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''Observations Concerning the Increase of Mankind, Peopling of Countries, etc.'' is a short essay written in 1751 by Benjamin Franklin. It was circulated by Franklin in manuscript to his circle of friends, but in 1755 it was published as an addendum in a Boston pamphlet on another subject.〔Franklin, Benjamin (edited by Ormond Seavey), (''Autobiography and other writings'' ), Oxford University Press, 1999, (p.251-252 ).〕 It was reissued ten times during the next 15 years. The essay examines population growth and its limits. Writing as, at the time, a loyal subject of the British Empire, Franklin argues that the British should increase their population and power by expanding across the Americas, taking the view that Europe is too crowded. ==Content== Franklin projected an exponential growth (doubling every twenty five years) in the population of the British colonies that in a century “the greatest Number of Englishmen will be on this Side of the Water” thereby increasing the power of England. As Englishmen they would share language, manners, and religion with their countrymen in England, thus extending English civilization and English rule substantially. Franklin viewed the land in America as underutilized and available for the expansion of farming. This enabled the population to establish households at an earlier age and support larger families than was possible in Europe. The limit to expansion, reached in Europe but not America, is reached when the “crowding and interfering with each other’s means of subsistence,” an idea that would inspire Malthus. Protectionist policies in 1750 led to the prohibition of ironworks in America. Franklin’s essay argued against such policies by advancing the position that labor is more valued in self-owned farming given the availability of land in America. “No man continues long a laborer for others, but gets a plantation of his own.” Growth in the colonies should increase demand for British manufacturing making protectionism unwise, an argument appreciated by Adam Smith.〔 Franklin argued that slavery diminished the nation, undermined the virtue of industry, and diminished the health and vitality of the nation. He argued that slavery wasn’t as cost effective or productive as free labor.〔〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Observations Concerning the Increase of Mankind, Peopling of Countries, etc.」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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