The Economic Table

See the articles FARM, FARMERS, and GRAINS in the Encyclopédie. The Encyclopédie was the landmark 18th-century French encyclopedia edited by Diderot and d'Alembert; the articles mentioned here were written by the author of this text, François Quesnay, to establish his economic theories.

The interest on these advances must return at least 10 percent, because agricultural products are exposed to ruinous accidents which, over ten years, take away at least the value of one year's harvest. These advances, moreover, require a great deal of maintenance and renewal; thus the total interest on the original advances original: "avances primitives"—this refers to the initial capital investment in equipment, livestock, and infrastructure. for the establishment of the Farmers, is . . . . . . . . 333,322,000^livres.

Meadows, vineyards, ponds, woods, etc., require few original advances on the part of the Farmers. The value of these advances can be reduced—including the original expenses for plantations and other works carried out at the expense of the Owners—to 1,000,000,000^livres.

But vineyards and gardening require many annual advances original: "avances annuelles"—the recurring operating costs such as seeds, wages, and animal feed. which, when considered together with those of other sectors, can, on average original: "du fort au foible", be included in the total of annual advances set forth above.

The total annual reproduction in net product original: "produit net"—the surplus value created by agriculture after all expenses and interests have been paid; the only true "new" wealth in Physiocratic theory., in annual advances with their interest, and in interest on original advances, evaluated according to the order of the table, is . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,543,322,000^livres.

The territory of France could produce as much and even much more.

Of this sum of 2,543,322,000^livres, there are 525 million which make up half of the reproduction of the annual advances used for the feeding of animals: There remains (if the entirety of the tax returns to circulation, and if it does not fall upon the advances of the Farmers) . . 2,018,322,000^livres.