Principles of Political Economy: Abridged with Critical, Bibliographical, and Explanatory Notes, and a Sketch of the History of Political Economy
John Stuart Mill · en
In this last statement Mr. Mill is misled by his former definition
of demand as “quantity demanded.” He has the true idea of demand
in this case regarding money; but the demand for money does not,
as he thinks, differ from the demand for other things, inasmuch
as, in our corrected view of demand for other things (p. 255), it
was found that the demand for other things than money was also
limited by the means of the purchaser.(228)
As the whole of the goods in the market compose the demand for money, so
the whole of the money constitutes the demand for goods. The money and the
goods are seeking each other for the purpose of being exchanged. They are
reciprocally supply and demand to one another. It is indifferent whether,
in characterizing the phenomena, we speak of the demand and supply of
goods, or the supply and the demand of money. They are equivalent
expressions.
Supposing the money in the hands of individuals to be increased, the wants
and inclinations of the community collectively in respect to consumption
remaining exactly the same, the increase of demand would reach all things
equally, and there would be a universal rise of prices. Let us rather
suppose, therefore, that to every pound, or shilling, or penny in the
possession of any one, another pound, shilling, or penny were suddenly
added. There would be an increased money demand, and consequently an
increased money value, or price, for things of all sorts. This increased
value would do no good to any one; would make no difference, except that
of having to reckon [dollars and cents] in higher numbers. It would be an
increase of values only as estimated in money, a thing only wanted to buy
other things with; and would not enable any one to buy more of them than
before. Prices would have risen in a certain ratio, and the value of money
would have fallen in the same ratio.
It is to be remarked that this ratio would be precisely that in which the
quantity of money had been increased. If the whole money in circulation
was doubled, prices would be doubled. If it was only increased one fourth,
prices would rise one fourth. There would be one fourth more money, all of
which would be used to purchase goods of some description. When there had
been time for the increased supply of money to reach all markets, or
(according to the conventional metaphor) to permeate all the channels of
circulation, all prices would have risen one fourth. But the general rise
of price is independent of this diffusing and equalizing process. Even if
some prices were raised more, and others less, the average rise would be
one fourth. This is a necessary consequence of the fact that a fourth more
money would have been given for only the same quantity of goods. _General_
prices, therefore, would in any case be a fourth higher.