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Subject Area: Political Theory
Subject Area: Law

Answer to Mr Bentham’s Queries for England. - Jeremy Bentham, The Works of Jeremy Bentham, vol. 10 (Memoirs Part I and Correspondence) [1843]

Edition used:

The Works of Jeremy Bentham, published under the Superintendence of his Executor, John Bowring (Edinburgh: William Tait, 1838-1843). 11 vols. Vol. 10.

Part of: The Works of Jeremy Bentham, 11 vols.

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Answer to Mr Bentham’s Queries for England.

“Query 1. The capital which is necessary for the improvement of waste, including all expenses both of landlord and tenant—that is, building, fencing, and bringing into culture—may, on an average, be reckoned at £10 per acre; but a great part, and in some cases all, is drawn back during the course of the improvement, so that, after four years, the land is in a state to let, without the expense having, in fact, been anything, or very small. The gross produce, if the land lets at 10s., (or is worth that rent,) including tithe and rates as rent, will be, on an average, 30s. an acre: if rent, tithe, and rates are 20s., the produce will be £3.

2. Upon land already in culture, the capital may be called £5 per acre, and the gross produce vibrating from 50s. to 60s.

3. The question involves a contradiction—gross produce is never the object in contradistinction to neat profit. With profit the object, capital £6 to £7 an acre, and gross produce £3, 10s. to £4, averaging everything except skill.

“I say nothing of farmers’ profit, as that seems not to be the object of the queries; but compare only the gross produce with the capital employed to raise it, and I suppose common average times and prices.

“Errors excepted.

“A. Y.”