ECONOMIC SOPHISMS.

...not an end, but a means; and that it would be absurd to reject the result for fear of doing injury to the means by which that result was accomplished. He would perceive that if he devotes two hours a day to providing for his wants, any circumstance (machinery, fertility, a free gift, no matter what) which saves him an hour of that labor—the result remaining the same—puts that hour at his disposal, and that he can devote it to increasing his enjoyments. In short, he would see that to save labor is nothing else than progress.

But exchange The act of trading goods or services. disturbs our view of a truth so simple. In the social state, and with the division of labor original: "separation of employments" to which it leads, the production and consumption of a commodity are not performed by the same individual. Each man comes to see his labor no longer as a means, but as an end. In relation to each commodity, exchange creates two interests: that of the producer and that of the consumer; and these two interests are always directly opposed to each other.

It is essential to analyze them and examine their nature.

Take the case of any producer whatever; what is his immediate interest? It consists of two things: first, that the fewest possible number of persons should devote themselves to his branch of industry; and second, that the greatest possible number of persons should be searching for the article he produces. Political economy explains it more concisely in these terms: supply very limited, demand very extended; or in other words: competition limited, demand unlimited.

What is the immediate interest of the consumer? That the supply of the product in question should be extended, and the demand restrained.

Seeing, then, that these two interests are in opposition to each other, one of them must necessarily coincide with social interests in general, and the other be antagonistic to them.

But which of them should legislation favor as being identical with the public good—if, indeed, it should favor either?

To discover this, we must inquire what would happen if the secret wishes of men were granted.

Insofar as we are producers, it must be allowed that the desire of every one of us is anti-social. Are we vine-dressers People who cultivate and prune grapevines for wine production.? It would give us no great regret if hail should shower down on...