The public
These are public benefit programs that are designed to improve the quality of life for citizens of England. This famous tract also shows the origins of various public benefit plans that are still around today in various forms. This tract shows how the public, or the assembly of citizens who comprise the nation, could benefit from their government through the combine efforts of programs and tax income budgeting. Improving life for the public is offered as the main objective of these ideas.
Merchants
Because Defoe sees economy as an essential part of the public's future, seeing as a healthy economy means more leisure and security for the people, he offers programs that might improve the goals of merchants. For instance, he explains in "Of Assurances," that perhaps merchants are assuming too much risk when they travel, and that they could be given assurances. This is like modern day insurance. There are also programs mentioned for bankruptcy assistance, for better education, and for seaman's benefits who travel for economic reasons.
Infrastructural committees
The tract calls for the development of several government committees who would become responsible for managing the beneficial programs to maximize efficiency and coordinate with local business to employ contractors for various infrastructural programs, like the highway programs, the building of new banks, the pensions office, the development of higher education, and other government programs. There would even be a programming program where a committee would monitor the success of programs.
