Principles of Political Economy: Abridged with Critical, Bibliographical, and Explanatory Notes, and a Sketch of the History of Political Economy — John Stuart Mill — John Shaqi
Principles of Political Economy: Abridged with Critical, Bibliographical, and Explanatory Notes, and a Sketch of the History of Political Economy
John Stuart Mill · en
The work of Adam Smith was soon known to other countries, apart from
translations. A most lucid and attractive exposition was given to the
French by J. B. Say, “Traité d’économie politique” (1803), followed, after
lecturing in Paris from 1815-1830, by a more complete treatise,(37) “Cours
complète d’économie politique” (1828). While not contributing much that
was new, Say did a great service by popularizing previous results in a
happy and lively style, combined with good arrangement, and many
illustrations. The theory that general demand and supply are identical is
his most important contribution to the study. Although he translated
Ricardo’s book, he did not grasp the fact that rent did not enter into
price. Say’s work was later supplemented by an Italian, Pellegrino
Rossi,(38) who, in his “Cours d’économie politique” (1843-1851),
naturalized the doctrines of Malthus and Ricardo on French soil. His work
is of solid value, and he and Say have given rise to an active school of
political economy in France. In Switzerland, Sismondi expounded Adam
Smith’s results in his “De la richesse commerciale” (1803), but was soon
led into a new position, explained in his “Nouveaux principes d’économie
politique” (1819). This has made him the earliest and most distinguished
of the humanitarian economists. Seeing the sufferings caused by
readjustments of industries after the peace, and the warehouses filled
with unsold goods, he thought the excess of production over the power of
consumption was permanent, and attacked division of labor, labor-saving
machinery, and competition. Discoveries which would supersede labor he
feared would continue, and the abolition of patents, together with the
limitation of population,(39) was urged. These arguments furnished
excellent weapons to the socialistic agitators. Heinrich Storch(40) aimed
to spread the views of Adam Smith(41) in Russia, by his “Cours d’économie
politique” (1815). Without further developing the theory of political
economy, he produced a book of exceptional merit by pointing out the
application of the principles to Russia, particularly in regard to the
effect of a progress of wealth on agriculture and manufactures; to the
natural steps by which a new country changes from agriculture to a
manufacturing _régime_; and to finance and currency, with an account of
Russian depreciated paper since Catharine II.