemofmoderate
protectivedutieswasnecessary,andheproceedstodescribetheparticularfeaturesofsuchasystem。Thereissomereason
tobelievethattheGermaneconomistList,ofwhomweshallspeakhereafter,wasinfluencedbyHamilton’swork,having,
duringhisexilefromhisnativecountry,residedintheUnitedStates。
HenryCharlesCarey(17931879),sonofanAmericancitizenwhohademigratedfromIreland,representsareaction
againstthedispiritingcharacterwhichtheSmithiandoctrineshadassumedinthehandsofMalthusandRicardo。Hisaim
was,whilstadheringtotheindividualisticeconomy,toplaceitonahigherandsurerbasis,andfortifyitagainsttheassaults
ofsocialism,towhichsomeoftheRicardiantenetshadexposedit。Themostcomprehensiveaswellasmatureexpositionof
hisviewsiscontainedinhisPrinciplesofSocialScience(1859)。Inspiredwiththeoptimisticsentimentnaturaltoayoung
andrisingnationwithabundantundevelopedresourcesandanunboundedoutlooktowardsthefuture,heseekstoshowthat
thereexists,independentlyofhumanwills,anaturalsystemofeconomiclaws,whichisessentiallybeneficent,andofwhich
theincreasingprosperityofthewholecommunity,andespeciallyoftheworkingclasses,isthespontaneousresult,capable
ofbeingdefeatedonlybytheignoranceorperversityofmanresistingorimpedingitsaction。HerejectstheMalthusian
doctrineofpopulation,maintainingthatnumbersregulatethem—selvessufficientlyineverywell—governedsociety,andthat
theirpressureonsubsistencecharacterisesthelower,notthemoreadvanced,stagesofcivilization。Herightlydeniesthe
universaltruth,forallstagesofcultivation,ofthelawofdiminishingreturnsfromland。Hisfundamentaltheoreticposition
relatestotheantithesisofwealthandvalue。
Wealthhadbeenbymosteconomistsconfoundedwiththesumofexchangevalues;evenSmith,thoughatfirst
distinguishingthem,afterwardsallowedhimselftofallintothiserror。Ricardohad,indeed,pointedoutthedifference,but
onlytowardstheendofhistreatise,inthebodyofwhichvaluealoneisconsidered。ThelaterEnglisheconomistshadtended
toregardtheirstudiesasconversantonlywithexchange;sofarhadthisproceededthatWhatelyhadproposedforthe
sciencethenameofCatallactics。Whenwealthisconsideredaswhatitreallyis,thesumofusefulproducts,weseethatit
hasitsorigininexternalnatureassupplyingbothmaterialsandphysicalforces,andinhumanlabourasappropriatingand
adaptingthosenaturalmaterialsandforces。Naturegivesherassistancegratuitously;labouristhesolefoundationofvalue。
Thelesswecanappropriateandemploynaturalforcesinanyproductionthehigherthevalueoftheproduct,butthelessthe
additiontoourwealthinproportiontothelabourexpended。Wealth,initstruesenseofthesumofusefulthings,isthe
measureofthepowerwehaveacquiredovernature,whilstthevalueofanobjectexpressestheresistanceofnaturewhich
labourhastoovercomeinordertoproducetheobject。Wealthsteadilyincreasesinthecourseofsocialprogress;the
exchangevalueofobjects,ontheotherhand,decreases。Humanintellectandfacultyofsocialcombinationsecureincreased
commandovernaturalpowers,andusethemmorelargelyinproduction,whilstlesslabourisspentinachievingeachresult,
andthevalueoftheproductaccordinglyfalls。ThevalueofthearticleisnotfixedbyitsCostofproductioninthepast;what
reallydeterminesitisthecostwhichisnecessaryforitsreproductionunderthepresentconditionsofknowledgeandskill。
Thedependenceofvalueoncost,sointerpreted,Careyholdstobeuniversallytrue;whilstRicardomaintaineditonlywith
respecttoobjectscapableofindefinitemultiplication,andinparticulardidnotregarditasapplicabletothecaseofland。
Ricardosawintheproductivepowersoflandafreegiftofnaturewhichhadbeenmonopolisedbyacertainnumberof
persons,andwhichbecame,withtheincreaseddemandforfood,alargerandlargervalueinthehandsofitspossessors。To
thisvalue,however,asnotbeingtheresultoflabour,theowner,itmightbemaintained,hadnorightfulclaim;hecouldnot
justlydemandapaymentforwhatwasdonebythe"originalandindestructiblepowersofthesoil。"ButCareyheldthatland,
asweareconcernedwithitinindustriallife,isreallyaninstrumentofproductionwhichhasbeenformedassuchbyman,
andthatitsvalueisduetothelabourexpendedonitinthepast,thoughmeasured,notbythesumofthatlabour,butbythe
labournecessaryunderexistingconditionstobringnewlandtothesamestageofproductiveness。Hestudiestheoccupation
andreclamationoflandwithpeculiaradvantageasanAmerican,forwhomthetraditionsoffirstsettlementarelivingand
fresh,andbeforewhoseeyestheprocessisindeedstillgoingon。Thedifficultiesofadaptingaprimitivesoiltotheworkof
yieldingorganicproductsforman’susecanbelightlyestimatedonlybyaninhabitantofacountrylongundercultivation。It
is,inCarey’sview,theovercomingofthesedifficultiesbyarduousandcontinuedeffortthatentitlesthefirstoccupierofland
tohispropertyinthesoil。Itspresentvalueformsaverysmallproportionofthecostexpendedonit,becauseitrepresents
onlywhatwouldberequired,withthescienceandappliancesofourtime,tobringthelandfromitsprimitiveintoitspresent
state。Propertyinlandisthereforeonlyaformofinvestedcapitalaquantityoflabourorthefruitsoflabourpermanently
incorporatedwiththesoil;forwhich,likeanyothercapitalist,theowneriscompensatedbyashareoftheproduce。Heisnot
rewardedforwhatisdonebythepowersofnature,andsocietyisinnosensedefraudedbyhissolepossession。The
so—calledRicardiantheoryofrentisaspeculativefancy,contradictedbyallexperience。Cultivationdoesnotinfact,asthat
theorysupposes,beginwiththebest,andmovedownwardstothepoorersoilsintheorderoftheirinferiority。(66)Thelight
anddryhigherlandsarefirstcultivated;andonlywhenpopulationhasbecomedenseandcapitalhasaccumulated,arethe
low—lyinglands,withtheirgreaterfertility,butalsowiththeirmorasses,inundations,andmiasmas,attackedandbrought
intooccupation。Rent,regardedasaproportionoftheproduce,sinks,likeallinterestoncapital,inprocessoftime,but,as
anabsoluteamount,increases。Theshareofthelabourerincreases,bothasaproportionandanabsoluteamount。Andthus
theinterestofthesedifferentsocialclassesareinharmony。
But,Careyproceedstosay,inorderthatthisharmoniousprogressmayberealised,whatistakenfromthelandmustbe
givenbacktoit。Allthearticlesderivedfromitarereallyseparatedpartsofit,whichmustberestoredonpainofits
exhaustion。Hencetheproducerandtheconsumermustbeclosetoeachother;theproductsmustnotbeexportedtoa
foreigncountryinexchangeforitsmanufactures,andthusgotoenrichasmanureaforeignsoil。Inimmediateexchange
valuethelandownermaygainbysuchexportation,buttheproductivepowersofthelandwillsuffer。AndthusCarey,who
hadsetoutasanearnestadvocateoffreetrade,arrivesatthedoctrineofprotection:the"co—ordinatingpower"insociety
mustintervenetopreventprivateadvantagefromworkingpublicmischief。(67)Heattributeshisconversiononthequestionto
hisobservationoftheeffectsofliberalandprotectivetariffsrespectivelyonAmericanprosperity。Thisobservation,hesays,
threwhimbackontheory,andledhimtoseethattheinterventionreferredtomightbenecessarytoremove(ashephrases
it)theobstaclestotheprogressofyoungercommunitiescreatedbytheactionofolderandwealthiernations。Butitseems
probablethattheinfluenceofList’swritings,addedtohisowndeep—rootedandhereditaryjealousyanddislikeofEnglish
predominance,hadsomethingtodowithhischangeofattitude。
Thepracticalconclusionatwhichhethusarrived,thoughitisbynomeansincontradictiontothedoctrineoftheexistence
ofnaturaleconomiclaws,accordsbutillwithhisoptimisticscheme;andanothereconomist,FredericBastiat,acceptinghis
fundamentalideas,appliedhimselftoremovetheforeignaccretion,asheregardedit,andtopreachthetheoryof
spontaneoussocialharmoniesinrelationwiththepracticeoffreetradeasitslegitimateoutcome。(68)FRANCE(continued)
Bastiat(1801—1850),thoughnotaprofoundthinker,wasabrilliantandpopularwriteroneconomicquestions。Thoughhe
alwayshadaninclinationforsuchstudies,hewasfirstimpelledtotheactivepropagationofhisviewsbyhisearnest
sympathywiththeEnglishanti—corn—lawagitation。Naturallyofanardenttemperament,hethrewhimselfwithzealintothe
free—tradecontroversy,throughwhichhehopedtoinfluenceFrencheconomicpolicy,andpublishedin1845ahistoryofthe
struggleunderthetitleofCobdenetLaLigue。In184548appearedhisSophismeséconomiques(Eng。trans。byG。R。
Porter,1849,andbyP。J。Stirling,1873),inwhichheexhibitedhisbestqualitiesofmind。ThoughCairnesgoestoofarin
comparingthisworkwiththeLettresProvinciales,itiscertainlymarkedbymuchliveliness,point,andvigour。Butto
exposetheabsurditiesoftheordinaryprotectionismwasnodifficulttask;itisonlyinsuchaformasthepolicyassumedin
theschemeofList,aspurelyprovisionalandpreparatory,thatitdeservesanddemandsconsideration。Aftertherevolution
of1848,whichforatimeputanendtothefree—trademovementinFrance,theeffortsofBastiatweredirectedagainstthe
socialists。BesidesseveralminorpiecespossessingthesamesortofmeritastheSophismes,heproduced,withaviewtothis
controversy,hismostambitiousaswellascharacteristicwork,theHarmoniesÉconomiques(Eng。trans。byP。J。Stirling,
1860)。Onlythefirstvolumewaspublished;itappearedin1850,anditsauthordiedinthesameyear。Sincethenthenotes
andsketcheswhichhehadpreparedsmaterialstowardstheproductionofthesecondvolumehavebeengiventothepublic
inthecollectededitionofhiswritings(byPaillottet,withLifebyFontenay,7vols。),andwecanthusgatherwhatwould
havebeenthespiritandsubstanceofthelaterportionsofthebook。
Itwillalwaysbehistoricallyinterestingasthelastincarnationofthoroughgoingeconomicoptimism。Thisoptimism,
recurringtoitsfirstorigin,setsoutfromtheologicalconsiderations,andBastiatiscommendedbyhisEnglishtranslatorfor
treatingpoliticaleconomy"inconnectionwithfinalcauses。"Thespiritoftheworkistorepresent"allprinciples,allmotives,
allspringsofaction,allinterests,asco—operatingtowardsagrandfinalresultwhichhumanitywillneverreach,buttowhich
itwillalwaysincreasinglytend,namely,theindefiniteapproximationofallclassestowardsalevel,whichsteadilyrises,in
otherwords,theequalisationofindividualsinthegeneralamelioration。"
Whatclaimedtobenovelandpeculiarinhisschemewasprincipallyhistheoryofvalue。Insistingontheideathatvaluedoes
notdenoteanythinginherentintheobjectstowhichitisattributed,heendeavouredtoshowthatitneversignifiesanything
buttheratiooftwo"services。’’Thisviewhedevelopswithgreatvarietyandfelicityofillustration。Onlythemutualservices
ofhumanbeings,accordingtohim,possess—valueandcanclaimaretribution;theassistancegivenbynaturetotheworkof
productionisalwayspurelygratuitous,andneverentersintoprice。Economicprogress,as,forexample,theimprovement
andlargeruseofmachinery,tendsperpetuallytotransfermoreandmoreoftheelementsofutilityfromthedomainof
property,andthereforeofvalue,intothatofcommunity,orofuniversalandunpurchasedenjoyment。Itwillbeobservedthat
thistheoryissubstantiallyidenticalwithCarey’s,whichhadbeenearlierpropounded;andthelatterauthorinsomanywords
allegesittohavebeentakenfromhimwithoutacknowledgment。Ithasnotperhapsbeensufficientlyattendedtothatvery
similarviewsarefoundinDunoyer,ofwhoseworkBastiatspokeasexercisingapowerfulinfluenceon"therestorationof
thescience,"andwhomFontenay,thebiographerofBastiat,tellsusherecognisedasoneofhismasters,CharlesComte(69)beingtheother。
Themodewhichhasjustbeenexplainedofconceivingindustrialactionandindustrialprogressisinterestingandinstructive
sofarasitisreallyapplicable,butitwasundulygeneralised。CairneshaswellpointedoutthatBastiat’stheoreticsoundness
wasinjuriouslyaffectedbyhishabitofstudyingdoctrineswithadirectviewtocontemporarysocialandpolitical
controversies。Hewasthuspredisposedtoacceptviewswhichappearedtolendasanctiontolegitimateandvaluable
institutions,andtorejectthosewhichseemedtohimtoleadtodangerousconsequences。Hisconstantaimis,ashehimself
expressedit,to"breaktheweapons"ofanti—socialreasoners"intheirhands,"andthispreoccupationinterfereswiththe
single—mindedefforttowardstheattainmentofscientifictruth。Thecreationoradoptionofhistheoryofvaluewasinspired
bythewishtomeetthesocialisticcriticismofpropertyinland;fortheexigenciesofthiscontroversyitwasdesirabletobe
abletoshowthatnothingiseverpaidforexceptpersonaleffort。Hisviewofrentwas,therefore,sotospeak,fore—
ordained,thoughitmayhavebeensuggested,asindeedtheeditorofhisposthumousfragmentsadmitsbythewritingsof
Carey。Heheld,withtheAmericanauthor,thatrentispurelytherewardofthepainsandexpenditureofthelandlordorhis
predecessorsintheprocessofconvertingthenaturalsoilintoafarmbyclearing,draining,fencing,andtheotherspeciesof
permanentimprovements。(70)Hethusgetsridofthe(so—called)Ricardiandoctrine,whichwasacceptedbythesocialists,and
bythemusedforthepurposeofassailingtheinstitutionoflandedproperty,or,atleast,ofsupportingaclaimof
compensationtothecommunityfortheappropriationofthelandbytheconcessionofthe"righttolabour。"AsCairneshas
said,(71)"whatBastiatdidwasthis:havingbeenatinfinitepainstoexcludegratuitousgiftsofnaturefromthepossible
elementsofvalue,andpointedlyidentified"[rather,associated]"thephenomenonwith`humaneffort’asitsexclusivesource,
hedesignateshumaneffortbytheterm`service,’andthenemploysthistermtoadmitassourcesofvaluethosevery
gratuitousnaturalgiftstheexclusionofwhichinthiscapacityconstitutedtheessenceofhisdoctrine。"Thejusticeofthis
criticismwillbeapparenttoanyonewhoconsidersthewayinwhichBastiattreatsthequestionofthevalueofadiamond。
Thatwhatispaidforinmostcasesofhumandealingsiseffortnoonecandispute。Butitissurelyareductioadabsurdumof
histheoryofvalue,regardedasadoctrineofuniversalapplication,torepresentthepriceofadiamondwhichhasbeen
accidentallyfoundasremunerationfortheeffortofthefinderinappropriatingandtransmittingit。And,withrespecttoland,
whilstalargepartofrent,inthepopularsense,mustbeexplainedasinterestoncapital,itisplainthatthenativepowersof
thesoilarecapableofappropriation,andthatthenapricecanbedemandedandwillbepaidfortheiruse。
Bastiatisweakonthephilosophicalside;heisfilledwiththeideasoftheologicalteleology,andisledbytheseideastoform
aprioriopinionsofwhatexistingfactsandlawsmustnecessarilybe。Andthejusnature,which,likemetaphysicalideas
generally,hasitsrootintheology,isasmuchapostulatewithhimaswiththephysiocrats。Thus,inhisessayonFreeTrade,
hesays:"Exchangeisanaturalrightlikeproperty。Everycitizenwhohascreatedoracquiredaproductoughttohavethe
optionofeitherapplyingitimmediatelytohisownuseorcedingittowhosoeveronthesurfaceoftheglobeconsentsto
givehiminexchangetheobjectofhisdesires。"SomethingofthesamesorthadbeensaidbyTurgot;andinhistimethisway
ofregardingthingswasexcusable,andevenprovisionallyuseful;butinthemiddleofthe19thcenturyitwastimethatit
shouldbeseenthroughandabandonedBastiathadarealenthusiasmforasciencewhichhethoughtdestinedtorendergreatservicestomankind,andheseemsto
havebelievedintenselythedoctrineswhichgaveaspecialcolourtohisteaching。Ifhisoptimisticexaggerationsfavouredthe
propertiedclasses,theycertainlywerenotpromptedbyself—interestorservility。Buttheyareexaggerations;and,amidstthe
modernconflictsofcapitalandlabour,hisperpetualassertionofsocialharmoniesisthecryof"peace,peace,"wherethereis
nopeace。Thefreedomofindustry,whichhetreatedasapanacea,hasundoubtedlybroughtwithitgreatbenefits;buta
sufficientexperiencehasshownthatitisinadequatetosolvethesocialproblem。Howcantheadvocatesofeconomic
revolutionbemetbyassuringthemthateverythinginthenaturaleconomyisharmoniousthat,infact,alltheyseekfor
alreadyexists?Acertaindegreeofspontaneousharmonydoesindeedexist,forsocietycouldnotcontinuewithoutit,butit
isimperfectandprecarious;thequestionis,Howcanwegivetoitthemaximumofcompletenessandstability?
AugustinCournot(18011877)appearstohavebeenthefirst(72)who,withacompetentknowledgeofbothsubjects,
endeavouredtoapplymathematicstothetreatmentofeconomicquestions。HistreatiseentitledRecherchessurlesPrincipes
MathématiquesdeLaThéoriedesRichesseswaspublishedin1838。Hementionsinitonlyonepreviousenterpriseofthe
samekind(thoughtherehadinfactbeenothers)that,namely,ofNicolasFrançoisCanard,whosebook,publishedin1802,
wascrownedbytheInstitute,though"itsprincipleswereradicallyfalseaswellaserroneouslyapplied。"Notwithstanding
Cournot’sjustreputationasawriteronmathematics,theRecherchesmadelittleimpression。Thetruthseemstobethathis
resultsareinsomecasesoflittleimportance,inothersofquestionablecorrectness,andthat,intheabstractionstowhichhe
hasrecourseinordertofacilitatehiscalculations,anessentialpartoftherealconditionsoftheproblemissometimes
omitted。Hispagesaboundinsymbolsrepresentingunknownfunctions,theformofthefunctionbeinglefttobeascertained
byobservationoffacts,whichhedoesnotregardasapartofhistask,oronlysomeknownpropertiesoftheundetermined
functionbeingusedasbasesfordeduction。Jevonsincludesinhislistofworksinwhichamathematicaltreatmentof
economicsisadoptedasecondtreatisewhichCournotpublishedin1863,withthetitlePrincipesdeLaThéoriedes
Richesses。Butinreality,intheworksonamed,whichiswrittenwithgreatability,andcontainsmuchforciblereasoningin
oppositiontotheexaggerationsoftheordinaryeconomists,themathematicalmethodisabandoned,andthereisnotan
algebraicalformulainthebook。Theauthoradmitsthatthepublichasalwaysshownarepugnancetotheuseof
mathematicalsymbolsineconomicdiscussion,and,thoughhethinkstheymightbeofserviceinfacilitatingexposition,fixing
theideas,andsuggestingfurtherdevelopments,heacknowledgesthatagravedangerattendstheiruse。Thedanger,
accordingtohim,consistsintheprobabilitythatanunduevaluemaybeattachedtotheabstracthypothesesfromwhichthe
investigatorsetsout,andwhichenablehimtoconstructhisformulae。Andhispracticalconclusionisthatmathematical
processesshouldbeemployedonlywithgreatprecaution,orevennotemployedatallifthepublicjudgmentisagainstthem,
for"thisjudgment,"hesays,"hasitssecretreasons,almostalwaysmoresurethanthosewhichdeterminetheopinionsof
individuals。"Itisanobviousconsiderationthattheacceptanceofunsoundorone—sidedabstractprinciplesasthepremisesof
argumentdoesnotdependontheuseofmathematicalforms,thoughitispossiblethattheemploymentofthelattermayby
associationproduceanillusioninfavourofthecertaintyofthosepremises。Butthegreatobjectiontotheuseofmathematics
ineconomicreasoningisthatitisnecessarilysterile。Ifweexaminetheattemptswhichhavebeenmadetoemployit,we
shallfindthatthefundamentalconceptionsonwhichthedeductionsaremadetorestarevague,indeedmetaphysical,intheir
character。Unitsofanimalormoralsatisfaction,ofutility,andthelike,areasforeigntopositivescienceasaunitof
normativefacultywouldbe;andaunitofvalue,unlessweunderstandbyvaluethequantityofonecommodityexchangeable
undergivenconditionsforanother,isanequallyindefiniteidea。Mathematicscanindeedformulateratiosofexchangewhen
theyhaveoncebeenobserved;butitcannotbyanyprocessofitsowndeterminethoseratios,forquantitativeconclusions
implyquantitativepremises,andthesearewanting。Thereisthennofutureforthiskindofstudy,anditisonlywasteof
intellectualpowertopursueit。Buttheimportanceofmathematicsasaneducationalintroductiontoallthehigherordersof
researchisnotaffectedbythisconclusion。Thestudyofthephysicalmedium,orenvironment,inwhicheconomic
phenomenatakeplace,andbywhichtheyareaffected,requiresmathematicsasaninstrument;andnothingcaneverdispense
withthedidacticefficacyofthatscience,assupplyingtheprimordialtypeofrationalinvestigation,givingthelively
sentimentofdecisiveproof,anddisincliningthemindtoillusoryconceptionsandsophisticalcombinations。Andaknowledge
ofatleastthefundamentalprinciplesofmathematicsisnecessarytoeconomiststokeepthemrightintheirstatementsof
doctrine,andpreventtheirenunciatingpropositionswhichhavenodefinitemeaning。Evendistinguishedwriterssometimes
betrayaseriousdeficiencyinthisrespect;thustheyassertthatonequantity"variesinverselyas"another,whenwhatis
meantisthatthesum(nottheproduct)ofthetwoisconstant;andtheytreatascapableofnumericalestimationtheamount
ofanaggregateofelementswhich,differinginkind,cannotbereducedtoacommonstandard。Asanexampleofthelatter
error,itmaybementionedthat"quantityoflabour,"sooftenspokenofbyRicardo,andinfactmadethebasisofhissystem,
includessuchvariousspeciesofexertionaswillnotadmitofsummationorcomparison。
ITALY
ThefirstItaliantranslationoftheWealthofNationsappearedin1780。ThemostdistinguishedItalianeconomistofthe
periodheredealtwithwas,however,nodiscipleofSmith。ThiswasMelehiorreGioja,author,besidesstatisticalandother
writings,ofavoluminousworkentitledNuovoProspettodelleScienzeEconomiche(6vols。,181517;theworkwasnever
completed),intendedtobeanencyclopaediaofallthathadbeentaughtbytheorists,enactedbyGovernments,oreffectedby
populationsinthefieldofpublicandprivateeconomyItisalearnedandabletreatise,butsooverladenwithquotationsand
tablesastorepelratherthanattractreaders。GiojaadmiredthepracticaleconomicsystemofEngland,andenlargesonthe
advantagesofterritorialproperties,manufactures,andmercantileenterprisesonthelargeasopposedtothesmallscale。He
defendsarestrictivepolicy,andinsistsonthenecessityoftheactionofthestateasaguiding,supervising,andregulating
powerintheindustria]world。Butheisinfullsympathywiththesentimentofhisageagainstecclesiasticaldominationand
othermediaevalsurvivals。WecanbutverybrieflynoticeRomagnosi(d。1835),who,byhiscontributionstoperiodical
literature,andbyhispersonalteaching,greatlyinfluencedthecourseofeconomicthoughtinItaly;AntonioScialoja
(Principiid’EconomiaSociale,1840;andCarestiaeGoverno,1853),anableadvocateoffreetrade(d。1877)Luigi
Cibrario,wellknownastheauthorofEconomiaPoliticadelmedicevo(1839;5thed。,1861:Frenchtrans。byBarneaud,
1859),whichisinfactaviewofthewholesocialsystemofthatperiod;GirolamoBoccardo(b。1829;Trattato
Teorico—praticodiEconomiaPolitica,1853);