第 4 节
作者:江暖      更新:2021-02-27 02:42      字数:9322
  it。 The price of that labour may indeed make a part of it; as the
  workmen so employed may place the whole value of their wages in
  their stock reserved for immediate consumption。 But in other
  sorts of labour; both the price and the produce go to this stock;
  the price to that of the workmen; the produce to that of other
  people; whose subsistence; conveniences; and amusements; are
  augmented by the labour of those workmen。
  The intention of the fixed capital is to increase the
  productive powers of labour; or to enable the same number of
  labourers to perform a much greater quantity of work。 In a farm
  where all the necessary buildings; fences; drains;
  communications; etc。; are in the most perfect good order; the
  same number of labourers and labouring cattle will raise a much
  greater produce than in one of equal extent and equally good
  ground; but not furnished with equal conveniencies。 In
  manufactures the same number of hands; assisted with the best
  machinery; will work up a much greater quantity of goods than
  with more imperfect instruments of trade。 The expense which is
  properly laid out upon a fixed capital of any kind; is always
  repaid with great profit; and increases the annual produce by a
  much greater value than that of the support which such
  improvements require。 This support; however; still requires a
  certain portion of that produce。 A certain quantity of materials;
  and the labour of a certain number of workmen; both of which
  might have been immediately employed to augment the food;
  clothing and lodging; the subsistence and conveniencies of the
  society; are thus diverted to another employment; highly
  advantageous indeed; but still different from this one。 It is
  upon this account that all such improvements in mechanics; as
  enable the same number of workmen to perform an equal quantity of
  work; with cheaper and simpler machinery than had been usual
  before; are always regarded as advantageous to every society。 A
  certain quantity of materials; and the labour of a certain number
  of workmen; which had before been employed in supporting a more
  complex and expensive machinery; can afterwards be applied to
  augment the quantity of work which that or any other machinery is
  useful only for performing。 The undertaker of some great
  manufactory who employs a thousand a year in the maintenance of
  his machinery; if he can reduce this expense to five hundred will
  naturally employ the other five hundred in purchasing an
  additional quantity of materials to be wrought up by an
  additional number of workmen。 The quantity of that work;
  therefore; which his machinery was useful only for performing;
  will naturally be augmented; and with it all the advantage and
  conveniency which the society can derive from that work。
  The expense of maintaining the fixed capital in a great
  country may very properly be compared to that of repairs in a
  private estate。 The expense of repairs may frequently be
  necessary for supporting the produce of the estate; and
  consequently both the gross and the net rent of the landlord。
  When by a more proper direction; however; it can be diminished
  without occasioning any diminution of produce; the gross rent
  remains at least the same as before; and the net rent is
  necessarily augmented。
  But though the whole expense of maintaining the fixed
  capital is thus necessarily excluded from the net revenue of the
  society; it is not the same case with that of maintaining the
  circulating capital。 Of the four parts of which this latter
  capital is composed… money; provisions; materials; and finished
  work… the three last; it has already been observed; are regularly
  withdrawn from it; and placed either in the fixed capital of the
  society; or in their stock reserved for immediate consumption。
  Whatever portion of those consumable goods is employed in
  maintaining the former; goes all to the latter; and makes a part
  of the net revenue of the society。 The maintenance of those three
  parts of the circulating capital; therefore; withdraws no portion
  of the annual produce from the net revenue of the society;
  besides what is necessary for maintaining the fixed capital。
  The circulating capital of a society is in this respect
  different from that of an individual。 That of an individual is
  totally excluded from making any part of his net revenue; which
  must consist altogether in his profits。 But though the
  circulating capital of every individual makes a part of that of
  the society to which he belongs; it is not upon that account
  totally excluded from making a part likewise of their net
  revenue。 Though the whole goods in a merchant's shop must by no
  means be placed in his own stock reserved for immediate
  consumption; they may in that of other people; who; from a
  revenue derived from other funds; may regularly replace their
  value to him; together with its profits; without occasioning any
  diminution either of his capital or of theirs。
  Money; therefore; is the only part of the circulating
  capital of a society; of which the maintenance can occasion any
  diminution in their net revenue。
  The fixed capital; and that part of the circulating capital
  which consists in money; so far as they affect the revenue of the
  society; bear a very great resemblance to one another。
  First; as those machines and instruments of trade; etc。;
  require a certain expense; first to erect them; and afterwards to
  support them; both which expenses; though they make a part of the
  gross; are deductions from the net revenue of the society; so the
  stock of money which circulates in any country must require a
  certain expense; first to collect it; and afterwards to support
  it; both which expenses; though they make a part of the gross;
  are; in the same manner; deductions from the net revenue of the
  society。 A certain quantity of very valuable materials; gold and
  silver; and of very curious labour; instead of augmenting the
  stock reserved for immediate consumption; the subsistence;
  conveniencies; and amusements of individuals; is employed in
  supporting that great but expensive instrument of commerce; by
  means of which every individual in the society has his
  subsistence; conveniencies; and amusements regularly distributed
  to him in their proper proportions。
  Secondly; as the machines and instruments of a trade; etc。;
  which compose the fixed capital either of an individual or of a
  society; make no part either of the gross or of the net revenue
  of either; so money; by means of which the whole revenue of the
  society is regularly distributed among all its different members;
  makes itself no part of that revenue。 The great wheel of
  circulation is altogether different from the goods which are
  circulated by means of it。 The revenue of the society consists
  altogether in those goods; and not in the wheel which circulates
  them。 In computing either the gross or the net revenue of any
  society; we must always; from their whole annual circulation of
  money and goods; deduct the whole value of the money; of which
  not a single farthing can ever make any part of either。
  It is the ambiguity of language only which can make this
  proposition appear either doubtful or paradoxical。 When properly
  explained and understood; it is almost self…evident。
  When we talk of any particular sum of money; we sometimes
  mean nothing but the metal pieces of which it is composed; and
  sometimes we include in our meaning some obscure reference to the
  goods which can be had in exchange for it; or to the power of
  purchasing which the possession of it conveys。 Thus when we say
  that the circulating money of England has been computed at
  eighteen millions; we mean only to express the amount of the
  metal pieces; which some writers have computed; or rather have
  supposed to circulate in that country。 But when we say that a man
  is worth fifty or a hundred pounds a year; we mean commonly to
  express not only the amount of the metal pieces which are
  annually paid to him; but the value of the goods which he can
  annually purchase or consume。 We mean commonly to ascertain what
  is or ought to be his way of living; or the quantity and quality
  of the necessaries and conveniencies of life in which he can with
  propriety indulge himself。
  When; by any particular sum of money; we mean not only to
  express the amount of the metal pieces of which it is composed;
  but to include in its signification some obscure reference to the
  goods which can be had in exchange for them; the wealth or
  revenue which it in this case denotes; is equal only to one of
  the two values which are thus intimated somewhat ambiguously by
  the same word; and to the latter more properly than to the
  former; to the money's worth more properly than to the money。
  Thus if a guinea be the weekly pension of a particular
  person; he can in the course of the week purchase with it a
  certain quantity of subsistence; conveniencies; and amusements。
  In proportion as this quantity is great or small; so are his real
  riches; his real weekly revenue。 His weekly revenue is certainly
  not equa