Page:Reflections on the Formation and the Distribution of Riches by Anne Turgot.djvu/132

Rh upon the taxes. Tradesmen who manufacture stuffs to be exported cannot augment the price of their labour; because, in that case, the stuffs would cost too much to be able to be sold in foreign markets. And tradesmen who manufacture stuffs for consumption within the country are equally unable to raise their price, because there cannot be two prices for the same sort of labour. This applies to all commodities whereof part is exported,—i.e. to almost all commodities. Even if there existed some commodities whereof no part was exported, the price of the labour employed in their production could not rise; for the rise of the price would induce so many hands to turn to this kind of industry that the prices would immediately fall. It seems to me that, where there is a tax on consumption, the immediate consequence is that the workpeople either consume less or work more. There is no workman who is not nimble enough to be able to add a few additional hours to his week's work; and there is hardly any individual so poor that he cannot retrench somewhat in his expenditure. What happens when corn goes up in price? Does not the poor man live more meagrely and work harder? A tax has the same effect.

I beg you to remember, also, that besides landed proprietors and poor labourers, there is, in every civilized nation, a very considerable and very opulent body of persons, which employs its capitals in commerce, and which enjoys a large revenue while giving work to the poorer class. I am persuaded that in France and in England the revenues of this nature are more considerable than those which come from