Political Economy. ' 131 
3. Thu trade is beneficial because it contributes materially to 
carry the division of labour^ and the introduction of labour-sujiply^ 
ing machinery to their greatest extent 
The object of all labour being the gaming of a subsistence, it 
cannot be expected that any man should devote himself, exclu- 
sively, to any particular branch of industry, unless the demand for 
the article produced, or raised, be sudicient to insure him a remu- 
neration adequate to his exertions- 
In an isolated settlement, consisting of eight or ten families, 
no one could be a miller, because the trilling demand for flour 
could not afford him employment, and support. For the same 
reason such a settlement could not support a shoemaker. T ne 
man who should grind the grain, or make the shoes for liis 
neighbours, would at the same time be obliged to follow some 
other profession, or employ part of his time in farming. Should 
the growth of the settlement at last allow a man to devote him- 
self exclusively to the working in leather, still he would be obli- 
ged to make men’s shoes, women’s shoes, children’s shoes, and 
boots. In a still more populous community, all those subdivi- 
sions of shoemakers would become distinct branches ; till Anally 
some hands would make only a particular description of men’s, 
others of women’s and children’s shoes— even the binding of them 
would become a distinct trade, and it is at this period that the pub- 
lic generally, would be supplied with the best shoes, of every de- 
scription, at the lowest prices. 
The same observations apply to every other trade, and piirsuit. 
They also apply to the introduction of machinery. 
Most machines perform but one operation. In order to war- 
rant the investment of capital in the construction, or acquisition, of 
a machine, it is necessary that the performance of that operation 
should recur sufliciently often to enable the machine to earn the 
interest of the money it cost, and a profit besides. — -A farmer, v/ho 
cultivates a few acres only, will not think of having a thrashing ma- 
chine.— The consumption of a few plates of sheet iron, of a few 
nailrods, will not warrant the construction of a rolling and slit- 
ting mill, 
* Not more from an encreased demand abroad, than from an encreased de- 
mand at home. In point of fact, the best finished and more costly manufac- 
tures— those that incite chiefly to improvements in machinery, are seldom ex- 
ported. The best woollens, best cottons, the best pottery, the moi»t expen-, 
slve hardware of the British market, are never seen in this country, which is 
Sritain’s best customer. T. C. 
