affords a net produce； of which the augmentation necessarily
augments the revenue and wealth of their society。 Nations
therefore which； like France or England； consist in a great
measure of proprietors and cultivators can be enriched by
industry and enjoyment。 Nations； on the contrary； which； like
Holland and Hamburg； are composed chiefly of merchants；
artificers； and manufacturers can grow rich only through
parsimony and privation。 As the interest of nations so
differently circumstanced is very different； so is likewise the
common character of the people： in those of the former kind；
liberality； frankness and good fellowship naturally make a part
of that common character： in the latter； narrowness； meanness；
and a selfish disposition； averse to all social pleasure and
enjoyment。
The unproductive class； that of merchants； artificers； and
manufacturers； is maintained and employed altogether at the
expense of the two other classes； of that of proprietors； and of
that of cultivators。 They furnish it both with the materials of
its work and with the fund of its subsistence； with the corn and
cattle which it consumes while it is employed about that work。
The proprietors and cultivators finally pay both the wages of all
the workmen of the unproductive class； and of the profits of all
their employers。 Those workmen and their employers are properly
the servants of the proprietors and cultivators。 They are only
servants who work without doors； as menial servants work within。
Both the one and the other； however； are equally maintained at
the expense of the same masters。 The labour of both is equally
unproductive。 It adds nothing to the value of the sum total of
the rude produce of the land。 Instead of increasing the value of
that sum total； it is a charge and expense which must be paid out
of it。
The unproductive class； however； is not only useful； but
greatly useful to the other two classes。 By means of the industry
of merchants； artificers； and manufacturers； the proprietors and
cultivators can purchase both the foreign goods and the
manufactured produce of their own country which they have
occasion for with the produce of a much smaller quantity of their
own labour than what they would be obliged to employ if they were
to attempt； in an awkward and unskilful manner； either to import
the one or to make the other for their own use。 By means of the
unproductive class； the cultivators are delivered from many cares
which would otherwise distract their attention from the
cultivation of land。 The superiority of produce； which； in
consequence of this undivided attention； they are enabled to
raise； is fully sufficient to pay the whole expense which the
maintenance and employment of the unproductive class costs either
the proprietors or themselves。 The industry of merchants；
artificers； and manufacturers； though in its own nature
altogether unproductive； yet contributes in this manner
indirectly to increase the produce of the land。 It increases the
productive powers of productive labour by leaving it at liberty
to confine itself to its proper employment； the cultivation of
land； and the plough goes frequently the easier and the better by
means of the labour of the man whose business is most remote from
the plough。
It can never be the interest of the proprietors and
cultivators to restrain or to discourage in any respect the
industry of merchants； artificers； and manufacturers。 The greater
the liberty which this unproductive class enjoys； the greater
will be the competition in all the different trades which compose
it； and the cheaper will the other two classes be supplied； both
with foreign goods and with the manufactured produce of their own
country。
It can never be the interest of the unproductive class to
oppress the other two classes。 It is the surplus produce of the
land； or what remains after deducting the maintenance； first； of
the cultivators； and afterwards of the proprietors； that
maintains and employs the unproductive class。 The greater this
surplus the greater must likewise be the maintenance and
employment of that class。 The establishment of perfect justice；
of perfect liberty； and of perfect equality is the very simple
secret which most effectually secures the highest degree of
prosperity to all the three classes。
The merchants； artificers； and manufacturers of those
mercantile states which； like Holland and Hamburg； consist
chiefly of this unproductive class； are in the same manner
maintained and employed altogether at the expense of the
proprietors and cultivators of land。 The only difference is； that
those proprietors and cultivators are； the greater part of them；
placed at a most inconvenient distance from the merchants；
artificers； and manufacturers whom they supply with the materials
of their work and the fund of their subsistences… the inhabitants
of other countries and the subjects of other governments。
Such mercantile states； however； are not only useful； but
greatly useful to the inhabitants of those other countries。 They
fill up； in some measure； a very important void； and supply the
place of the merchants； artificers； and manufacturers whom the
inhabitants of those countries ought to find at home； but whom；
from some defect in their policy； they do not find at home。
It can never be the interest of those landed nations； if I
may call them so； to discourage or distress the industry of such
mercantile states by imposing high duties upon their trade or
upon the commodities which they furnish。 Such duties； by
rendering those commodities dearer； could serve only to sink the
real value of the surplus produce of their own land； with which；
or； what comes to the same thing； with the price of which those
commodities are purchased。 Such duties could serve only to
discourage the increase of that surplus produce； and consequently
the improvement and cultivation of their own land。 The most
effectual expedient； on the contrary； for raising the value of
that surplus produce； for encouraging its increase； and
consequently the improvement and cultivation of their own land
would be to allow the most perfect freedom to the trade of all
such mercantile nations。
This perfect freedom of trade would even be the most
effectual expedient for supplying them； in due time； with all the
artificers； manufacturers； and merchants whom they wanted at
home； and for filling up in the properest and most advantageous
manner that very important void which they felt there。
The continual increase of the surplus produce of their land
would； in due time； create a greater capital than what could be
employed with the ordinary rate of profit in the improvement and
cultivation of land； and the surplus part of it would naturally
turn itself to the employment of artificers and manufacturers at
home。 But those artificers and manufacturers； finding at home
both the materials of their work and the fund of their
subsistence； might immediately even with much less art and skill
be able to work as cheap as the like artificers and manufacturers
of such mercantile states who had both to bring from a great
distance。 Even though； from want of art and skill； they might not
for some time be able to work as cheap； yet； finding a market at
home； they might be able to sell their work there as cheap as
that of the artificers and manufacturers of such mercantile
states； which could not be brought to that market but from so
great a distance； and as their art and skill improved； they would
soon be able to sell it cheaper。 The artificers and manufacturers
of such mercantile states； therefore； would immediately be
rivalled in the market of those landed nations； and soon after
undersold and jostled out of it altogether。 The cheapness of the
manufactures of those landed nations； in consequence of the
gradual improvements of art and skill； would； in due time； extend
their sale beyond the home market； and carry them to many foreign
markets； from which they would in the same manner gradually
jostle out many of the manufacturers of such mercantile nations。
This continual increase both of the rude and manufactured
produce of those landed nations would in due time create a
greater capital than could； with the ordinary rate of profit； be
employed either in agriculture or in manufactures。 The surplus of
this capital would naturally turn itself to foreign trade； and be
employed in exporting to foreign countries such parts of the rude
and manufactured produce of its own country as exceeded the
demand of the home market。 In the exportation of the produce of
their own country； the merchants of a landed nation would have an
advantage of the same kind over those of mercantile nations which
its artificers and manufacturers had over the artificers and
manufacturers of such nations； the advantage of finding at home
that cargo and those stores and provisions which the others were
obliged to seek for at a distance。 With inferior art and skill in
navigation； therefore； they would be able to sell that cargo as
cheap in foreign markets as the merchants of such mercantile
nations； and with equal art and skill they would be able to sell
it cheaper。 They would soon； therefore； rival those mercantile
nations in this branch of foreign trade； and in due time would
jostle them out of it altogether。
According to this liberal and generous system； therefore；
the most advantageous method in which a landed nation can raise
up artificers； manufacturers； and merchants of its own is to
grant the most perfect freedom of trade to the artificers；
manufacturers； and merchants of all other nations。 It thereby
raises the value of the surplus produce of its own land； of which
the continual increase gradually establishes a fund； which in due
time necessarily raises up all the artificers； manufacturers； and
merchants whom it has occasion for。
When a landed nation； on the contrary； oppresses either by
high duties or by prohibitions the trade of foreign nations； it
neces