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wheat—the cloth industry languished on account of the too greatcheapness of corn. He demands that food shall be made dearerand wages be lowered by bureaucratic control, in order to stimulateEngland’s commerce and trade.
Young, and the anonymous writers just mentioned, differ fromHoughton, who had noticed in a. raising of the ordinary wants of theworkers an incentive to increased labour. They on the contrarybelieved that a raising of the standard of living was not possiblefor a workman. Any balance of earnings above the necessarycost of living meant only more ale, more “ spreeing,” more head-aches, and less work. Therefore these writers wished to chaindown the workman by legislation to the minimum standard of life.
Benjamin Franklin came also to the same conclusion in his“ Observations concerning the Increase of Mankind,” though helater on changed it for exactly the opposite opinion (18).
IV. The writers mentioned were opposed by Adam Smith in hisprincipal work (“Wealth of Nations,” vol. I., chap. 8). He teachesthat high wages and low wheat prices mean an increase in labourcapacity. Well-nourished men worked better than those poorlyfed ; those who were cheerful and contented better than the down-trodden ; healthy better than such as frequently succumbed toillnesses. The opposite view depended upon the fact that in dearyears the workmen were certainly more submissive and dependent,but by no means more capable of labour, than in cheap years.
Adam Smith based these statements upon the proofs given byMessance, Receiver of Taxes at St. Etienne, in “ Notes on thePopulation of Auvergne, Lyons, and Rouen ” (Paris, 1766). Thepassages relating hereto are on pages 287-92 and 305-8.' Messancediffered from the opinion that the workman only laboured for abare existence, and that when this was attained he fell a prey toidleness. On the contrary, after satisfying his hunger he workedon more diligently to satisfy the higher wants of his life. Hebought industrial productions, and spent his money on a betterhouse and better furniture. Especially in years of cheap wheatwas more clothing bought, and therefore more cloth woven, thanin bad years. To the cheapening of wheat prices as well as theincrease of wages during the last century was the prosperity