Like all other contracts, wages should be left to the fair and free competition of themarket, and should never be controlled by the interference of the legislature.

But a tax on luxuries would no other effect than to raise their price. It would fall wholly on the consumer, and could neither increase wages nor lower profits.

To alter the money value of commodities, by altering the value of money, and yet to raise the same money amount by taxes, is then undoubtedly to increase the burthens of society.

The price of corn will naturally rise with the difficulty of producing the last portions of it.

Profits are not made by differential cleverness, but by differential stupidity.

For price is everywhere regulated by the return obtained by this last portion of capital, for which no rent whatever is paid.

But it is clear that the price of labour has no necessary connection with the price of food, since it depends entirely on the supply of labourers compared with the demand.