ABSTRACT
This paper constitutes a speculative discussion of Ricardo's possible ‘indebtedness’ to Jeremy Bentham during the early course of development of his theoretical system. A precondition for good scholarship is, of course, the phrasing of worthwhile questions. There are, in fact, two ‘mysteries’ which set the stage for our investigation. The first relates to Ricardo's breakaway from Smithian principles - the abandonment of the famous conception ‘competition of capitals’ in the context of profit-rate theory, and more particularly the introduction of agricultural productivity as a key variable in that context. The second turns upon a lost Bentham manuscript, apparently once in Ricardo's possession, dealing with the effects on profits of cultivating successive qualities of land. A little elucidation is required regarding these matters.
