The Principles of Political Economy - Softcover

David Ricardo; Donald Winch

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0460015907 ISBN 13: 9780460015905

Publisher: Dent / Dutton (Everyman's Library), 1973

Synopsis

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1903 edition. Excerpt: ... 'HE rise in the price of commodities, in consequence of .*. taxation or of difficulty of production, will in all cases ultimately ensue; but the duration of the interval, before the market price will conform to the natural price, must depend on the nature of the commodity, and on the facility with which it can be reduced in quantity. If the quantity of the commodity taxed could not be diminished, if the capital of the farmer or of the hatter for instance, could not be withdrawn to other employments, it would be of no consequence that their profits were reduced below the general level by means of a tax; unless the demand for their commodities should increase, they would never be able to elevate the market price of corn and of hats up to their increased natural price. Their threats to leave their employments, and remove their capitals to more favoured trades, would be treated as an idle menace which could not be carried into effect; and consequently the price would not be raised by diminished production. Commodities, however, of all descriptions can be reduced in quantity, and capital can be removed from trades which are less profitable to those which are more so, but with different degrees of rapidity. In proportion as the supply of a particular commodity can be. more easily reduced, without inconvenience to the producer, the price of it will more quickly rise after the difficulty of its production has been increased by taxation, or by any other means. Corn being a commodity indispensably neceseary to every one, little effect will be produced on the demand for it in consequence of a tax, and therefore the supply would not probably be long excessive, even if the producers had great difficulty in removing their capitals from the land. For...

About this title

About the Author:

David Ricardo became a stockbroker at the age of 21 and slowly became a recognized economic scholar in England. Though he retired at 42, he spent the following years of his life concentrating on his writing and research.

About this edition

• Publisher: Dent / Dutton (Everyman's Library)
• Publication date: 1973
• ISBN 10: 0460015907
• ISBN 13: 9780460015905
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 300