Briefintroduction
Thecontentofthebook"PoliticalArithmetic"canbesummarizedintotwoparts:Thefirstpartincludeschapters1to5,whichisacomparisonofthenationalconditionsandnationalstrengthsoftheUnitedKingdom,theNetherlands,andFrance;Thesecondpartincludeschapterssixtoten,whichistheanalysisofthenationalconditionsandstrengthoftheUnitedKingdomanditsgrowth.
Thepurposeofthefirstchapteristoexplain:asmallcountrywithasmallterritoryandasmallpopulation,duetoitssuperiorlocation,industry,andpolicy,canbeasfarawayasthepopulationandlargeintermsofwealthandpower.Countrieswithfarandvastterritoriescompeteagainsteachother.Inthisregard,theconvenienceofnavigationandwatertransportationinparticularplaysthemostsignificantandfundamentalrole;Chapter2explainsthatcertaintaxesandcharitablecontributionswillincreasethekingdom’swealthinsteadofreducingit;Chapter3isapetitionfortheUnitedKingdom.ComparingwiththeFrenchnavalpower,Ifinallycametotheconclusionthat,duetonaturalandpermanentobstacles,FrancewillnotbeabletosurpassBritainandtheNetherlandsintermsofmaritimepower,eithernoworinthefuture.Chapter4comparestheterritories,populations,specialadvantages,territorialdefense,andforeigntradeofBritainandFrance,andfinallyconcludesthatallthepopulationandterritoriesoftheUnitedKingdomhavethesameimportancetowealthandpowerasallthepopulationofFrance.Itisroughlythesameastheterritory.Chapter5analyzesthereasonsthathinderBritain'sstrength.PettybelievesthattheobstaclesthathinderBritain'sstrengtharethedispersionofBritishterritories,theseparationoflegislatures,andthestatusofcolonies.Butnomatterwhat,theseobstaclesareonlytemporaryandcanbeeliminated.
Chapter6isananalysisofBritain’s40-yeareconomicgrowth.PettypointedoutthatBritain’spowerandwealthhaveincreasedinthelast40years.Chapter7estimatesthepercapitaexpenditureintheUK.Chapter8analyzestheincomesituationintheUK.Chapter9estimatestheoperationofUKfunds.Chapter10estimatesthecapitalrequiredfortheUKtooperatetheentirecommercialworldtrade.
Catalogueofworks
Creativebackground
Whenhewrote"PoliticalArithmetic",itcoincidedwiththethirdAnglo-Dutchwar,bothathomeandabroadThesituationisverygrim.ForeigncountriesarefacingthreatsfromtheNetherlandsandFrance,andthepoweroftheUnitedKingdomisstilllaggingbehindthem,especiallyforeignmarketsandcoloniesareunderthecontroloftheNetherlandsandFrance;domesticnaturaldisastersandman-madedisasters,financialdifficulties,nationalpessimism,andlandrentsarecommonDecline,thekingdomisbecomingincreasinglyimpoverished;thelackofgoldandsilvermakesitdifficultforthepeopletofindemployment;therearemanytaxitems,heavytaxratesaregenerallydeclining,andthenavalforcesarethreatenedbytherapidovertakingofFranceandtheNetherlands;thechurchandthecountryarefacingthesameproblemsastheindustryDangeretc.Inthefaceofthissituation,howtoovercometheprevailingpessimisminthecountry,correctlyunderstandone'sownadvantages,boostconfidenceandmorale,andmeetthechallengesoftheNetherlandsandFrancetoseizeforeignmarketsandcolonieshasbecomeatoppriorityfortheBritishcapitalistclass.Petty's"PoliticalArithmetic"waswrittentomeetthisneed.
Thoughtsonthework
Inthisbook,thearithmeticmethodisusedtoapplyarithmetictotheUnitedKingdom,theNetherlands,theNetherlands,andtheUnitedKingdom.ThenationalconditionsandstrengthofthethreecountriesofFrancewerecomparedandanalyzed.
PedibelievesthatalthoughthesituationintheUKandabroadwassevereatthetime,pessimismwasunnecessary.Don’tbedepressed,but“workhardtoresistthedisastersyouarefacing.”HebelievesthatBritaindoeshavemanyevils,butitshouldalsoseemanyaspectsofprosperityanddevelopment:forexample,London’sarchitectureismoremagnificentthanbefore,andEastIndiaThecompany’scapitalhasdoubled,thelegalinterestonmortgagesisnormal,buildingmaterialshavenotriseninprice,theexchangeisstillbusy,theking’snavyisstrongerthanbefore,manylandshavebeenimproved,foodpricesareverycheap,andsoon.ItwaspointedoutthatifBritaincanimplementthecorrectguidelinesandpolicies,avoiditsshortcomings,andpromoteitsstrengths,itwillbeabletoprosperthecountryandstrengthenitsforces,withsmallvictoryoverthebig,andtheDutchandthelawtoreplaceit.
Abouttheauthor
WilliamPetty(1623-1687),thefounderofclassicalpoliticaleconomyandstatistics,isalsooneofthefoundersoftheRoyalSociety.Pettywasbornin1623inRamsey,Hampshire,England-afamilyofpoortextileworkers.Asateenager,hestudiedGreek,Latin,mathematicsandastronomy,andalsostudiedanatomyinFrance.ObtainedadoctorateinmedicinefromtheUniversityofOxfordin1649.In1951,hewashiredasaprofessorofanatomybytheUniversityofOxford.HewaselectedasamemberoftheBritishParliamentin1658.In1661,hewasmadeabaronandappointeddirectoroflandsurveying.DiedinLondonin1687.