Doubtlessitisasignofgracethattheauthorofthesedefinitionsshouldattachnoimportancetoanyofthem; butsince, unfortunately, hiswholeargumentturnsuponthetacitassumptionthattheyareimportant, "incourseofexchange," andnotbecapitalunderothercircumstances, "thatpartofafarmer'scropheldforsaleorforseed, ortofeedhishelp, inpartpaymentofwages,wouldbeaccountedcapital; thatheldforthecareofhisfamilywouldnotbe" (p.31).ButIfailtodiscoveranygroundofreasonorauthorityforthedoctrinethatitisonlywhenacropisabouttobesoldorsown, orgivenaswages, , whetherweconsidercustomorreason, somuchofitasisstoredawayinricksandbarnsduringharvest, andremainstheretobeusedinanyofthesewaysmonthsoryearsafterwards, , themeaningoftheclumsyphrasethatcapitalis "wealthinthecourseofexchange" mustbethatitis "wealthcapableofbeingexchanged" , infact, istheequivalentoftheseconddefinition, thatcapitalis "thatpartofwealthwhichisdevotedtotheaidofproduction." Obviously, ifyoupossessthatforwhichmenwillgivelabour, , again, itagreeswiththefirstdefinition (borrowedfromAdamSmith) thatcapitalis"thatpartofaman'sstockwhichheexpectstoyieldhimarevenue." Forarevenueisbothetymologicallyandinsensea "return." Amangiveshislabourinsowinggrain, orintendingcattle, becauseheexpectsa "return"—a "revenue"—intheshapeoftheincreaseofthegrainoroftheherd; andalso, inthelattercase,intheshapeoftheirlabourandmanurewhich "aidtheproduction" ; andhisrevenueforthetwelvemonth,untilthenextharvest, , , andthesurpluscattleforoccupyingmorepasture; whetherheexchangesthemforothercommodities, suchastheuseoftheland (asrent); orlabour (aswages); orwhetherhefeedshimselfandhisfamily, innowayalterstheirnatureasrevenue, oraffectsthefactthatthisrevenueismerelydisposablecapital.
