BOOK II.

OF THE DISTRIBUTION OF WEALTH.

CHAP. I.

OF THE BASIS OF VALUE; AND OF SUPPLY AND DEMAND.

I explored the main phenomena of production in my first book. There, I showed how human industry—aided by capital and by natural agents and properties—creates (a) every kind of utility, which is the primary source of value. I also examined the ways in which social institutions and public authority work to either the benefit or the detriment original: "prejudice" of production.

This second book will be devoted to the study of the distribution of wealth. To achieve this, it will first be necessary to analyze the nature of value, which is the object being distributed. Second, we must determine the laws that regulate how value, once it has been created, is distributed among the various members of society to form individual revenue In this context, "revenue" refers to the income or earnings received by individuals, such as wages, interest, or rent.. (b)

(a) See above original Latin: "Vide suprà", volume 1, page 5, in the notes. T. The "T." likely refers to the translator, C.R. Prinsep.

(b) In this second book, the first three chapters of earlier editions have been completely remodeled in this current (4th) edition and condensed into only two chapters. In the al—