In his essay On Protection to Agriculture (1822) he shows how Protection, by forcing the cultivation of less fertile lands at home, raises the price of corn and increases rents; and his demand was not for free importation, but for a reduction of the duty to 10s. a quarter.
[356] See An Inquiry into the Nature and Progress of Rent.
[357] Cf. this unexpected remark to which H. Denis has recently drawn attention: “It is evidently impossible for any Government to let things just take their natural course.” (Malthus, introduction to the Principles.)
[358] “Gold and silver having been chosen for the general medium of circulation, they are by the competition of commerce distributed in such proportions among the different countries of the world as to accommodate themselves to the natural traffic which would take place if no such metals existed and the trade between countries were purely a trade of barter.”
[359] Ricardo also points out that “if, which is a much stronger case, we agreed to pay a subsidy to a foreign Power, money would not be exported whilst there were any goods which could more cheaply discharge the payment.” (McCulloch’s edition, p. 269.) As a matter of fact, the European Powers who were leagued against Napoleon were subsidised in this fashion, the exports exceeding the imports by many millions. The indemnity of 5 milliards of francs paid by France to Germany affords another illustration of the same truth.
[360] Ricardo’s works, McCulloch’s edition, p. 287.
[361] Ricardo’s works, McCulloch’s edition, p. 404.
[362] Ibid., p. 349.
[363] S. and B. Webb, History of Trade Unionism, p. 54.
[364] In 1835 Andrew Ure (Philosophy of Manufactures, p. 481) reckoned that in the manufacture of cotton, wool, linen, and silk in England there were employed 4800 boys and 5308 girls below 11 years of age, 67,000 boys and 89,000 girls between 11 and 18 years of age, and 88,000 men and 102,000 women above 18 years; a total of 159,000 boys and men against 196,000 girls and women.