大卫·李嘉图作品选·政治经济学及赋税原理(四)(英文)_[英] 大卫·李嘉图.pdfVIP

大卫·李嘉图作品选 政治经济学及赋税原理(四) [英] 大卫·李嘉图 著 辽宁电子图书有限责任公司 [英] 大卫·李嘉图 辽宁电子图书有限责任公司 120千字 2002121 200212 1 ISBN L-YY-0244 \F820.2 5 Chapter 28 On the Comparative Value of gold, Corn, and Labour, in Rich and Poor Countries Gold and silver, like all other commodities, says Adam Smith, naturally seek the market where the best price is given for them; and the best price is commonly given for every thing in the country which can best afford it. Labour, it must be remembered, is the ultimate price which is paid for every thing; and in countries where labour is equally well rewarded, the money price of labour will be in proportion to that of the subsistence of the labourer. But gold and silver will naturally exchange for a greater quantity of substance in a rich than in a poor country; in a country which abounds with subsistence, than in one which is but indifferently supplied with it. But corn is a commodity, as well as gold, silver, and other things; if all commodities, therefore, have a high exchangeable value in a rich country, corn must not be excepted; and hence we might correctly say, that corn exchanged for a great deal of money, because it was dear, and that money, too, exchanged for a great deal of corn, because that also was dear; which is to assert that corn is dear and cheap at the same time. No point in political economy can be better established, than that a rich country is prevented from increasing in population, in the same ra