Book contents
- Frontmatter
- PREFACE
- Contents
- CONVERSATION I INTRODUCTION
- CONVERSATION II INTRODUCTION—continued
- CONVERSATION III ON PROPERTY
- CONVERSATION IV PROPERTY—continued
- CONVERSATION V ON THE DIVISION OF LABOUR
- CONVERSATION VI ON CAPITAL
- CONVERSATION VII CAPITAL—continued
- CONVERSATION VIII ON WAGES AND POPULATION
- CONVERSATION IX WAGES AND POPULATION—continued
- CONVERSATION X ON THE CONDITION OF THE POOR
- CONVERSATION XI ON REVENUE
- CONVERSATION XII REVENUE FROM LANDED PROPERTY
- CONVERSATION XIII REVENUE FROM THE CULTIVATION OF LAND
- CONVERSATION XIV REVENUE FROM CAPITAL LENT
- CONVERSATION XV ON VALUE AND PRICE
- CONVERSATION XVI ON MONEY
- CONVERSATION XVII MONEY—continued
- CONVERSATION XVIII COMMERCE
- CONVERSATION XIX ON FOREIGN TRADE
- CONVERSATION XX FOREIGN TRADE—cont.
- CONVERSATION XXI ON EXPENDITURE
- INDEX
CONVERSATION IV - PROPERTY—continued
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 07 September 2011
- Frontmatter
- PREFACE
- Contents
- CONVERSATION I INTRODUCTION
- CONVERSATION II INTRODUCTION—continued
- CONVERSATION III ON PROPERTY
- CONVERSATION IV PROPERTY—continued
- CONVERSATION V ON THE DIVISION OF LABOUR
- CONVERSATION VI ON CAPITAL
- CONVERSATION VII CAPITAL—continued
- CONVERSATION VIII ON WAGES AND POPULATION
- CONVERSATION IX WAGES AND POPULATION—continued
- CONVERSATION X ON THE CONDITION OF THE POOR
- CONVERSATION XI ON REVENUE
- CONVERSATION XII REVENUE FROM LANDED PROPERTY
- CONVERSATION XIII REVENUE FROM THE CULTIVATION OF LAND
- CONVERSATION XIV REVENUE FROM CAPITAL LENT
- CONVERSATION XV ON VALUE AND PRICE
- CONVERSATION XVI ON MONEY
- CONVERSATION XVII MONEY—continued
- CONVERSATION XVIII COMMERCE
- CONVERSATION XIX ON FOREIGN TRADE
- CONVERSATION XX FOREIGN TRADE—cont.
- CONVERSATION XXI ON EXPENDITURE
- INDEX
Summary
MRS. B
NOW that we have traced the rise and progress of civilization to the security of property, let us see whether the reverse, that is to say, insecurity of property in a civilized country, will not degrade the state of man, and make him retrace his steps till he again degenerates into barbarism.
CAROLINE
Are there any examples of a civilized people returning to a savage state? I do not recollect ever to have heard of such a change.
MRS. B
No, because when property has once been instituted, the advantages it produces are such, that it can never be totally abolished; but in countries where the tyranny of government renders it very insecure, the people invariably degenerate, the country falls back into poverty, and a comparative state of barbarism. We have already noticed the miserable change in the once wealthy city of Tyre, Egypt, which was the original seat of the arts and sciences, is now sunk into the most abject degradation; and if you will read the passages I have marked for you in Volney's travels, you will find the truth of this observation very forcibly delineated.
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- Conversations on Political EconomyIn Which the Elements of that Science are Familiarly Explained, pp. 47 - 61Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2010First published in: 1816