登陆注册
15490400000007

第7章 Chapter 1 Of the several sorts of Publick Charges.

I answer, every body; for if there be 1000 men in a Territory, and if 100 of these can raise necessary food and raiment for the whole 1000. If 200 more make as much commodities, as other Nations will give either their commodities or money for, and if 400 more be employed in the ornaments, pleasure, and magnificence of the whole; if there be 200 Governours, Divines, Lawyers, Physicians, Merchants, and Retailers, making in all 900 the question is, since there is food enough for this supernumerary 100 also, how they should come by it? whether by begging, or by stealing; or whether they shall suffer themselves to starve, finding no fruit of their begging, or being taken in their stealing to put to death another way? Or whether they sahll be given away to another Nation that will take them? I think 'tis plain, they ought neither to be starved, nor hanged, nor given away; now if they beg, they may pine for hunger to day, and be gorged and glutted to morrow, which will occasion Diseases and evil habits, the same may be said of stealing; moreover, perhaps they may get either by begging or stealing more than will suffice them, which will for ever after indispose them to labour, even upon the greatest occasion which may suddenly and unexpectedly happen.

39. For all these Reasons, it will be certainly the safer way to afford them the superfluity which would otherwise be lost and wasted, or wantonly spent: Or in case there be no overplus, then 'tis fit to retrench a little from the delicacy of others feeding in quantity or quality; few men spending less than double of what might suffice them as to the bare necessities of nature.

40. Now as to the work of these supernumeraries, let it be without expence of Foreign Commodities, and then 'tis no matter if it be employed to build a useless Pyramid upon Salisbury Plain, bring the Stones at Stonehenge to Tower Hill, or the like; or at worst this would keep their minds to discipline and obedience, and their bodies to a patience of more profitable labours when need shall require it.

41. In the next place, as an instance of the usefulness of what hath been propounded, I ask what benefit will the mending of High-wayes, the building of Bridges and Cawseys, with making of Rivers navigable produce, besides the pleasure and beauty of them? To which I also answer, as an instance of the premises, that the same, together with the numerous missions of Cattle and Sheep out of Ireland, shall produce a vaste superfluity of English Horses, the which because they have the many excellent qualities of beauty, strength, courage, swiftness, and patience concentrated in them, beyond the Horses of other places, would be a very vendible Commodity all over Europe; and such as depending upon the intrinsick nature of the English Soyle could not be counterfeited, nor taken away by others. Moreover, an Horse is such a Commodity as will carry both himself and his Merchant to the Market, be the same never so distant.

第一章Chapter 3 How the Causes of the unquiet bearing of Taxes may be lessened.

We have slightly gone through all the six branches of the Publick Charge, and have (though imperfectly and in haste) shewn what would encrease, and what would abate them.

We come next to take away some of the general Causes of the unquiet bearing of Taxes, and yielding to Contributions, viz.

2.1. That the people think, the Soverign askes more then he needs. To which we answer, 1. That if the Sovereign were sure to have what he wanted in due time, it were his own great dammage to draw away the money out of his Subjects hands, who by trade increase it, and to hoard it up in his own Coffers, where 'tis of no use even to himself, but lyable to be begged or vainly expended.

3.2. Let the Tax be never so great, if it be proportionable unto all, then no man suffers the loss of any Riches by it. For men (as we said but now) if the Estates of them all were either halfed or doubled, would in both cases remain equally rich. For they would each man have his former state, dignity and degree; and moreover, the Money leavied not going out of the Nation, the same also would remain as rich in comparison of any other Nation; onley the Riches of the Prince and People would differ for a little while, namely, until the money leavied from some, were again refunded upon the same, or other persons that paid it: In which case every man also should have his change and opportunity to be made the better or worse by the new distribution; or if he lost by one, yet to gain by another.

4.3. Now that which angers men most, is to be taxed above their Neighbours. To which I answer, that many times these surmizes are mistakes, many times they are chances, which in the next Tax may run more favourable; and if they be by design, yet it cannot be imagined, that it was by design of the Sovereign, but of some temporary Assessor, whose turn it may be to receive the Talio upon the next occasion from the very man he has wronged.

5.4. Men repine much, if they think the money leavyed will be expended on Entertainments, magnificent Shews, triumphal Arches, etc. To which I answer, that the same is a refunding of said moneys to the Tradesmen who work upon those things; which Trades though they seem vain and onely of orniment, yet they refund presently to the most useful; namely to Brewers, Bakers, Taylours, Shoemakers, etc. Moreover, the Prince hath no more pleasure in these Shews and Entertainments than 100000 others of his meanest Subjects have, whom, for all their grumbling, we see to travel many miles to be spectators of these mistaken and distasted vanities.

6.5. The people often complain, that the King bestows the money he raises from the people upon his Favourites: To which we answer; that what is given to Favourites, may at the next step or transmigration, come into our own hands, or theirs unto whom we wish well, and think do deserve it.

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 中西医结合治疗结缔组织疾病

    中西医结合治疗结缔组织疾病

    阐述结缔组织疾病的病因病理、免疫学基础理论及结缔组织疾病的诊断技术,使读者对结缔组织疾病的相关基础理论有一个概括的了解,为临床诊治疾病打下基础。郑虹,湖北省中医院(光谷院区)主治医师,2013年1月 辩证副型从肾论治强直性脊柱炎 CN42-1340/R 中国中医骨伤科杂志。
  • 这世界缺你不可

    这世界缺你不可

    男主要不要这么逆天,有主角光环也就算了,就连出门扔个垃圾都会被一大波脑残粉跟在身后撒花,这些就暂且不提了,可是他那逆天神技能是肿么回事?会做饭,会汽修……是不是抢了蓝翔毕业生的饭碗啊?等等,会汽修是什么鬼!明明是有逆天的智商好吗!女主:“明明是谁?”(做抠鼻状)男猪脚强烈要求换剧本好咩,为甚女猪脚一副无害的样子,但却是个大腹黑,是不是人物设定反了?吃瓜群众:“雷迪森俺的乡亲们,快给作者呱唧呱唧,这次有好戏看喽!”
  • 复仇三公主的爱恋之路

    复仇三公主的爱恋之路

    三个可怜的小女孩,家人的背叛,亲人的离散,不幸的童年,使她们越来越坚强,长大后她们选择了复仇,命运却奇葩的让她们遇见了她们生命中的那个他,她们又该如何抉择??是选择原谅?还是继续复仇???……
  • 一婚更比一婚高

    一婚更比一婚高

    结婚一年,我的新婚,成了别人燕尔的遮羞布。幸运的是,我遇到他,这个看似冷酷却对我无比温柔的男人。他把我宠成了世界上最幸福的女人。可是前夫的纠缠不休,极品亲戚的胡搅蛮缠,让我恶心。我该何去何从?情节虚构,请勿模仿
  • 师父不听话

    师父不听话

    【白衣飘飘~】作者军求关注,看文不给关注花,晚上来找你们她是远宁天朝最有钱的人,有钱任性嘛~捡个义兄来养养,认个师父来自虐。没想到义兄是头白眼狼,师父上咬他小剧场:一日苏瑾心游玩看院中蓝莲花开得正盛;心下稀罕来采正好被主人抓包:“把手伸出来。”不解看着他主人依旧不依不饶:“把手伸出来,你可知道碰我东西要有代价。”某女怯怯从背后伸出手,手上花早已不见。嘴里还挂着半边花瓣儿咀嚼道:仙君你是是看错,莫非有眼疾,这是病要治他咬牙切齿,很好这个徒弟他收定了《徒弟守则》1.无条件听从师父,不得违反后果自负2.师父永远是对的3.如果错了,请参照前两条...
  • 联邦往事:星河舰队

    联邦往事:星河舰队

    联邦往事系列——星河舰队战争,迫在眉睫,现在,蓝光出击!这一次,敌人将无从开口!
  • 天命之鬼谷纵横

    天命之鬼谷纵横

    天下大事尽在一握之中,万千豪杰在此俯首听命。岁月长河中的浪花,又有几人能够翻起。万民不过是棋子,社稷本就是赌注,智谋是唯一的赢家,鬼谷注定纵横天下。
  • 山东竹枝词

    山东竹枝词

    《山东竹枝词》借用竹枝词这一古老民歌的形式,创作一部真实记录山东当代风俗史的作品,展现了山东的地域特色、人物风采、风景名胜等,作者在深入各地采风和考察的基础上,紧紧抓住了地域文化这条主线,突出了不同地域文化的特点和引领作用。如济南的泉水文化,济宁的孔孟文化,淄博的齐文化,临沂的红色文化,聊城的水城文化,泰安的泰山文化,莱芜的钢城文化,潍坊的风筝文化,东营的黄河口文化,青岛、日照的港口文化,烟台的海洋文化,威海的渔乡文化,荷泽的牡丹文化其中如泉水诗、渔家诗等还形成了一定规模和影响。即使地域文化特点并不突出的德州、滨州等地,由于选取从枣乡文化和退海之地的沧桑巨变等角度入手,同样写出了特点和情趣。
  • 狐狸情殇

    狐狸情殇

    她是九尾妖狐他是天神转世狐狸说:我不懂什么叫拯救苍生,我只知道你爱这苍生,我便爱这苍生他说:你是我的红尘劫.......
  • 心病还需心药医

    心病还需心药医

    本书告诉我们养生的最高境界是养心,“养心”即是保持心理健康。当我们做到自知、自然、自律、自在、自重和自安,我们的心情就会愉快、精神会饱满、心态平和,身体也就自然健康无恙了。