David Hume - On Taxes

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Of Taxes David Hume

There is a prevailing maxim, among some reasoners, that everytax creates a new

ability in the subject to bear it, and thatencrease of public burdens encreases

proportionably theof the people. This maxim is of such a nature as is mostto be abused;

and is so much the more dangerous, as itscannot be altogether denied: but it must be

owned, whenwithin certain bounds, to have some foundation in reason and.

When a tax is laid upon commodities, which are consumed bycommon people, the

necessary consequence may seem to be,that the poor must retrench something from their

way of, or raise their wages, so as to make the burden of the taxentirely upon the rich. But

there is a third consequence,often follows upon taxes, namely, that the poor

encreaseindustry, perform more work, and live as well as before,demanding more for their

labour. Where taxes are, are laid on gradually, and affect not the necessarieslife, this

consequence naturally follows; and it is certain,such difficulties often serve to excite the

industry of a, and render them more opulent and laborious, than others,enjoy the greatest

advantages. For we may observe, as ainstance, that the most commercial nations have

notpossessed the greatest extent of fertile land; but, on the, that they have laboured under

many natural. TYRE, ATHENS, CARTHAGE, RHODES, GENOA, VENICE,, are

strong examples to this purpose. And in all history,find only three instances of large and

fertile countries,have possessed much trade; the NETHERLANDS. ENGLAND, and. The

two former seem to have been allured by theof their maritime situation, and the necessity

theyunder of frequenting foreign ports, in order to procure whatown climate refused them.

And as to FRANCE, trade has comeinto that kingdom, and seems to have been the effect

ofand observation in an ingenious and enterprizing, who remarked the riches acquired by

such of thenations as cultivated navigation and commerce.

The places mentioned by CICERO, as possessed of the greatestin his time, are

ALEXANDRIA, COLCHUS, TYRE, SIDON,, CYPRUS, PAMPHYLIA, LYCIA,

RHODES, CHIOS, BYZANTIUM,, SMYRNA, MILETUM, COOS. All these, except

ALEXANDRIA, weresmall islands, or narrow territories. And that city owedtrade entirely

to the happiness of its situation.

Since therefore some natural necessities or disadvantages maythought favourable

to industry, why may not artificial burdensthe same effect? Sir WILLIAM TEMPLE, we

may observe,the industry of the DUTCH entirely to necessity,from their natural

disadvantages; and illustrates hisby a striking comparison with IRELAND; "where," says

he,"by the largeness and plenty of the soil, and scarcity of people,things necessary to life

are so cheap, that an industrious, by two days labour, may gain enough to feed him the

rest ofweek. Which I take to be a very plain ground of the lazinessto the people. For men

naturally prefer ease before, and will not take pains if they can live idle; though, by

necessity, they have been inured to it, they cannotit, being grown a custom necessary to

their health, and tovery entertainment. Nor perhaps is the change harder, fromease to

labour, than from constant labour to ease."which the author proceeds to confirm his

doctrine, by, as above, the places where trade has most, in ancient and modern times; and

which are commonlyto be such narrow confined territories, as beget afor industry.

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AUniversalDownloadEditionWWW.UDownloadBooks.Com1OfTaxesDavidHumeThereisaprevailingmaxim,amongsomereasoners,thateverytaxcreatesanewabilityinthesubjecttobearit,andthatencreaseofpublicburdensencreasesproportionablytheofthepeople.Thismaximisofsuchanatureasismosttobeabused;andissomuchthemoredangerous,asi...

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David Hume - On Taxes

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