wanted； the people must starve。 But if money is wanted； barter
will supply its place； though with a good deal of inconveniency。
Buying and selling upon credit； and the different dealers
compensating their credits with one another； once a month or once
a year； will supply it with less inconveniency。 A well…regulated
paper money will supply it； not only without any inconveniency；
but； in some cases； with some advantages。 Upon every account；
therefore； the attention of government never was so unnecessarily
employed as when directed to watch over the preservation or
increase of the quantity of money in any country。
No complaint； however； is more common than that of a
scarcity of money。 Money； like wine； must always be scarce with
those who have neither wherewithal to buy it nor credit to borrow
it。 Those who have either will seldom be in want either of the
money or of the wine which they have occasion for。 This
complaint； however； of the scarcity of money is not always
confined to improvident spendthrifts。 It is sometimes general
through a whole mercantile town and the country in its
neighbourhood。 Overtrading is the common cause of it。 Sober men；
whose projects have been disproportioned to their capitals； are
as likely to have neither wherewithal to buy money nor credit to
borrow it； as prodigals whose expense has been disproportioned to
their revenue。 Before their projects can be brought to bear；
their stock is gone； and their credit with it。 They run about
everywhere to borrow money； and everybody tells them that they
have none to lend。 Even such general complaints of the scarcity
of money do not always prove that the usual number of gold and
silver pieces are not circulating in the country； but that many
people want those pieces who have nothing to give for them。 When
the profits of trade happen to be greater than ordinary；
overtrading becomes a general error both among great and small
dealers。 They do not always send more money abroad than usual；
but they buy upon credit； both at home and abroad； an unusual
quantity of goods； which they send to some distant market in
hopes that the returns will come in before the demand for
payment。 The demand comes before the returns； and they have
nothing at hand with which they can either purchase money； or
give solid security for borrowing。 It is not any scarcity of gold
and silver； but the difficulty which such people find in
borrowing； and which their creditors find in getting payment；
that occasions the general complaint of the scarcity of money。
It would be too ridiculous to go about seriously to prove
that wealth does not consist in money； or in gold and silver； but
in what money purchases； and is valuable only for purchasing。
Money； no doubt； makes always a part of the national capital； but
it has already been shown that it generally makes but a small
part； and always the most unprofitable part of it。
It is not because wealth consists more essentially in money
than in goods that the merchant find it generally more easy to
buy goods with money than to buy money with goods； but because
money is the known and established instrument of commerce； for
which everything is readily given in exchange； but which is not
always with equal readiness to be got in exchange for everything。
The greater part of goods； besides； are more perishable than
money； and he may frequently sustain a much greater loss by
keeping them。 When his goods are upon hand； too； he is more
liable to such demands for money as he may not be able to answer
than when he has got their price in his coffers。 Over and above
all this； his profit arises more directly from selling than from
buying； and he is upon all these accounts generally much more
anxious to exchange his goods for money than his money for goods。
But though a particular merchant； with abundance of goods in his
warehouse； may sometimes be ruined by not being able to sell them
in time； a nation or country is not liable to the same accident。
The whole capital of a merchant frequently consists in perish；
able goods destined for purchasing money。 But it is but a very
small part of the annual produce of the land and labour of a
country which can ever be destined for purchasing gold and silver
from their neighbours。 The far greater part is circulated and
consumed among themselves； and even of the surplus which is sent
abroad； the greater part is generally destined for the purchase
of other foreign goods。 Though gold and silver； therefore； could
not be had in exchange for the goods destined to purchase them；
the nation would not be ruined。 It might； indeed； suffer some
loss and inconveniency； and be forced upon some of those
expedients which are necessary for supplying the place of money。
The annual produce of its land and labour； however； would be the
same； or very nearly the same； as usual； because the same； or
very nearly the same； consumable capital would be employed in
maintaining it。 And though goods do not always draw money so
readily as money draws goods； in the long run they draw it more
necessarily than even it draws them。 Goods can serve many other
purposes besides purchasing money； but money can serve no other
purpose besides purchasing goods。 Money； therefore； necessarily
runs after goods； but goods do not always or necessarily run
after money。 The man who buys does not always mean to sell again；
but frequently to use or to consume； whereas he who sells always
means to buy again。 The one may frequently have done the whole；
but the other can never have done more than the one…half of his
business。 It is not for its own sake that men desire money； but
for the sake of what they can purchase with it。
Consumable commodities； it is said； are soon destroyed；
whereas gold and silver are of a more durable nature； and； were
it not for this continual exportation； might be accumulated for
ages together； to the incredible augmentation of the real wealth
of the country。 Nothing； therefore； it is pretended； can be more
disadvantageous to any country than the trade which consists in
the exchange of such lasting for such perishable commodities。 We
do not； however； reckon that trade disadvantageous which consists
in the exchange of the hardware of England for the wines of
France； and yet hardware is a very durable commodity； and were it
not for this continual exportation might； too； be accumulated for
ages together； to the incredible augmentation of the pots and
pans of the country。 But it readily occurs that the number of
such utensils is in every country necessarily limited by the use
which there is for them； that it would be absurd to have more
pots and pans than were necessary for cooking the victuals
usually consumed there； and that if the quantity of victuals were
to increase； the number of pots and pans would readily increase
along with it； a part of the increased quantity of victuals being
employed in purchasing them； or in maintaining an additional
number of workmen whose business it was to make them。 It should
as readily occur that the quantity of gold and silver is in every
country limited by the use which there is for those metals； that
their use consists in circulating commodities as coin； and in
affording a species of household furniture as plate； that the
quantity of coin in every country is regulated by the value of
the commodities which are to be circulated by it： increase that
value； and immediately a part of it will be sent abroad to
purchase； wherever it is to be had； the additional quantity of
coin requisite for circulating them： that the quantity of plate
is regulated by the number and wealth of those private families
who choose to indulge themselves in that sort of magnificence：
increase the number and wealth of such families； and a part of
this increased wealth will most probably be employed in
purchasing； wherever it is to be found； an additional quantity of
plate： that to attempt to increase the wealth of any country；
either by introducing or by detaining in it an unnecessary
quantity of gold and silver； is as absurd as it would be to
attempt to increase the good cheer of private families by
obliging them to keep an unnecessary number of kitchen utensils。
As the expense of purchasing those unnecessary utensils would
diminish instead of increasing either the quantity of goodness of
the family provisions； so the expense of purchasing an
unnecessary quantity of gold and silver must； in every country；
as necessarily diminish the wealth which feeds； clothes； and
lodges； which maintains and employs the people。 Gold and silver；
whether in the shape of coin or of plate； are utensils； it must
be remembered； as much as the furniture of the kitchen。 Increase
the use for them； increase the consumable commodities which are
to be circulated； managed； and prepared by means of them； and you
will infallibly increase the quantity； but if you attempt； by
extraordinary means； to increase the quantity； you will as
infallibly diminish the use and even the quantity too； which in
those metals can never be greater than what the use requires。
Were they ever to be accumulated beyond this quantity； their
transportation is so easy； and the loss which attends their lying
idle and unemployed so great； that no law could prevent their
being immediately sent out of the country。
It is not always necessary to accumulate gold and silver in
order to enable a country to carry on foreign wars； and to
maintain fleets and armies in distant countries。 Fleets and
armies are maintained； not with gold and silver； but with
consumable goods。 The nation which； from the annual produce of
its domestic industry； from the annual revenue arising out of its
lands； labour； and consumable stock； has wherewithal to purchase
those consumable goods in distant countries； can maintain foreign
wars there。
A nation may purchase the pay and provisions of an army in a
distant country three different ways： by sending abroad either；
first； some part of its accumulated gold and silver； or；