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Writing: The National Gain

The National Gain, § 5

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§ 5

If that is the case, I intend to base the following hypothesis on it, namely, that each individual will of his own accord gravitate towards the locality and the enterprise where he will most effectively increase the national profit, provided that the laws do not prevent him from doing so.

Each individual pursues his own advantage. That inclination is so natural and necessary that every society in the world is based on it: otherwise laws, penalties and rewards would not even exist and the whole human race would perish completely within a short space of time. That work is always best rewarded that is of the greatest value and that most sought after that is best rewarded.

As long as I can produce commodities for 6 daler each day in one industry, I am most unwilling to engage in one that brings in 4. In the former the profit both to the nation and to myself is one-third larger than in the latter.

When anyone is thus either obliged or induced by public subsidies to work in some other industry than where he earns the highest reward – for it will not happen otherwise, any more than a merchant will sell his commodity below its current price – that will inevitably incur a loss to the nation.

If the person whose work someone else is obliged to perform earns as much as the worker has lost, it is not profitable to the nation; but should he earn more, only the difference will constitute a profit to the nation, although obtained by the oppression of citizens.

It thus becomes obvious that when someone conducts an enterprise with the labour of others but neither pays nor, without suffering a loss, is able to pay as much as the workers can earn in some other line of business, the deficit in their daily wages must constitute a loss to the nation.

 

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