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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

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