theory，thoughChalmersisratherunwillingtoadmithisaffinitytoadiscreditedschool。12Hehasreachedsomeoftheirconclusions，headmits，butbyadifferentpath。13Hecoincides，inthisrespect，withMalthus，whowasequallyimpressedbytheimportanceof’subsistence，’
orofthefood-supplyofthelabourer。Thegreatbulkofthefoodrequiredmustberaisedwithinourownborders。AsChalmerssays，in1832，thetotalimportationofcorn，eveninthetwofamineyears，1800and1801，takentogether，hadonlyprovidedfoodforfiveweeks，14andcouldnormallyrepresentamerefringeorsuperfluousadditiontoourresources。
Hismainargumentissimple。Theeconomistshavefallenintoafatalerror。
Amanufacturer，heobserves，onlymakeshisownarticle。15Theeconomistssomehowimaginethathealsosupportshimself。Youseeaprosperous’shawl-makingvillage。’Youinferthatitsruinwouldcausethedestitutionofsomanyfamilies。Itwouldonlymeanthelossofsomanyshawls。Thefoodwhichsupportstheshawl-makerswouldstillbeproduced，andwouldbeonlydivertedtosupportmakersofsomeotherluxury。16Therewouldbeatemporaryinjurytoindividuals，butnopermanentweakeningofnationalresources。Hencewehavehisdivisionofthepopulation。Theagriculturists，andthosewhomakethe’secondnecessaries’thecottages，ploughs，andsoforth，requiredbytheagriculturist，createthegreatwealthofthecountry。Besidesthesewehavethe’disposable’population，whichisemployedinmakingluxuriesforthelandowners，and，finally，the’redundant’orwhathecallsinhislaterbookthe’excrescent’or’superinduced’population，17whichisreallysupportedbyforeigntrade。Commerce，then，ismerely’theefflorescenceofouragriculture。’18Wereitannihilatedthisinstant，weshouldstillretainourwholedisposablepopulation。Theeffectofwarissimplytofindadifferentemploymentforthispartofthenation。Napoleon，hesays，is’emptyingourshopsandfillingourbattalions。’19Allthe’redundant’populationmightbesupportedbysimplydiminishingthenumberofourcart-horses。20Similarly，thedestructionofthecommerceofFrance’createdherarmies。’
Itonlytransferredmenfromtradetowar，and’millionsofartisans’were’transformedintosoldiers。’21Pittwasreallystrengtheningwhenhesupposedhimselftoberuininghisenemy。’Excrescence’and’efflorescence’