ABSTRACT
The industry of a musician or an actor yields, a product of the same kind: it gives one an amusement, a pleasure one cannot possibly retain or preserve for consumption, or as the object of barter for other enjoyments. This pleasure has its price, it is true: but it has no further existence, except perhaps in the memory, and no exchangeable value, after the instant of its production. The nature of immaterial products makes it impossible ever to accumulate them, so as to render them a part of the national capital. A people containing a host of musicians, priests, and public functionaries might be abundantly amused, well versed in religious doctrines, and admirably governed; but that is all. The industry productive of immaterial products will be found to go through exactly the same process in the analysis made in the beginning of this work; we have shown to be followed by industry in general.
