[YOUNG, Sir William].

Corn Trade. An Examination of certain Commercial Principles, in their application to Agriculture and the Corn Trade, as laid down in the Fourth Book of Mr. Adam Smith's Treatise on the Wealth of Nations. With Proposals for revival of the statutes against Forestalling, &c.

London, John Stockdale, 1800. 8vo, pp. 38, [2] advertisement; one or two light spots, otherwise a very good copy in contemporary half green morocco and marbled boards, gilt rules, spine renewed, boards a little scuffed, but good; early bookplate to front pastedown. First edition. Sir William Young (1749–1815) was an MP from 1784 to 1807, then Governor of Tobago until his death. His other writings include an attack on Paine’s Rights of Man and pamphlets on Thomas Gilbert’s workhouse scheme and on the militia question. Young was an active MP and magistrate. The present pamphlet was published in February 1800, to express his concern at the effects of bread scarcity, and at the government’s refusal to intervene to relieve distress; this concern led him eventually to withdraw his support for Pitt’s ministry and associate with the ‘new opposition’ led by Lord Grenville. In the House of Commons in November 1800, Young clashed with Pitt, who vigorously denounced on principle his proposal to raise wages to meet the high price of bread.This work is an important critique of the manner in which Smith’s doctrine of laissez-faire had been adopted as a ruling orthodoxy. It advocates instead traditional governing pragmatism. Smith’s ‘book is a wise book, and most useful to a wise and wary reader; but its wisdom is to the Greeks foolishness;– a light and hasty reader carrying the principles of the author too far, or in every direction, may adopt notions most mischievous to the interests of society’ (p. 7). The principle of free trade should not be applied so rigidly as to leave unregulated the activities of corn agents at times when these tended to exacerbate scarcity, threatening social order.Goldsmiths’ 18002; cf. Kress S.5671 and Lightwood 039 (‘new edition’, same year); not in Vanderblue.

• GBP 2,750.00 > autres monnaies
• Commande nro.: HN749

• libraire: Bernard Quaritch Ltd. (GREAT BRITAIN)