Introduction
Adam Smith acknowledged that one advantage of empire was that goods and people could be readily moved internally, wherever they were needed. But he noted that you can get all that by each nation voluntarily adopting a policy of free trade.
WERE all nations to follow the liberal system of free exportation and free importation, the different states into which a great continent was divided would so far resemble the different provinces of a great empire.*
As among the different provinces of a great empire the freedom of the inland trade appears, both from reason and experience, not only the best palliative of a dearth, but the most effectual preventative of a famine; so would the freedom of the exportation and importation trade be among the different states into which a great continent was divided.
The larger the continent, the easier the communication through all the different parts of it, both by land and by water, the less would any one particular part of it ever be exposed to either of these calamities, the scarcity of any one country being more likely to be relieved by the plenty of some other.
This is one of the earliest occurrences of the word ‘liberal’ being used to mean ‘free from government interference’ rather than simply ‘generous, open-handed’.
Précis
Scottish economist Adam Smith argued in the late eighteenth century that the benefits of being part of a large Empire, and specifically, the easy transportation of goods to regions that cannot produce them for themselves, can actually be had just easily by small independent states so long as they pursue a policy of free trade. (55 / 60 words)
Scottish economist Adam Smith argued in the late eighteenth century that the benefits of being part of a large Empire, and specifically, the easy transportation of goods to regions that cannot produce them for themselves, can actually be had just easily by small independent states so long as they pursue a policy of free trade.
Variations: 1.increase the length of this precis to exactly 60 words. 2.reduce the length of this precis to exactly 50 words. 3.introduce one of the following words into the precis: about, although, because, if, may, must, otherwise, unless.
Archive
Word Games
Spinners Find in Think and Speak
For each group of words, compose a sentence that uses all three. You can use any form of the word: for example, cat → cats, go → went, or quick → quickly, though neigh → neighbour is stretching it a bit.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
1 Appear. Calamity. Importation.
2 Land. Particular. Scarcity.
3 Easy. Famine. Great.
Variations: 1. include direct and indirect speech 2. include one or more of these words: although, because, despite, either/or, if, unless, until, when, whether, which, who 3. use negatives (not, isn’t, neither/nor, never, nobody etc.)
Homonyms Find in Think and Speak
Each of the words below has more than one possible meaning. Compose your own sentences to show what those different meanings are.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
1. Country. 2. Well. 3. Free.
Opposites Find in Think and Speak
Suggest words or phrases that seem opposite in meaning to each of the words below. We have suggested some possible answers; see if you can find any others.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
Variations: 1.instead of opposites, suggest words of similar meaning (synonyms). 2.use a word and its opposite in the same sentence. 3.suggest any 5 opposites formed by adding in-.
Add Vowels Find in Think and Speak
Make words by adding vowels to each group of consonants below. You may add as many vowels as you like before, between or after the consonants, but you may not add any consonants or change the order of those you have been given. See if you can beat our target of common words.
lvs (7+4)
elves. leaves. levies. lives. loaves. loves. olives.
laves. lavs. levees. luvs.
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