John Brand (political writer)
Encyclopedia
John Brand was an English clergyman and writer on politics and political economy
.
Brand was a native of Norwich
, where his father was a tanner
. Entering at Caius College, Oxford, he distinguished himself in mathematics, taking his B.A. degree in 1766 his M.A. degree in 1772. In 1772 he published 'Conscience, an ethical essay,' a poem which he had written in a competition for the Seatonian Prize
. Having taken orders and held a curacy he was appointed reader at St Peter Mancroft
, Norwich, and was afterwards presented to the vicarage of Wickham Skeith
in Suffolk
. To eke out his scanty income he contributed to the periodical press, particularly to the British Critic
, papers on 'Political Arithmetic.' Some of these attracted the notice of Lord-chancellor Loughborough
, and he presented Brand in 1797 to the rectory of St. George's, Southwark
, which he held until his death on 23 December 1808.
Brand was a staunch Tory, and his Toryism coloured all his disquisitions. In his first pamphlet, Observations on some of the probable effects of Mr. Gilbert's Bill, to which are added Remarks on Dr. Price's account of the National Debt (1776), his object was to reply to the economists who bewailed the increase of local taxation and of the national debt. He draw a rather ingenious distinction between fiscal charge and fiscal burden. As long as prices steadily rose he argued that though more money might be taken out of the taxpayer's pocket, the quantity of commodities which the sum levied by taxation would purchase steadily decreased, and that thus if 'burden' were interpreted to be the amount of commodities of the power of purchasing which the community was deprived by taxation, its increase need not be and had not been at all proportionate to the increase of charge. In this way he proved to his own satisfaction that the burden of the amount paid to the creditors of the notion at the Peace of Utrecht
was nearly the same as when he wrote, and that the alarm of Dr. Price and others at the increase of the national debt was wholly baseless.
Of such other of Brand's pamphlets on economic subjects as are in the library of the British Museum
, the most interesting is his Determination of the average price of wheat in war below that of the preceding peace, and of its readvance in the following. Here he sought to prove on theoretical grounds that war lowers while peace raises the price of wheat, and he then proceeded to endeavour to confirm the soundness of this position by an appeal to statistics
.
Of Brand's political pamphlets the chief appears to be his Historical Essay on the Principles of Political Associations in a State, chiefly deduced from the English and Jewish histories, with an application of those principles in a comparative view of the Association of the year 1792 and of that recently instituted by the Whig Club (1796). The intended drift of this elaborate disquisition was that the existing Tory associations were praiseworthy and useful.
The main authority for Brand's meagre biography is chapter xxiv. of William Beloe
's Sexagenarian, which is devoted to him, but in which, as usual in that work, the name of the subject of the notice is not mentioned. Brand's name is, however, supplied together with what appears to be a complete list of his separate publications (the library of the British Museum is without several of them), in the memoir of him in John Nichols's
Illustrations of the Literary History of the Eighteenth Century, vi. 528-34, which is an expansion of the chapter in the Sexagenarian. Nichols enumerates thirteen pamphlets in all.
Political economy
Political economy originally was the term for studying production, buying, and selling, and their relations with law, custom, and government, as well as with the distribution of national income and wealth, including through the budget process. Political economy originated in moral philosophy...
.
Brand was a native of Norwich
Norwich
Norwich is a city in England. It is the regional administrative centre and county town of Norfolk. During the 11th century, Norwich was the largest city in England after London, and one of the most important places in the kingdom...
, where his father was a tanner
Tanning
Tanning is the making of leather from the skins of animals which does not easily decompose. Traditionally, tanning used tannin, an acidic chemical compound from which the tanning process draws its name . Coloring may occur during tanning...
. Entering at Caius College, Oxford, he distinguished himself in mathematics, taking his B.A. degree in 1766 his M.A. degree in 1772. In 1772 he published 'Conscience, an ethical essay,' a poem which he had written in a competition for the Seatonian Prize
Seatonian Prize
The Seatonian Prize is awarded by the University of Cambridge for the best English poem on a sacred subject, and is open to any Master of Arts of the university. Seaton, and his prize, is referred to in the poem of George Gordon, Lord Byron 'English Bards and Scots Reviewers' 1809.- Founding :It...
. Having taken orders and held a curacy he was appointed reader at St Peter Mancroft
St Peter Mancroft
St Peter Mancroft is a parish church in the Church of England, in the centre of Norwich, Norfolk. It is the largest church in Norwich and was built between 1430 and 1455. It stands on a slightly elevated position, next to the market place...
, Norwich, and was afterwards presented to the vicarage of Wickham Skeith
Wickham Skeith
Wickham Skeith, Suffolk seems at first like two villages, one on the high ground based mainly around the village green and one on the lower part along The Street which runs parallel to the River Dove...
in Suffolk
Suffolk
Suffolk is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in East Anglia, England. It has borders with Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south. The North Sea lies to the east...
. To eke out his scanty income he contributed to the periodical press, particularly to the British Critic
British Critic
The British Critic: A New Review was a quarterly publication, established in 1793 as a conservative and high church review journal riding the tide of British reaction against the French Revolution.-High church review:...
, papers on 'Political Arithmetic.' Some of these attracted the notice of Lord-chancellor Loughborough
Alexander Wedderburn, 1st Earl of Rosslyn
Alexander Wedderburn, 1st Earl of Rosslyn was Lord Chancellor of Great Britain from 1793 to 1801.-Life:He was the eldest son of Peter Wedderburn , and was born in East Lothian....
, and he presented Brand in 1797 to the rectory of St. George's, Southwark
Southwark
Southwark is a district of south London, England, and the administrative headquarters of the London Borough of Southwark. Situated east of Charing Cross, it forms one of the oldest parts of London and fronts the River Thames to the north...
, which he held until his death on 23 December 1808.
Brand was a staunch Tory, and his Toryism coloured all his disquisitions. In his first pamphlet, Observations on some of the probable effects of Mr. Gilbert's Bill, to which are added Remarks on Dr. Price's account of the National Debt (1776), his object was to reply to the economists who bewailed the increase of local taxation and of the national debt. He draw a rather ingenious distinction between fiscal charge and fiscal burden. As long as prices steadily rose he argued that though more money might be taken out of the taxpayer's pocket, the quantity of commodities which the sum levied by taxation would purchase steadily decreased, and that thus if 'burden' were interpreted to be the amount of commodities of the power of purchasing which the community was deprived by taxation, its increase need not be and had not been at all proportionate to the increase of charge. In this way he proved to his own satisfaction that the burden of the amount paid to the creditors of the notion at the Peace of Utrecht
Treaty of Utrecht
The Treaty of Utrecht, which established the Peace of Utrecht, comprises a series of individual peace treaties, rather than a single document, signed by the belligerents in the War of Spanish Succession, in the Dutch city of Utrecht in March and April 1713...
was nearly the same as when he wrote, and that the alarm of Dr. Price and others at the increase of the national debt was wholly baseless.
Of such other of Brand's pamphlets on economic subjects as are in the library of the British Museum
British Museum
The British Museum is a museum of human history and culture in London. Its collections, which number more than seven million objects, are amongst the largest and most comprehensive in the world and originate from all continents, illustrating and documenting the story of human culture from its...
, the most interesting is his Determination of the average price of wheat in war below that of the preceding peace, and of its readvance in the following. Here he sought to prove on theoretical grounds that war lowers while peace raises the price of wheat, and he then proceeded to endeavour to confirm the soundness of this position by an appeal to statistics
Statistics
Statistics is the study of the collection, organization, analysis, and interpretation of data. It deals with all aspects of this, including the planning of data collection in terms of the design of surveys and experiments....
.
Of Brand's political pamphlets the chief appears to be his Historical Essay on the Principles of Political Associations in a State, chiefly deduced from the English and Jewish histories, with an application of those principles in a comparative view of the Association of the year 1792 and of that recently instituted by the Whig Club (1796). The intended drift of this elaborate disquisition was that the existing Tory associations were praiseworthy and useful.
The main authority for Brand's meagre biography is chapter xxiv. of William Beloe
William Beloe
William Beloe was an English divine and miscellaneous writer.-Biography:He was born at Norwich in 1756, and was the son of a respectable tradesman. His ‘pruriency of parts,’ as he expresses it, led to his receiving a liberal education. After an unsuccessful experiment at a day school in his native...
's Sexagenarian, which is devoted to him, but in which, as usual in that work, the name of the subject of the notice is not mentioned. Brand's name is, however, supplied together with what appears to be a complete list of his separate publications (the library of the British Museum is without several of them), in the memoir of him in John Nichols's
John Nichols (printer)
John Nichols was an English printer, author and antiquary.-Early life and apprenticeship:He was born in Islington, London to Edward Nichols and Anne Wilmot. On 22 June 1766 he married Anne Cradock daughter of William Cradock...
Illustrations of the Literary History of the Eighteenth Century, vi. 528-34, which is an expansion of the chapter in the Sexagenarian. Nichols enumerates thirteen pamphlets in all.