第23章

The labouring People, I am sure, and do insist on it, notwithstanding my Estimate, can make about 16 Shillings per Week support such a Family, as the Estimate is made for, though I know not, nor desire to know, how to make an Estimate thereof; and Ihave heard them that have such Families, declare they should think themselves happy; wherefore it appears to me, that in order to reduce Labour, the Necessaries of Life should be lowered at least one Fourth, and the labouring People be enabled, notwithstanding, to purchase near half as many more Necessaries as their present Wages of 10 or 12 Shillings per Week will do, at the Rates these Things now go; and, I think, any one who considers the Pittances allowed in the Estimate, must think it fit, that the labouring People, if they will be industrious, should notwithstanding any manner of Pretences or Suggestions to the contrary, have it in their Power to obtain half as many more Necessaries for their Support and Comfort, as their present Wages will now purchase, and then there would be almost half as many more Trade and Business amongst the People in general, as there now is, or can be till this be done; besides all other mighty Advantages, inseparably connected with it; of which, the Removal of many of those Temptations, which contribute to the Destruction of the Poor, and which would, in this Case, in a great Measure be certainly removed, is no small one.

For I take the great Number of Brandy-shops and Ale-houses, which have multiplied so mightily of late Years, to be one of the greatest Snares and Temptations that could be laid in the Way of the labouring People,and which introduces most of the Calamities and Vices they fall into; these which are so great a Snare to the poorer Sort, as Taverns also are to many in better Stations, would, I think, soon be very much reduced in their Numbers (though I suppose we shall always have enough of them) if so much new Employment were produced for the People in general, as would arise by the Execution of this Proposal.

For since it hath been shewn, that the full Execution of this Proposal will create as much Employment and Trade as the People can possibly perform, I think the trading People would soon find more honourable, if not more profitable Ways to subsist, than by enticing and encouraging the working People to spend the Money they know should be saved for and laid out on their Families; and instead of suffering them to disorder themselves, and waste that Time, which should be employed to gain a Support for their Families, or if they have none, to provide against the Infirmities of Age, and other Accidents of Life, or for near and helpless Relations, they would even turn such disorderly People out of their Houses, or at least not sell them Liquors so vastly injurious to them, and all the Relations they stand in to others.

For there are Instances of Brandy-Shops and Publick-houses, who having pretty good Trades will not suffer such Excesses in their Houses, notwithstanding the many Examples, and State of Trade in general are bad enough to justify any Means of attaining a Livelihood, not absolutely unlawful. But there is a Necessity to lower the Necessaries of Life to about half the present Price, if we would reduce Labour only one fourth Part lower than it now goes; for as it is the Demand alone, which gives the Value, and fixes the Price to every thing, any slender attempts to employ the Poor, and make more Business this way arise to others, would by encreasing the Demand for Labour, etc. rather tend to raise the wages of the labouring People, and augment the Profits of the trading Part, than to lower either of them; for I believe the trading People in general (and their numerous Complaints to the Parliament, shew as much, as well as an Estimate I have subjoined) stand in need of larger Profits, as the first Estimate also shews the labouring People do of larger Supplies, than their present Wages will now procure them.

But perhaps it may be asked, How Labour can be reduced the Way I propose, since the Demand for it (which always advances the Price of every thing) will be greater: To which I answer, that it is the present Rates of Labour only that will be reduced my Way, but its Value, according to the above Maxim will be greater, when the Necessaries of Life are rendered so much cheaper, that a fourth part less Wages will purchase near half as many more Necessaries as the present Rates of Labour will do; and as this is all the Reduction of Labour I am aiming at, or which in the Nature of the Thing is possible, so, that I may be clearly understood, let it be supposed, that such a labouring Man's Family can be decently maintained (as it most certainly may) with about 16 Shillings per Week, and that the Necessaries of Life were lowered to half their present Price; as 8 Shillings would then purchase as much as 16 will now do, which is at least a third more than their present Wages of 10 or 12 Shillings will now purchase; so Labour would then really be about 1/3 Part more valuable than it is now, though its Rate at the same time be lowered about 1/3 Part also.