David Ricardo：On the Principles of Political Economy and Taxation, Excerpt 275

Whether taxes be taken from revenue or capital, they diminish the taxable commodities of the state. If I cease to expend 100_l._ on wine, because by paying a tax of that amount I have enabled Government to expend 100_l._ instead of expending it myself, one hundred pounds worth of goods are necessarily withdrawn from the list of taxable commodities. If the revenue of the individuals of a country be 10 millions, they will have at least 10 millions worth of taxable commodities. If by taxing some, one million be transferred to the disposal of Government, their revenue will still be nominally 10 millions, but they will remain with only nine millions worth of taxable commodities. There are no circumstances under which taxation does not abridge the enjoyments of those on whom the taxes ultimately fall, and no means by which those enjoyments can again be extended, but the accumulation of new revenue.

Source： https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/33310
Locator：Excerpt 275 · Verified：2026-10-19 · Verification：Short excerpt

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