list2-第53部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！




to　both　contracting　nations；　but　not　to　the　ruin　of　the　one；　and　to



the　immense　advantage　of　the　other。　If；　however；　we　investigate　the



cause　of　this　disproportionate　effect；　we　find　that　Portugal　and



France；　in　consequence　of　those　conventions；　abandoned　in　favour　of



England　the　progress　they　had　already　made　in　manufacturing



industry；　as　well　as　that　which　they　could　expect　to　make　in　it　in



the　future；　with　the　expectation　of　increasing　by　that　means　their



exportation　of　natural　products　to　England；　that；　accordingly；　both



those　nations　have　declined；　in　consequence　of　the　treaties　thus



concluded；　from　a　higher　to　a　lower　standpoint　of　industrial



development。　From　this；　however；　it　merely　follows　that　a　nation



acts　foolishly　if　it　sacrifices　its　manufacturing　power　to　foreign



competition　by　commercial　treaties；　and　thereby　binds　itself　to



remain　for　all　future　time　dependent　on　the　low　standpoint　of



merely　agricultural　industry；　but　it　does　not　in　the　least　follow



from　this；　that　those　treaties　are　also　detrimental　and



objectionable　whereby　the　reciprocal　exchange　of　agricultural



products　and　raw　materials；　or　the　reciprocal　exchange　of



manufactured　products；　is　promoted。



　　　　We　have　previously　explained　that　free　trade　in　agricultural



products　and　raw　materials　is　useful　to　all　nations　at　all　stages



of　their　industrial　development；　from　this　it　follows　that　every



commercial　treaty　which　mitigates　or　removes　prohibitions　and



restrictions　on　freedom　of　trade　in　such　articles　must　have　a



beneficial　effect　on　both　contracting　nations；　as　e。g。　a　convention



between　France　and　England　whereby　the　mutual　exchange　of　wines　and



brandies　for　pig…iron　and　coal；　or　a　treaty　between　France　and



Germany　whereby　the　mutual　exchange　of　wine；　oil；　and　dried　fruit；



for　corn；　wool；　and　cattle；　were　promoted。



　　　　According　to　our　former　deductions；　protection　is　only



beneficial　to　the　prosperity　of　the　nation　so　far　as　it　corresponds



with　the　degree　of　the　nation's　industrial　development。　Every



exaggeration　of　protection　is　detrimental；　nations　can　only　obtain



a　perfect　manufacturing　power　by　degrees。　On　that　account　also；　two



nations　which　stand　at　different　stages　of　industrial　cultivation；



can　with　mutual　benefit　make　reciprocal　concessions　by　treaty　in



respect　to　the　exchange　of　their　various　manufacturing　products。



The　less　advanced　nation　can；　while　it　is　not　yet　able　to　produce



for　itself　with　profit　finer　manufactured　goods；　such　as　fine



cotton　and　silk　fabrics；　nevertheless　supply　the　further　advanced



nation　with　a　portion　of　its　requirements　of　coarser　manufactured



goods。



　　　　Such　treaties　might　be　still　more　allowable　and　beneficial



between　nations　which　stand　at　about　the　same　degree　of　industrial



development；　between　which；　therefore；　competition　is　not



overwhelming；　destructive；　or　repressive；　nor　tending　to　give　a



monopoly　of　everything　to　one　side；　but　merely　acts；　as　competition



in　the　inland　trade　does；　as　an　incentive　to　mutual　emulation；



perfection；　and　cheapening　of　production。　This　is　the　case　with



most　of　the　Continental　nations。　France；　Austria；　and　the　German



Zollverein　might；　for　instance；　anticipate　only　very　prosperous



effects　from　moderately　low　reciprocal　protective　duties。　Also；



between　these　countries　and　Russia　mutual　concessions　could　be　made



to　the　advantage　of　all　sides。　What　they　all　have　to　fear　at　this



time　is　solely　the　preponderating　competition　of　England。



　　　　Thus　it　appears　also　from　this　point　of　view；　that　the



supremacy　of　that　island　in　manufactures；　in　trade；　in　navigation；



and　in　her　colonial　empire；　constitutes　the　greatest　existing



impediment　to　all　nations　drawing　nearer　to　one　another；　although



it　must　be　at　the　same　time　admitted　that　England；　in　striving　for



this　supremacy；　has　immeasurably　increased；　and　is　still　daily



increasing；　the　productive　power　of　the　entire　human　race。









End