tailieunhanh - on the principles of political economy and taxation phần 7

Đầu tiên, khi các biến ngẫu nhiên của một thành viên của phân phối quy mô nhân với một hằng số tích cực, tham số được nhân lên bởi cùng một hằng số. Thứ hai, khi các biến ngẫu nhiên của một thành viên của phân phối quy mô nhân với một hằng số tích cực, tất cả các thông số khác không thay đổi | David Ricardo Principles ofPoliticalEconomy and Taxation 200 hypothetically argue and speak about it as if we had and may improve our knowledge of the science by shewing distinctly the absolute inapplicability of all the standards which have been hitherto adopted. But supposing either of these to be a correct standard of value still it would not be a standard of riches for riches do not depend on value. A man is rich or poor according to the abundance of necessaries and luxuries which he can command and whether the exchangeable value of these for money for corn or for labour be high or low they will equally contribute to the enjoyment of their possessor. It is through confounding the ideas of value and wealth or riches that it has been asserted that by diminishing the quantity of commodities that is to say of the necessaries conveniences and enjoyments of human life riches maybe increased. If value were the measure of riches this could not be denied because by scarcity the value of commodities is raised but if Adam Smith be correct if riches consist in necessaries and enjoyments then they cannot be increased by a diminution of quantity. It is true that the man in possession of a scarce commodity is richer if by means of it he can command more of the necessaries and enjoyments of human life but as the general stock out of which each man s riches are drawn is diminished in quantity by all that any individual takes from it other men s shares must necessarily be reduced in proportion as this favoured individual is able to appropriate a greater quantity to himself. Let water become scarce says Lord Lauderdale and be exclusively possessed by an individual and you will increase his riches because water will then have value and if wealth be the aggregate of individual riches you will by the same means also increase wealth. You undoubtedly will increase the riches of this individual but inasmuch as the farmer must sell a part of his corn the shoemaker a part of his shoes .