For price is everywhere regulated by the return obtained by this last portion of capital, for which no rent whatever is paid.
DAVID RICARDOFor price is everywhere regulated by the return obtained by this last portion of capital, for which no rent whatever is paid.
DAVID RICARDOBut a tax on luxuries would no other effect than to raise their price. It would fall wholly on the consumer, and could neither increase wages nor lower profits.
DAVID RICARDOAs the revenue of the farmer is realized in raw produce, or in the value of raw produce, he is interested, as well as the landlord, in its high exchangeable value, but a low price of produce may be compensated to him by a great additional quantity.
DAVID RICARDOProfits might also increase, because improvements might take place in agriculture, or in the implements of husbandry, which would augment the produce with the same cost of production.
DAVID RICARDOThere is no way of keeping profits up but by keeping wages down.
DAVID RICARDOAfter all the fertile land in the immediate neighbourhood of the first settlers were cultivated, if capital and population increased, more food would be required, and it could only be procured from land not so advantageously situated.
DAVID RICARDOThe interest of the landlord is always opposed to the interests of every other class in the community.
DAVID RICARDOMoney is neither a material to work upon nor a tool to work with.
DAVID RICARDOAgain two manufacturers may employ the same amount of fixed, and the same amount of circulating capital; but the durability of their fixed capitals may be very unequal.
DAVID RICARDOTaxation under every form presents but a choice of evils.
DAVID RICARDOA rise in wages, from an alteration in the value of money, produces a general effect on price, and for that reason it produces no real effect whatever on profits.
DAVID RICARDOProfits are not made by differential cleverness, but by differential stupidity.
DAVID RICARDOGold, on the contrary, though of little use compared with air or water, will exchange for a great quantity of other goods.
DAVID RICARDOLike all other contracts, wages should be left to the fair and free competition of themarket, and should never be controlled by the interference of the legislature.
DAVID RICARDOA rise of wages from this cause will, indeed, be invariably accompanied by a rise in the price of commodities; but in such cases, it will be found that labour and all commodities have not varied in regard to each other, and that the variation has been confined to money.
DAVID RICARDOIf a tax on malt would raise the price of beer, a tax on bread must raise the price of bread.
DAVID RICARDO