Essays on Political Economy | Page 9

not be worth my while to venture upon any innovations." James began
to calculate. He satisfied himself that he should sell his finished
furniture at a price which would amply compensate for the ten days
devoted to the plane; and when no doubt remained on this point, he set
to work. I beg the reader to remark, that the power which exists in the
tool to increase the productiveness of labour, is the basis of the solution
which follows.
At the end of ten days, James had in his possession an admirable plane,
which he valued all the more for having made it himself. He danced for
joy,--for, like the girl with her basket of eggs, he reckoned all the
profits which he expected to derive from the ingenious instrument; but,
more fortunate than she, he was not reduced to the necessity of saying
good-bye to calf, cow, pig, and eggs, together. He was building his fine
castles in the air, when he was interrupted by his acquaintance William,
a joiner in the neighbouring village. William having admired the plane,
was struck with the advantages which might be gained from it. He said
to James:--
W. You must do me a service.
J. What service?
W. Lend me the plane for a year.
As might be expected, James at this proposal did not fail to cry out,

"How can you think of such a thing, William? Well, if I do you this
service, what will you do for me in return?"
W. Nothing. Don't you know that a loan ought to be gratuitous? Don't
you know that capital is naturally unproductive? Don't you know
fraternity has been proclaimed. If you only do me a service for the sake
of receiving one from me in return, what merit would you have?
J. William, my friend, fraternity does not mean that all the sacrifices are
to be on one side; if so, I do not see why they should not be on yours.
Whether a loan should be gratuitous I don't know; but I do know that if
I were to lend you my plane for a year it would be giving it you. To tell
you the truth, that was not what I made it for.
W. Well, we will say nothing about the modern maxims discovered by
the Socialist gentlemen. I ask you to do me a service; what service do
you ask me in return?
J. First, then, in a year, the plane will be done for, it will be good for
nothing. It is only just, that you should let me have another exactly like
it; or that you should give me money enough to get it repaired; or that
you should supply me the ten days which I must devote to replacing it.
W. This is perfectly just. I submit to these conditions. I engage to return
it, or to let you have one like it, or the value of the same. I think you
must be satisfied with this, and can require nothing further.
J. I think otherwise. I made the plane for myself, and not for you. I
expected to gain some advantage from it, by my work being better
finished and better paid, by an improvement in my condition. What
reason is there that I should make the plane, and you should gain the
profit? I might as well ask you to give me your saw and hatchet! What
a confusion! Is it not natural that each should keep what he has made
with his own hands, as well as his hands themselves? To use without
recompense the hands of another, I call slavery; to use without
recompense the plane of another, can this be called fraternity?
W. But, then, I have agreed to return it to you at the end of a year, as
well polished and as sharp as it is now.
J. We have nothing to do with next year; we are speaking of this year. I
have made the plane for the sake of improving my work and condition;
if you merely return it to me in a year, it is you who will gain the profit
of it during the whole of that time. I am not bound to do you such a
service without receiving anything from you in return: therefore, if you

wish for my plane, independently of the entire restoration already
bargained for, you must do me a service which we will now discuss;
you must grant me remuneration.
And this was done thus:--William granted a remuneration calculated in
such a way that, at the end of the year, James received his plane quite
new, and in addition, a compensation, consisting of a new plank, for the
advantages of which he had deprived himself, and which he had