Xenophon presents no theory of exchange,[460] though he is frankly interested in the advance of commerce and trade. In his opinion, the greater their development, the better it is for the city of Athens.[461] He is full of practical suggestions to stimulate commercial activity.[462] So assured is he of the prime importance of extensive commerce to a nation, that, in the spirit of modern commercialism, he insists upon the necessity of peace for its sake.[463] To his mind, increased trade means not only material advantage, but social and political as well, in that greater prosperity, more labor, and a better distribution will mean greater satisfaction, and hence less danger of revolution in the state.[464] He entertains none of the prejudice of the other Socratics against the money-makers’ art, a fact which may well be a warning against the too ready acceptance of their attitude as the usual verdict of the Athenian citizens.[465] In his practical suggestions for the development of commerce there is a hint of the protective principle. He advises that certain advantages be granted to shipowners so as to induce them to increase their shipping.[466] But the purpose is not to limit the advantage to Athenian merchantmen, nor to restrict import trade. It is rather the opposite. He would enrich the city by tribute on both imports and exports, imposed for sumptuary and revenue purposes,[467] and would also develop a public merchant-marine for rent to merchants, as a further source of income.[468] POPULATION In antithesis to Plato and Aristotle, the problem of population has no difficulties for Xenophon. He does not deem it advisable to set a limit on the population of the state. On the contrary, he conceives it as one of the advantages of his plan in the _Revenues_, that thereby the city would become very populous, and thus land about the mines would soon be as valuable as that in the city itself.[469] DISTRIBUTION Xenophon is far less concerned about the problem of distribution than Plato. He has no suggestions as to wages, profits, or prices, no ideal state where an equitable distribution shall be realized, no yearnings after equality, or complaints against the evils of extreme wealth or poverty. Like Plato, he would avoid civic discord in the state,[470] but by the increase of production and exchange rather than by their limitation. In Socrates’ parable of the dog and the sheep, he presents a suggestion of a theory of profits, but his plea is for the employer instead of the laborer. The right of the former to share in the profits of the business is based on his service as overseer of the work, and as protector of the workmen.[471]