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The industry of the town becomes more； and that of the country
less advantageous。
That the industry which is carried on in towns is；
everywhere in Europe； more advantageous than that which is
carried on in the country； without entering into any very nice
computations； we may satisfy ourselves by one very simple and
obvious observation。 In every country of Europe we find； at
least； a hundred people who have acquired great fortunes from
small beginnings by trade and manufactures； the industry which
properly belongs to towns； for one who has done so by that which
properly belongs to the country； the raising of rude produce by
the improvement and cultivation of land。 Industry； therefore；
must be better rewarded； the wages of labour and the profits of
stock must evidently be greater in the one situation than in the
other。 But stock and labour naturally seek the most advantageous
employment。 They naturally； therefore； resort as much as they can
to the town； and desert the country。
The inhabitants of a town； being collected into one place；
can easily combine together。 The most insignificant trades
carried on in towns have accordingly； in some place or other；
been incorporated； and even where they have never been
incorporated； yet the corporation spirit； the jealousy of
strangers； the aversion to take apprentices； or to communicate
the secret of their trade； generally prevail in them； and often
teach them； by voluntary associations and agreements； to prevent
that free competition which they cannot prohibit by bye…laws。 The
trades which employ but a small number of hands run most easily
into such combinations。 Half a dozen wool…combers； perhaps； are
necessary to keep a thousand spinners and weavers at work。 By
combining not to take apprentices they can not only engross the
employment； but reduce the whole manufacture into a sort of
slavery to themselves； and raise the price of their labour much
above what is due to the nature of their work。
The inhabitants of the country； dispersed in distant places；
cannot easily combine together。 They have not only never been
incorporated； but the corporation spirit never has prevailed
among them。 No apprenticeship has ever been thought necessary to
qualify for husbandry； the great trade of the country。 After what
are called the fine arts； and the liberal professions； however；
there is perhaps no trade which requires so great a variety of
knowledge and experience。 The innumerable volumes which have been
written upon it in all languages may satisfy us that； among the
wisest and most learned nations； it has never been regarded as a
matter very easily understood。 And from all those volumes we
shall in vain attempt to collect that knowledge of its various
and complicated operations； which is commonly possessed even by
the common farmer； how contemptuously soever the very
contemptible authors of some of them may sometimes affect to
speak of him。 There is scarce any common mechanic trade； on the
contrary； of which all the operations may not be as completely
and distinctly explained in a pamphlet of a very few pages； as it
is possible for words illustrated by figures to explain them。 In
the history of the arts； now publishing by the French Academy of
Sciences； several of them are actually explained in this manner。
The direction of operations； besides； which must be varied with
every change of the weather； as well as with many other
accidents； requires much more judgment and discretion than that
of those which are always the same or very nearly the same。
Not only the art of the farmer； the general direction of the
operations of husbandry； but many inferior branches of country
labour require much more skin and experience than the greater
part of mechanic trades。 The man who works upon brass and iron；
works with instruments and upon materials of which the temper is
always the same； or very nearly the same。 But the man who ploughs
the ground with a team of horses or oxen； works with instruments
of which the health； strength； and temper； are very different
upon different occasions。 The condition of the materials which he
works upon； too； is as variable as that of the instruments which
he works with； and both require to be managed with much judgment
and discretion。 The common ploughman； though generally regarded
as the pattern of stupidity and ignorance； is seldom defective in
this judgment and discretion。 He is less accustomed； indeed； to
social intercourse than the mechanic who lives in a town。 His
voice and language are more uncouth and more difficult to be
understood by those who are not used to them。 His understanding；
however； being accustomed to consider a greater variety of
objects； is generally much superior to that of the other； whose
whole attention from morning till night is commonly occupied in
performing one or two very simple operations。 How much the lower
ranks of people in the country are really superior to those of
the town is well known to every man whom either business or
curiosity has led to converse much with both。 In China and
Indostan accordingly both the rank and the wages of country
labourers are said to be superior to those of the greater part of
artificers and manufacturers。 They would probably be so
everywhere； if corporation laws and the corporation spirit did
not prevent it。
The superiority which the industry of the towns has
everywhere in Europe over that of the country is not altogether
owing to corporations and corporation laws。 It is supported by
many other regulations。 The high duties upon foreign manufactures
and upon all goods imported by alien merchants； all tend to the
same purpose。 Corporation laws enable the inhabitants of towns to
raise their prices； without fearing to be undersold by the free
competition of their own countrymen。 Those other regulations
secure them equally against that of foreigners。 The enhancement
of price occasioned by both is everywhere finally paid by the
landlords； farmers； and labourers of the country； who have seldom
opposed the establishment of such monopolies。 They have commonly
neither inclination nor fitness to enter into combinations； and
the clamour and sophistry of merchants and manufacturers easily
persuade them that the private interest of a part； and of a
subordinate part of the society； is the general interest of the
whole。
In Great Britain the superiority of the industry of the
towns over that of the country seems to have been greater
formerly than in the present times。 The wages of country labour
approach nearer to those of manufacturing labour； and the profits
of stock employed in agriculture to those of trading and
manufacturing stock； than they are said to have done in the last
century； or in the beginning of the present。 This change may be
regarded as the necessary； though very late consequence of the
extraordinary encouragement given to the industry of the towns。
The s