The Project Gutenberg EBook of Essays on some unsettled Questions of
Political Economy, by John Stuart Mill

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Title: Essays on some unsettled Questions of Political Economy

Author: John Stuart Mill

Release Date: April 9, 2004 [EBook #12004]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ISO Latin-1

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Produced by Avinash Kothare and Marc D'Hooghe

ESSAYS ON SOME UNSETTLED QUESTIONS OF POLITICAL ECONOMY

by

JOHN STUART MILL

1844

PREFACE.

Of these Essays, which were written in 1829 and 1830, the fifth alone
has been previously printed. The other four have hitherto remained in
manuscript, because, during the temporary suspension of public interest
in the species of discussion to which they belong, there was no
inducement to their publication.

They are now published (with a few merely verbal alterations) under the
impression, that the controversies excited by Colonel Torrens' _Budget_
have again called the attention of political economists to the
discussions of the abstract science: and from the additional
consideration, that the first paper relates expressly to the point upon
which the question at issue between Colonel Torrens and his antagonists
has principally turned.

From that paper it will be seen that opinions identical in principle
with those promulgated by Colonel Torrens (there would probably be
considerable difference as to the extent of their practical application)
have been held by the writer for more than fifteen years: although he
cannot claim to himself the original conception, but only the
elaboration, of the fundamental doctrine of the Essay.

A prejudice appears to exist in many quarters against the theory in
question, on the supposition of its being opposed to one of the most
valuable results of modern political philosophy, the doctrine of Freedom
of Trade between nation and nation. The opinions now laid before the
reader are presented as corollaries necessarily following from the
principles upon which Free Trade itself rests. The writer has also been
careful to point out, that from these opinions no justification can be
derived for any