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manner the industry; prosperity; and civilisation of the nation



will always depend on the degree of liberty which that nation has



already obtained。 That inclination to become useful to the



commonwealth by voluntary activity; and to distinguish oneself



before one's fellow…citizens; will only develop itself in countries



where this activity leads to public recognition; to public esteem;



and to offices of honour; but not in countries where every attempt



to gain public esteem and every manifestation of independence is



regarded by the ruling power with a jealous eye。 In such countries



the man of independent income will give himself up to debauchery



and idleness; and because in this manner he brings useful industry



into contempt; and injures the morality as well as the industrious



impulse of the nation; he will radically imperil the nation's



productive power。 Even if under such conditions the manufactures of



towns are to some extent promoted by the consumption of the



rentier; such manufactures are nevertheless to be regarded as



barren and unsound fruits; and especially they will aid very little



in promoting the civilisation; prosperity; and liberty of the



nation。 Inasmuch as a sound manufacturing industry especially tends



to produce liberty and civilisation; it may also be said that



through it rent itself is redeemed from forming a fund for



idleness; debauchery; and immorality; and is converted into a fund



for promoting mental culture; and consequently that through it the



merely consuming towns are changed into productive towns。 Another



element by which the consuming towns are supported is; the



consumption of the public servants and of the State administration。



These also may occasion some apparent prosperity in a town; but



whether such consumption especially promotes or is injurious to the



productive power; prosperity and institutions of the nation;



depends altogether on the question how far the functions of the



consumers tend to promote or to injure those powers。



    From this the reason is evident why in mere agricultural States



large towns can exist; which; although they contain a large number



of wealthy inhabitants and manifold trades; exercise only a very



inconsiderable influence on the civilisation; liberty; and



productive power of the nation。 The persons engaged in those trades



necessarily participate in the views of their customers; they are



to be regarded in a great measure as mere domestic servants of the



rentiers and public employees。 In contrast to great luxury in those



towns; poverty; misery; narrow…mindedness; and a slavish



disposition are found among the inhabitants of the surrounding



country districts。 A prosperous effect of manufactures on the



civilisation; the improvement of public institutions; and the



liberty of the nation; is only perceptible if in a country a



manufacturing power is established which; quite independently of



the rentiers and public servants; works for the large mass of the



agricultural population or for export trade; and consumes the



products of that population in large quantities for working up in



manufacture and for subsistence。 The more such a sound and healthy



manufacturing power increases in strength; the more will it draw to



its side the manufacturing power which originated in the



consumption above named; and also the rentiers and public servants;



and the more also will the public institutions be regulated with a



view to the interest of the commonwealth。



    Let us consider the condition of a large town in which the



manufacturers are numerous; independent; lovers of liberty;



educated; and wealthy where the merchants participate in their



interests and position; where the rentiers feel themselves



compelled to gain the respect of the public; where the public



servants are subject to the control of public opinion; where the



men of science and art work for the public at large; and draw from



it their means of subsistence; let us consider the mass of mental



and material means which are combined together in such a narrow



space; and further how closely this mass of power is united through



the law of the division of the operations of business and the



confederation of powers; we may note again how quickly every



improvement; every progress in public institutions; and in social



and economical conditions; on the one hand; and how; on the other



hand; every retrogression; every injury of the public interests;



must be felt by this mass; then; again; how easily this mass;



living in one and the same place; can come to an agreement as to



their common objects and regulations; and what enormous means it



can concentrate on the spot for these purposes; and finally; in



what a close union a community so powerful; enlightened; and



liberty…loving; stands in relation to other similar communities in



the same nation  if we duly consider all these things; we shall



easily be convinced that the influence on the maintenance and



improvement of the public welfare exercised by an agricultural



population living dispersed over the whole surface of the country



(however large its aggregate number may be) will be but slight in



comparison with that of towns; whose whole power (as we have shown)



depends upon the prosperity of their manufactures and of those



trades which are allied to and dependent on them。



    The predominating influence of the towns on the political and



municipal conditions of the nation; far from being disadvantageous



to the rural population; is of inestimable advantage to it。 The



advantages which the towns enjoy make them feel it a duty to raise



the agriculturists to the enjoyment of similar liberty;



cultivation; and prosperity; for the larger the sum of these



mental; and social advantages is among the rural population; the



larger will be the amount of the provisions and raw materials which



they send into the towns; the greater also will be the quantity of



the manufactured goods which they purchase from the towns; and



consequently the prosperity of the towns。 The country derives



energy; civilisation; liberty; and good institutions from the



towns; but the towns insure to themselves the possession of liberty



and good institutions by raising the country people to be partakers



of these acquisitions。 Agriculture; which hitherto merely supported



landowners and their servants; now furnishes the commonwealth with



the most independent and sturdy defenders of its liberty。 In the



culture of the soil; also; every class is now able to improve its



position。 The labourer can raise himself to become a farmer; the



farmer to become a landed proprietor。 The capital and the means of



transport which industry creates and establishes now give



prosperity to agriculture everywhere。 Serfdom; feudal burdens; laws



and regulations which injure industry and liberty disappear。 The



landed proprietor will now derive a hundred times more income from



his forest possessions than from his hunting。 Those who formerly



from the miserable produce of serf labour scarcely obtained the



means of leading a rude country life; whose sole pleasure consisted



in the keeping of horses and dogs and chasing game; who therefore



resented every infringement of these pleasures as a crime against



their dignity as lords of the soil; are now enabled by the



augmentation of their rents (the produce of free labour) to spend



a portion of the year in the towns。 There; through the drama and



music; through art and reading; their manners are softened; they



learn by intercourse with artists and learned men to esteem mind



and talents。 From mere Nimrods they become cultivated men。 The



aspect of an industrious community; in which everybody is striving



to improve his condition; awakens in them also the spirit of



improvement。 They pursue instruction and new ideas instead of stags



and hares。 Returning to the country; they offer to the middle and



small farmer examples worthy of imitation; and they gain his



respect instead of his curse。



    The more industry and agriculture flourish; the less can the



human mind be held in chains; and the more are we compelled to give



way to the spirit of toleration; and to put real morality and



religious influence in the place of compulsion of conscience。



Everywhere has industry given birth to tolerance; everywhere has it



converted the priests into teachers of the people and into learned



men。 Everywhere have the cultivation of national language and



literature; have 

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