Commerce Defended.: An Answer to the Arguments by which Mr. Spence, Mr. Cobbett, and others, have attempted to prove that commerce is not a source of national wealth.
by MILL, James
- Used
- Hardcover
- first
- Condition
- See description
- Seller
-
London, United Kingdom
Payment Methods Accepted
About This Item
London: for C. and R. Baldwin,, 1808. One of the most important contributions of the Classical School First edition, rare in commerce. "It represents one of the most important contributions of the Classical School, and to this day, remains among the most advanced expositions of the theory of saving and capital formation to be found anywhere" (Reisman). "Apart from the not insignificant fact that it was as a result of this pamphlet that Mill made the acquaintance of Ricardo, the work is chiefly of interest for the fact that it contains the first enunciation in English of what was originally known as the Say-Mill Law of Markets. As the title indicates, the pamphlet was an attack on the views of those neo-Physiocratic authors who had argued during the period of Napoleon's economic blockade that agriculture rather than manufacturing and commerce were not the true source of Britain's wealth. Mill did not dispute the fact that the claims of commerce had frequently been pitched too high, but he defended the Smithian view that manufacturing and other profits were a legitimate form of net surplus, and upheld a pre-comparative cost interpretation of the gains from trade in terms of the difference between the real costs incurred in producing goods for export and the putative domestic cost of producing the imported goods acquired through trade" (The New Palgrave). John Stuart Mill described his father's book as "the first of his writings which attained any celebrity, and which he prized more as having been his first introduction to the friendship of David Ricardo, the most valued and most intimate friendship of his life" (Mill, p. 97). Octavo (215 x 132 mm). Early 20th-century half calf, red morocco label, marbled sides, top edge gilt, others uncut. Housed in a dark blue cloth flat-back box by the Chelsea Bindery. Earlier sew-holes in gutter, contents a little soiled, chip to B4 (not affecting text). A good, tall copy. Goldsmiths' 19571; Kress B.5402; McCulloch, p. 56; The New Palgrave, III, p. 465. John Stuart Mill, Principles of Political Economy, vol. II, 1848; George Reisman, introduction to James Mill's Commerce Defended, 2008.
Reviews
(Log in or Create an Account first!)
Details
- Bookseller
- Peter Harrington (GB)
- Bookseller's Inventory #
- 156746
- Title
- Commerce Defended.
- Author
- MILL, James
- Book Condition
- Used
- Binding
- Hardcover
- Place of Publication
- London: for C. and R. Baldwin,
- Date Published
- 1808
Terms of Sale
Peter Harrington
All major credit cards are accepted. Both UK pounds and US dollars (exchange rate to be agreed) accepted. Books may be returned within 14 days of receipt for any reason, please notify first of returned goods.
About the Seller
Peter Harrington
Biblio member since 2006
London
About Peter Harrington
Since its establishment, Peter Harrington has specialised in sourcing, selling and buying the finest quality original first editions, signed, rare and antiquarian books, fine bindings and library sets. Peter Harrington first began selling rare books from the Chelsea Antiques Market on London's King's Road. For the past twenty years the business has been run by Pom Harrington, Peter's son.
Glossary
Some terminology that may be used in this description includes:
- Cloth
- "Cloth-bound" generally refers to a hardcover book with cloth covering the outside of the book covers. The cloth is stretched...
- New
- A new book is a book previously not circulated to a buyer. Although a new book is typically free of any faults or defects, "new"...
- Octavo
- Another of the terms referring to page or book size, octavo refers to a standard printer's sheet folded four times, producing...
- Top Edge Gilt
- Top edge gilt refers to the practice of applying gold or a gold-like finish to the top of the text block (the edges the pages...
- First Edition
- In book collecting, the first edition is the earliest published form of a book. A book may have more than one first edition in...
- Soiled
- Generally refers to minor discoloration or staining.
- Calf
- Calf or calf hide is a common form of leather binding. Calf binding is naturally a light brown but there are ways to treat the...
- Gutter
- The inside margin of a book, connecting the pages to the joints near the binding.
- Morocco
- Morocco is a style of leather book binding that is usually made with goatskin, as it is durable and easy to dye. (see also...