§ 3 

If the statement were correct in every respect that last year, 1764, Sweden exported goods to the amount of about 72 Million Daler of copper currency, but that the imports did not amount to more than 66 Millions, then our National gain for that year would have been 6 Million Daler. 

The value of iron is about two-thirds of all our Exports, but let us assume that within a hundred years, on account of lack of forests or from other causes, the Export of Iron were reduced to one-half and were thus not to comprise more than one-third of our Exports, but that some others, e.g. corn, food, and timber, were exported instead of the third lost in the Iron trade. Then I ask, in case all the other exported and imported goods amounted to the same value as they have now, whether the National gain would not be just as great then? Or if the Export of Iron were at some time reduced by 6 Million Daler, but if the 10 Millions paid last year to foreigners for corn remained in the Country instead, would not the Nation then equally have gained 4 Millions by this change? 

If we imagine that there were a State that had neither agriculture nor mining, neither cattlebreeding nor shipping, but only made an abundance of crockery from earth or clay, which was in great demand all over Europe, and hence obtained not only all its wants, but also received 2 Millions in gold and silver every year, would not these 2 Millions undeniably be the gain of that Nation? 

But if one-third of the same Nation, after the example of others, were to abandon this trade of theirs and become farmers with the intention of thereby producing bread for themselves and their fellow-citizens, thinking that they would gain more in this way, but that the corn produced was 1 Million less in value than the former production of the same one-third, it is obvious that by this they would have caused the Nation 1 Million reduction in gain or, which is the same thing, an equally great loss. 

From this it leaps to the eye that a Nation does not gain through being occupied with many different trades, but through working in those that pay best, that is, in which the least number of people can produce commodities to the highest value.