Excerpt from Principles of Moral and Political Economy The need of a work on this subject, not written to sustain the interests of a class, is the only reason, if one need be given, for this attempt. All the works examined on the subject treat only of "political economy" or "moral philosophy." We have these ad infinitum - economys of "supply and demand," "debt and credit," but in the main of debt. The above title is chosen for the reason that in all the works examined, the two subjects have been studiously divorced, and for the self-evident fact, that the "political economy" of the old schools is bereft all humane or moral sentiment. In a true sense no "economy" is politic that is not moral, or any moral that is not political. In many instances we have strayed so far from fundamental and just principles, we seem as a nation, to have lost moral perception and the points of the moral compass. We ask all earnest, patriotic right thinking persons to go to the sun dial of the moral and political world and then let us as citizens take our moral and political reckoning. Let us apply to ourselves, the only safe rule of human conduct, in all ages, climes and conditions of life, the rule laid down in the twelve words: "Do unto others as ye would that they should do unto you." To show that this rule is the underlying principle of our social compact and constitution and the only enduring rule of conduct that can preserve society and civilization in a dense population, is the aim in this little work. That rule is the only one that can act as a lubricant and prevent heating, at the centers of population amid the friction of multiplied clashing pressed and compressed interests. The intelligent reader of history must have observed that all types and degrees of civilization in all ages, have only endured, until a certain State of development and density of population was reached: and then the dissolute, immoral and oppressive conduct of one class resting and grinding upon another by the friction of clashing interests caused the whole fabric to ignite and burn, with civil strife and commotion to its own destruction. So it was with Chaldean, Persian, Medo Persian, Greek and Roman civilization. Christian civilization is just now going into the crucible test of dense population - that is the test of a nation's morality. The material question, with modern Christian civilization - at its centers is, not how wide shall its national boundaries be, but how full can it fill them. The era of conquest and acquisition of territory has passed, the era of filling up has come. The history of the nations of antiquity shows, that while they had room to extend their territory, they prospered after a fashion. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.