Political Economy. 151 
It is just so between nations. The same benefits are realized 
by foreign intercourse, and foreign commerce, without any previous 
concert. They are the natural results of difference of situation 
and circumstances, and of the operation of the ever active, uni» 
versally prevailing desire, to improve, in the best manner, the ad- 
vantages possessed. 
Thus your observation — that American lands want capital- 
considered with a view to ultimate effects, corroborates, instead 
ef disproving, the great utility of foreign trade.— 
Capital.^ you pursue, employed in the foreign trade^ is 7uore 
“ exposed than capital employed in domestic trade. — True ! but 
a trade, the profits of which do not cover the premium of insurance 
is not pursued.— We may insure, abroad or at home. 
« The merchant.) and all the people employed directly by him^ 
“ rank among the unproductive classes of society. 
It is time indeed the invidious distinction of productive, and un- 
productive classes should disappear from the pages of political 
economy. 
There are no unproductive classes,* unless it be the class of 
gamblers ; and even their activity might be proved to be less in- 
jurious than perfect idleness. But the proceeds of labour are not 
always direct., and tangible. 
If you spend six weeks in reflection, and thinking, and after- 
v/ards tv/o hours in explaining to an intelligent mechanic some 
new principle, which you have discovered, and the application of 
which enables him to accomplish his usual work, in half the usual 
* By unproductive personsj are meant those whose labour is not employed 
to increase the mass of consumable product, such as food, cloathing, furni- 
ture, the comforts and conveiiier.ces of life, &c. it is evident that a farmer, 
a mechanic, an engineer, does this, directly or indirectly. How does M, 
Yestris or Madame Calalini do this ? it seems to rne a strange mingling of 
words and ideas, that should regard as equally productive, the farmer, whose 
time is spent in producing food, and the idle class of gentlemen, who have 
nothing to do hut devour it : frnges consumere nuti. 'i'his- is like the reason- 
ing of the British ministry, wiio reckon ail their expenditures in wars abroad, 
naval or military— all the money they waste, as so many, not merely evidences 
of, but additions to the mass of national wealth. So that if half a dozen line 
of battle ships be sunk or destroyed, the nation is the gainer by all llie indus- 
try which is put in motion by the sums expended to replace them. This 
may be go.od reasoning i:\ England ; but i caivno- compreheral Ihe force of it 
1\ C, 
