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CHAP. IX.: Motives to the quiet bearing of extraordinary Taxes. - Sir William Petty, The Economic Writings of Sir William Petty, vol. 1 [1662]

Edition used:

The Economic Writings of Sir William Petty, together with The Observations upon Bills of Mortality, more probably by Captain John Graunt, ed. Charles Henry Hull (Cambridge University Press, 1899), 2 vols.

Part of: The Economic Writings of Sir William Petty, 2 vols.

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CHAP. IX.

Motives to the quiet bearing of extraordinaryTaxes.

HAving shewed how great and glorious things may be done with no less difficulty than what ¼ of the King's Subjects do already endure; I offer these further Reasons ‖ to quiet mens Minds, in case this utmost 250,000 l. per mensem should be ever demanded upon this Holland-War.

1. That of all Naval Expence, not image is for1 Forreign Commodities, nor need it be image1 , if the people would do their part, and the Governours direct them the nearest ways.

2. That Stoppage of Trade is considerable, but as one to eight; for we exchange not above five Millions worth per ann. for our 40.

3. That the Expence of the King, &c. being about 400,000l. per ann. is but image part of the Expence of the Nation, who all have the Pleasure and Honour of it.

4. That the Money of the Nation being but about 5 Millions and ½, and the earning of the same 25; It is not difficult for them to encrease their Money a Million per ann. by an easie advance of their Industry, applyed to such Manufactures as will fetch Money from abroad.

5. The Wealth of England lies in Land and People, so as they make five parts of six of the whole: But the Wealth of Holland lies more in Money, Housing, Shipping and Wares. Now supposing England threetimes ‖ as rich as Holland in Land, and People (as it is) and Holland twice as rich as we in other Particulars (as it scarce is); We are still upon the Balance of the whole near twice as rich as they: Of which I wish those that understand Holland, would consider and calculate.

6. There are in England above four Acres of Arrable, Meadow and Pasture-Land, for every Soul in it; and those so fertile, as that the labour of one man in tilling them, is sufficient to get a bare Livelihood for above 10: So as ‘tis for want of Discipline that any Poverty appears in England, and that any are hanged or starved upon that account. ‖

[1]By a slip of the types the 1691 ed. transposes the ‘f’ of ‘for’ and the ‘ image ’ which stand at the beginning of successive lines. The obvious mistake is corrected above.

[1]By a slip of the types the 1691 ed. transposes the ‘f’ of ‘for’ and the ‘ image ’ which stand at the beginning of successive lines. The obvious mistake is corrected above.