Essays on Mankind and Political ArithmeticPetty, William, Sir
History
Essays on Mankind and Political Arithmetic
Petty, William, Sir
London (England) -- Population; Population
6. Whether more would be gained by foreign commerce? The gain which
England makes by lead, coals, the freight of shipping, &c., may be the
same, for aught I see, in both cases. But the gain which is made by
manufactures will be greater as the manufacture itself is greater and
better. For in so vast a city manufactures will beget one another, and
each manufacture will be divided into as many parts as possible, whereby
the work of each artisan will be simple and easy. As, for example, in
the making of a watch, if one man shall make the wheels, another the
spring, another shall engrave the dial-plate, and another shall make the
cases, then the watch will be better and cheaper than if the whole work
be put upon any one man. And we also see that in towns, and in the
streets of a great town, where all the inhabitants are almost of one
trade, the commodity peculiar to those places is made better and cheaper
than elsewhere. Moreover, when all sorts of manufactures are made in one
place, there every ship that goeth forth can suddenly have its loading of
so many several particulars and species as the port whereunto she is
bound can take off. Again, when the several manufactures are made in one
place, and shipped off in another, the carriage, postage, and travelling
charges, will enhance the price of such manufacture, and lessen the gain
upon foreign commerce. And lastly, when the imported goods are spent in
the port itself, where they are landed, the carriage of the same into
other places will create no further charge upon such commodity; all which
particulars tend to the greater gain by foreign commerce.
7. As for arts of delight and ornament. They are best promoted by the
greatest number of emulators. And it is more likely that one ingenious
curious man may rather be found out amongst 4,000,000 than 400 persons.
But as for husbandry, viz., tillage and pasturage, I see no reason, but
the second state (when each family is charged with the culture of about
twenty-four acres) will best promote the same.
8. As for lessening the fatigue of carriage and travelling.
The thing speaks for itself, for if all the men of business, and all
artisans, do live within five miles of each other, and if those who live
without the great city do spend only such commodities as grow where they
live, then the charge of carriage and travelling could be little.
9. As to the preventing of beggars and thieves.
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