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.

There can be no greater error then in supposing that capital is increased by non-consumption.

Possessing utility, commodities derive their exchangeable value from two sources: from their scarcity, and from the quantity of labour required to obtain them.

I have already expressed my opinion on this subject in treating of rent, and have now only further to add, that rent is a creation of value, as I understand that word, but not a creation of wealth.

If a tax on malt would raise the price of beer, a tax on bread must raise the price of bread.

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

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.