302 
On the Constant Connection 
fOCT. 
II . — On Value. 
§ 3-' — Of the Constant Connection between Wealth and Value . 
If mankind bad but one want, — namely, for food ; and if they were under the 
unchecked influence of the principle of population and increase ; it is evident, from 
what has been said, that an improvement in the productive processes by which 
food is obtained, which led to the same quantity of food being obtainable with halt 
the former labour, would ultimately be followed by no loss of value; but, on tie 
contrarv, by a great aggregate increase of value. The formerly experienced im- 
possibility of increasing the quantity of food, which alone had repressed the ad- 
vance of population, being now removed, population would increase ot course ; 
and would continue to increase, till, again, the utmost Inborn; which could be 
bestowed in agriculture, would cease to set free produce sufficient tor the sup- 
port of greater numbers than had then sprung into being. If the counti} weio 
of the extent of 100 square miles, and if the most every mile gave off, with 
the former knowledge of productive arts, were a clear surplus, equal to subsis- 
tence for 100 individuals ; every mile of the country, under the supposition ot 
the labour required in raising food being reduced one -half, would, we may assume, 
be found capable of supporting 200 souls; and this double production, coming to 
be appreciated by double the number of individuals, each of whom now, as for- 
merly, laboured his utmost in obtaining the food which supports him, could not tan 
to be of double the former aggregate value ; for each man s share would be ot the 
same positive value that it held before. If again we suppose s so me wrought wares 
to be as necessary to the existence of man as food ; and that besides what suffice 
for supplying bis food, each person, to be kept in existence, must be supplied With 
what suffices for the support of another individual, who is to busy himself preparing 
these essential wrought products ; then also, in the event ot an improved process 
in manufactures, which reduced the cost of production one-half, it will l* seen 
that no loss of value could take place on account of the great increase in the 
means of enjoyment, or of the increased wealth, which would be consequent on 
the change ; f V, as in the case where food alone was consumed, an opening : wou Id 
now be made, although in a somewhat different manner, for an increase of popula- 
tion-for an increase of those who make valuation; and who must be as wil- 
liner as the smaller population had been before, each to bestow bis greatest exer 
tions for what suffices to his support. If what was essential to one man ^uppoi 
between the returns of the harvests, were 20 measures of gram ; and if ‘twenty on 
any given tract of country were the number of labourers by whose exertions the 
greatest net produce available for man’s use, or 400 measures could be obtained , 
the labour of 10, or of anv numberless than 20, on the one hand causing a net 
reproduction to be evolved, less in amount than 400 measures ; while, an the other 
Sod the employment of 21, or of any number more than 20 labourers tending to 
the evolution of a net produce, greater perhaps than 400 measures, >e no ' equ 
to 420 measures, or to what might be absolutely essential tc ► t 
ditional labourers ; in this case, neither more nor fewer than * 0 !‘? 1 * t ^v essential to 
found existing on this tract ; so long as 20 measures were absolutely essential 
the existence of a labourer. : n n i flf . P o f20 
But if it should so happen, that from any sufficient cause, 15. in place ot^ 
measures, were found to suffice for the subsistence ol labourers, 1 
tive circumstances of every such tract of land would be materially 
extension of cultivation, and increase of population, would be the “™“ b # le . 
quence of such a change. The existing population would require on y ^ P tQ 
of 400 measures for their actual support, and the present produce is q / 
the support of 27 men living at this reduced rate : their nuni ’ductive- 
indoubtedly increase to this extent, and to such greater extern . 1 vvor k e d 
ness of the soil, and seed will allow. Suppose that when t m . a bso- 
the soil under these new circumstances, for each of whom 15 meas " . ea 29 
lutely essential, 450 measures were the net produce obtained ; a absolutely 
were employed, 445 measures were the result; 435 being a , " work the 
required; while, on the other hand, when forty labourers weie se ev jd e nt 
net produce was 540 measures ; 600 being the quantity they requu > 
that thirty must be the permanent agricultural population ol t ie lac 
1 A measure of seed, on an acre of land, may yield a net return of 100 fojfj i . ^ a 
does not follow that two, or four measures, oa the same extent ot la 3 j, e . 
return of double, and quadruple the amount obtained from the sing e 
