case of government, by fees for governmental services, and the coöperation of a chamber of deputies in the imposition of taxes and the determination of official salaries etc.(678) Section CXV. Influence Of Growing Civilization On Prices. On the whole, prices become more and more regular as national-economic civilization advances. Progress in civilization tends to bring the parties engaged in the struggle for prices that is buyers and sellers, nearer to one another, in so far as it uniformly decreases the cost of production, and increases the purchaser’s ability to pay.(679) (See § 101.) The more universal division of labor makes commercial intercourse more necessary to every one, at the same time that it makes it more of a habit to him; and hence exchange ceases more and more to be a matter of caprice or chance. The better means of transportation and communication render it easier, in every way, for supply and demand to meet. With the advance of general enlightenment and education, an acquaintance with commodities also becomes more general, and every purchaser is on a better way to be able to estimate the cost of production which the seller has to bear. Hence, fraudulent prices and prices founded in error become less frequent; and all this is helped forward by the greater accuracy of weights and measures. The increase of population makes competition more active in all branches of trade, while at the same time, with the greater freedom of circulation, a number of causes which previously operated to produce very high prices in one place and very low ones in another are removed.(680) But especially, the growth of a distinct class of merchants leads to a uniformity in price. This class are incited by their own interest to purchase at low prices and sell at high prices. Thus, their competition in the former case raises prices, and lowers them in the latter.(681) In all lower stages of civilization, the custom of making offers and beating down in price plays a great part, while where culture is higher, the system of fixed prices (but not by government) gains ground continually. Here Turgot’s principle is applicable, viz.: that the current price of an article is tacitly understood when one asks a merchant the price of his wares.(682)