The Wealth of Nations 20
Book 3 Chapter 2
Of the Discouragement Of Agriculture In the Ancient State Of Europe, After The Fall Of The Roman Empire
This chapter contains a history lesson steeped deeply in the nature of man to seek power and control through coercion and force upon his brother. Smith shares the story of the disposition of the lands in Europe following the fall of the Roman Empire.
Most significantly here is the division of lands through the Natural Law process of inheritance that was practiced in the Roman Empire. Roman law was no respecter of gender when a father passed his lands on to his children and subdivided them.
This process of subdivision created and ever more cultivated landscape and thus greater opulence among the inhabitants as division of labor and it attendant fruits ruled.
To the contrary, the conquering hoards had no such law and disrupted the natural order of commerce and trade for many centuries.
Total chaos reigned. As such, the local landlords became “petty princes” to those living on their land. The land was undivided.
When the land was passed down to an heir it remained one whole, undivided and ruled over by the landlord. These landlords were the judge, general and legislator of his subjects. He did what he wanted including making war against his neighbors to conquer more land or against the sovereign to exert greater influence and control.
This system is called the law of primogeniture.
In essence it makes of one child a fortune and of all the others beggars. Not only does this concept adversely effect most of the children of a landlord, it also places in an uncultivated state great tracts of land. In this undivided state the land is not yielding its natural force to sustain the people.
This brings to light a very interesting question. How much land in our nation is uncultivated and unproductive because it is deemed Federal lands? And, How much or our land is subsidized into non-productivity by our own government?
“The pride of man makes him love to domineer, and nothing mortifies him so much as to be obliged to condescend to persuade his inferiors. Wherever the law allows it, and the nature of the work can afford it, therefore, he will generally prefer the service of slaves to that of freemen.”
Smith is correct. This is indeed one of the foundations of our Constitution. Or rather, one of the core human characteristics the Constitution is designed to mitigate. Time changes, but people don’t. Technology changes, but the human flaws remain. We seem so easily frightened and scared by a rustling leaf behind us in the woods.
Property rights are therefore essential with a natural transfer process protected by a system of laws. Free men and women must have the protection of the law and their property in order for a nation to generate wealth.
Our founding Fathers knew about our natures and designed a system of government with a basis of property rights that operates effectively when we have a humble and repentant people.
Do we now have a humble and repentant people upon this land?
God Bless You and God Bless America!
