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the countries of the torrid zone have been brought infinitely
nearer to the countries of the temperate zone; their mutual
commercial intercourse has infinitely increased through diminution
of risk; of time employed and of freights; and through greater
regularity; and it will increase infinitely more as soon as steam
navigation has become general; and the systems of railways extend
themselves to the interior of Asia; Africa; and South America。
Through the secession of South America from Spain and Portugal;
and through the dissolution of the Turkish Empire; a mass of the
most fertile territories of the earth have been liberated; which
now await with longing desire for the civilised nations of the
earth to lead them in peaceful concord along the path of the
security of law and order; of civilisation and prosperity; and
which require nothing more than that manufactured goods should be
brought to them; and their own productions taken in exchange。
One may see that there is sufficient room here for all
countries of Europe and North America which are fitted to develop
a manufacturing power of their own; to bring their manufacturing
production into full activity; to augment their own consumption of
the products of tropical countries; and to extend in the same
proportion their direct commercial intercourse with the latter。
NOTES:
1。 Esprit des Lois; Book xx。 chap。 xii。
Chapter 22
The manufacturing Power and Navigation; Naval Power and
Colonization
Manufactures as the basis of a large home and foreign commerce
are also the fundamental conditions of the existence of any
considerable mercantile marine。 Since the most important function
of inland transport consists in supplying manufacturers with fuel
and building materials; raw materials and means of subsistence; the
coast and river navigation cannot well prosper in a merely
agricultural State。 The coast navigation; however; is the school
and the dep魌 of sailors; ships' captains; and of shipbuilding; and
hence in merely agricultural countries the main foundation for any
large maritime navigation is lacking。
International commerce consists principally (as we have shown
in the previous chapter) in the interchange of manufactured goods
for raw materials and natural products; and especially for the
products of tropical countries。 But the agricultural countries of
the temperate zone have merely to offer to the countries of the
torrid zone what they themselves produce; or what they cannot make
use of; namely; raw materials and articles of food; hence direct
commercial intercourse between them and the countries of the torrid
zone; and the ocean transport which arises from it; is not to be
expected。 Their consumption of colonial produce must be limited to
those quantities for which they can pay by the sale of agricultural
products and raw materials to the manufacturing and commercial
nations; they must consequently procure these articles second…hand。
In the commercial intercourse between an agricultural nation and a
manufacturing commercial nation; however; the greatest part of the
sea transport must fall to the latter; even if it is not in its
power by means of navigation laws to secure the lion's share to
itself。
Besides internal and international commerce; sea fisheries
occupy a considerable number of ships; but again from this branch
of industry; as a rule; nothing or very little falls to the
agricultural nation; as there cannot exist in it much demand for
the produce of the sea; and the manufacturing commercial nations
are; out of regard to the maintenance of their naval power;
accustomed to protect their home market exclusively for their own
sea fisheries。
The fleet recruits its sailors and pilots from the private
mercantile marine; and experience has as yet always taught that
able sailors cannot be quickly drilled like land troops; but must
be trained up by serving in the coasting and international
navigation and in sea fisheries。 The naval power of nations will
therefore always be on the same footing with these branches of
maritime industry; it will consequently in the case of the mere
agricultural nation be almost nil。
The highest means of development of the manufacturing power; of
the internal and external commerce proceeding from it; of any
considerable coast and sea navigation; of extensive sea fisheries;
and consequently of a respectable naval power; are colonies。
The mother nation supplies the colonies with manufactured
goods; and obtains in return their surplus produce of agricultural
products and raw materials; this interchange gives activity to its
manufactures; augments thereby its population and the demand for
its internal agricultural products; and enlarges its mercantile
marine and naval power。 The superior power of the mother country in
population; capital; and enterprising spirit; obtains through
colonisation an advantageous outlet; which is again made good with
interest by the fact that a considerable portion of those who have
enriched themselves in the colony bring back the capital which they
have acquired there; and pour it into the lap of the mother nation;
or expend their income in it。
Agricultural nations; which already need the means of forming
colonies; also do not possess the power of utilising and
maintaining them。 What the colonies require; cannot be offered by
them; and what they can offer the colony itself possesses。
The exchange of manufactured goods for natural products is the
fundamental condition on which the position of the present colonies
continues。 On that account the United States of North America
seceded from England as soon as they felt the necessity and the
power of manufacturing for themselves; of carrying on for
themselves navigation and commerce with the countries of the torrid
zone; on that account Canada will also secede after she has reached
the same point; on that account independent agricultural
manufacturing commercial States will also arise in the countries of
temperate climate in Australia in the course of time。
But this exchange between the countries of the temperate zone
and the countries of the torrid zone is based upon natural causes;
and will be so for all time。 Hence India has given up her
manufacturing power with her independence to England; hence all
Asiatic countries of the torrid zone will pass gradually under the
dominion of the manufacturing commercial nations of the temperate
zone; hence the islands of the torrid zone which are at present
dependent colonies can hardly ever liberate themselves from that
condition; and the States of South America will always remain
dependent to a certain degree on the manufacturing commercial
nations。
England owes her immense colonial possessions solely to her
surpassing manufacturing power。 If the other European nations wish
also to partake of the profitable business of cultivating waste
territories and civilising barbarous nations; or nations once
civilised but which are again sunk in barbarism; they must commence
with the development of their own internal manufacturing powers; of
their mercantile marine; and of their naval power。 And should they
be hindered in these endeavours by England's manufacturing;
commercial; and naval supremacy; in the union of their powers lies
the only means of reducing such unreasonable pretensions to
reasonable ones。
Chapter 23
The Manufacturing Power and the Instrument of Circulation
If the experience of the last twenty…five years has confirmed;
as being partly correct; the principles which have been set up by
the prevailing theory in contradiction to the ideas of the
so…called 'mercantile' system on the circulation of the precious
metals and on the balance of trade; it has; on the other hand;
brought to light important weak points in that theory respecting
those subjects。
Experience has proved repeatedly (and especially in Russia and
North America) that in agricultural nations; whose manufacturing
market is exposed to the free competition of a nation which has
attained manufacturing supremacy; the value of the importation of
manufactured goods exceeds frequently to an enormous extent the
value of the agricultural products which are exported; and that
thereby at times suddenly an extraordinary exportat