On Protection To Agriculture (1822)

On Protection To Agriculture is a book written by David Ricardo, a British economist, in 1822. The book is a critique of the protectionist policies of the British government towards agriculture. Ricardo argues that such policies, which included tariffs on imported grain, were detrimental to the overall economy and the welfare of the British people.The book is divided into three parts. In the first part, Ricardo discusses the principles of free trade and the benefits it can bring to the economy. He argues that free trade allows for the efficient allocation of resources and promotes competition, which leads to lower prices and higher quality goods.In the second part, Ricardo examines the effects of protectionist policies on agriculture. He argues that tariffs on imported grain raise the price of bread and other grain-based products, which disproportionately affects the poor. He also notes that such policies lead to a misallocation of resources, as farmers are incentivized to produce crops that are not well-suited to the local climate or soil conditions.In the final part, Ricardo proposes alternative policies that would promote the interests of farmers without resorting to protectionism. He suggests that subsidies and other forms of government support can be used to encourage the adoption of new agricultural technologies and practices, which would increase productivity and competitiveness.Overall, On Protection To Agriculture is a seminal work in the field of economics and remains relevant to contemporary debates about trade policy and agricultural subsidies.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.