ON PROFITS.

89

course the share of the capitalist would com-
mand only the same labour as before. There
could be a change in the value of profits esti-
mated in labour only from an alteration in
the proportions assigned to the capitalist and
labourers, This is easily shown. Whatever
the produce of the labour of six men might
be, whether 100 or 200 or 300 quarters of
corn, yet so long as the proportion of the capi-
talist was one fourth of the produce, that fourth
part estimated in labour would be invariably
the same. Were the produce 100 quarters,
then, as 75 quarters would be given to 6 men,
the 25 accruing to the capitalist would com-
mand the labour of 2 men: if the produce
were 300 quarters, the 6 men would obtain
225 quarters, and the 75 falling to the capitalist
would still command 2 men and no more. Thus
a rise in the proportion which went to the capi-
talist would be the same as an increase of the
value of profits estimated in labour, or. in other
words, an increase in their power of command-
ing labour.