[De la richesse commerciale, Sismondi, 1803, Original, 27]
Cette variation continuelle a un autre inconvénient très grave; elle dégoûte le propriétaire de faire des améliorations sur ses fonds, parce qu’elle appelle le Souverain qui n’a point fourni sa part de ses avances, à en partager les fruits. Le propriétaire se dit peut-être souvent, au moment où il entreprend un défrichement ou une plantation nouvelle, qu’il ne travaille point pour lui, mais pour le fisc, lequel va profiter de ses sueurs ou de ses épargnes, en augmentant sa cote de contribution.
[Translation]
This continual variation has another very grave inconvenience. It discourages the landlord from making improvements on his land, because it induces the sovereign, which takes no share upon his advances, to participate in distribution of the fruits of his advances. The landlord says to himself, probably often, the moment he undertakes reclamation or a new plantation, that he does not work for himself but for the treasury, which will profit from his toil or his savings, by increasing his allotted amount of tax.
