Observations on the Effects of the Corn Laws, and of a Rise or Fall in the Price of Corn on the Agr | Page 4

Observations, &c. &c.

A revision of the corn laws, it is understood, is immediately to come
under the consideration of the legislature. That the decision on such a
subject, should be founded on a correct and enlightened view of the
whole question, will be allowed to be of the utmost importance, both
with regard to the stability of the measures to be adopted, and the
effects to be expected from them.
For an attempt to contribute to the stock of information necessary to
form such a decision, no apology can be necessary. It may seem indeed
probable, that but little further light can be thrown on a subject, which,
owing to the system adopted in this country, has been so frequently the
topic of discussion; but, after the best consideration which I have been
able to give it, I own, it appears to me, that some important
considerations have been neglected on both sides of the question, and
that the effects of the corn laws, and of a rise or fall in the price of corn,
on the agriculture and general wealth of the state, have not yet been
fully laid before the public.
If this be true, I cannot help attributing it in some degree to the very
peculiar argument brought forward by Dr Smith, in his discussion of

the bounty upon the exportation of corn. Those who are conversant
with the Wealth of nations, will be aware, that its great author has, on
this occasion, left entirely in the background the broad, grand, and
almost unanswerable arguments, which the general principles of
political economy furnish in abundance against all systems of bounties
and restrictions, and has only brought forwards, in a prominent manner,
one which, it is intended, should apply to corn alone. It is not surprising
that so high an authority should have had the effect of attracting the
attention of the advocates of each side of the question, in an especial
manner, to this particular argument. Those who have maintained the
same cause with Dr Smith, have treated it nearly in the same way; and,
though they may have alluded to the other more general and legitimate
arguments against bounties and restrictions, have almost universally
seemed to place their chief reliance on the appropriate and particular
argument relating to the nature of corn.
On the other hand, those who have taken the opposite side of the
question, if they have imagined that they had combated this particular
argument with success, have been too apt to consider the point as
determined, without much reference to the more weighty and important
arguments, which remained behind.
Among the latter description of persons I must rank myself. I have
always thought, and still think, that this peculiar argument of Dr Smith,
is fundamentally erroneous, and that it cannot be maintained without
violating the great principles of supply and demand, and contradicting
the general spirit and scope of the reasonings, which pervade the
Wealth of nations.
But I am most ready to confess, that, on a former occasion, when I
considered the corn laws, my attention was too much engrossed by this
one peculiar view of the subject, to give the other arguments, which
belong to it, their due weight.
I am anxious to correct an error, of which I feel conscious. It is not
however my intention, on the present occasion, to express an opinion
on the general question. I shall only endeavour to state, with the
strictest impartiality, what appear to me to be the advantages and

disadvantages of each system, in the actual circumstances of our
present situation, and what are the specific consequences, which may
be expected to result from the adoption of either. My main object is to
assist in affording the materials for a just and enlightened decision; and,
whatever that decision may be, to prevent disappointment, in the event
of the effects of the measure not being such as were previously
contemplated. Nothing would tend so powerfully to bring the general
principles of political economy into disrepute, and to prevent their
spreading, as their being supported upon any occasion by reasoning,
which constant and unequivocal experience should afterwards prove to
be fallacious.
We must begin, therefore, by an inquiry into the truth of Dr Smith's
argument, as we cannot with propriety proceed to the main question,
till this preliminary point is settled.
The substance of his argument is, that corn is of so peculiar a nature,
that its real price cannot be raised by an increase of its money price;
and that, as it is clearly an increase of real price alone which can
encourage its production, the rise of money price, occasioned by a
bounty, can have no such effect.
It is by no means intended to deny the powerful influence of the price