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where the Government is unable to provide any remedy for its



interruption; we often see manufacturers continuing to produce at



an actual loss。 They want to avert; in expectation of better times;



the irrecoverable injury which they would suffer from a stoppage of



their works。



    By free competition it is often hoped to oblige the competitor



to discontinue work which has compelled the manufacturer or



merchant to sell his products under their legitimate price and



often at an actual loss。 The object is not merely to prevent the



interruption of our own industry; but also to force others to



discontinue theirs in the hope later on of being able by better



prices to recoup the losses which have been suffered。



    In any case striving after monopoly forms part of the very



nature of manufacturing industry。 This circumstance tends to



justify and not to discredit a protective policy; for this



striving; when restricted in its operation to the home market;



tends to promote cheaper prices and improvements in the art of



production; and thus increases the national prosperity; while the



same thing; in case it presses from without with overwhelming force



on the internal industry; will occasion the interruption of work



and downfall of the internal national industry。



    The circumstance that there are no limits to manufacturing



production (especially since it has been so extraordinarily aided



and promoted by machinery) except the limits of the capital which



it possesses and its means of effecting sales; enables that



particular nation whose manufacturing industry has continued for a



century; which has accumulated immense capitals; extended its



commerce all over the world; dominated the money market by means of



large institutions of credit (whose operations are able to depress



the prices of fabrics and to induce merchants to export); to



declare a war of extermination against the manufacturers of all



other countries。 Under such circumstances it is quite impossible



that in other nations; 'in the natural course of things' (as Adam



Smith expresses himself); merely in consequence of their progress



in agriculture; immense manufactures and works should be



established; or that those manufactures which have originated in



consequence of the commercial interruptions caused by war should be



able; 'in the natural course of things;' to continue to maintain



themselves。 The reason for this is the same as that why a child or



a boy in wrestling with a strong man can scarcely be victorious or



even offer steady resistance。 The manufactories which constitute



the commercial and industrial supremacy (of England) have a



thousand advantages over the newly born or half…grown manufactories



of other nations。 The former; for instance; can obtain skilled and



experienced workmen in the greatest number and at the cheapest



wages; the best technical men and foremen; the most perfect and the



cheapest machinery; the greatest benefit in buying and selling



advantageously; further; the cheapest means of transport; as



respects raw materials and also in respect of transporting goods



when sold; more extended credit for the manufacturers with banks



and money institutions at the lowest rates of interest; greater



commercial experience; better tools; buildings; arrangements;



connections; such as can only be acquired and established in the



course of generations; an enormous home market; and; what is



equally good; a colonial market equally enormous。 Hence under all



circumstances the English manufacturers can feel certainty as to



the sale of large quantities of manufactured products by vigorous



efforts; and consequently possess a guarantee for the continuance



of their business and abundant means to sell on credit for years to



come in the future; if it is required to acquire the control of a



foreign market。 If we enumerate and consider these advantages one



after another; we may easily be convinced that in competition with



such a power it is simply foolish to rest our hopes on the



operation of 'the natural course of things' under free competition;



where; as in our case; workmen and technical men have in the first



place yet to be trained; where the manufacture of machinery and



proper means of transport are merely in course of erection; where



even the home market is not secured to the manufacturer  not to



mention any important export market; where the credit that the



manufacturer can obtain is under the most fortunate circumstances



limited to the lowest point; where no man can be certain even for



a day that; in consequence of English commercial crises and bank



operations; masses of foreign goods may not be thrown on the home



market at prices which scarcely recoup the value of the raw



materials of which they are made; and which bring to a stand for



years the progress of our own manufacturing industries。



    It would be in vain for such nations to resign themselves to a



state of perpetual subordination to the English manufacturing



supremacy; and content themselves with the modest determination to



supply it with what it may not be able to produce for itself or to



procure elsewhere。 Even by this subordination they will find no



permanent benefit。 What benefit is it to the people of the United



States; for instance; that they sacrifice the welfare of their



finest and most cultivated states; the states of free labour; and



perhaps their entire future national greatness; for the advantage



of supplying England with raw cotton? Do they thereby restrict the



endeavours of England to procure this material from other districts



of the world? In vain would the Germans be content to obtain their



requirements of manufactured goods from England in exchange for



their fine sheep's wool; they would by such a policy hardly prevent



Australia from flooding all Europe with fine wool in the course of



the next twenty years。



    Such a condition of dependence appears still more deplorable



when we consider that such nations lose in times of war their means



of selling their agricultural products; and thereby the means of



purchasing the manufacturing products of the foreigner。 At such



times all economical considerations and systems are thrust into the



background。 It is the principle of self…maintenance; of



self…defence; which counsels the nations to work up their



agricultural products themselves; and to dispense with the



manufactured goods of the enemy。 Whatever losses may be involved in



adopting such a war…prohibitive system; cannot be taken into



account during such a state of things。 However great the exertions



and the sacrifices may have been by which the agricultural nation



during the time of war has called into existence manufactures and



works; the competition of the manufacturing supremacy which sets in



on the recurrence of peace will again destroy all these creations



of the times of necessity。 In short; it is an eternal alternation



of erecting and destroying; of prosperity and calamity which those



nations have to undergo who do not strive to insure; through



realisation of their national division of labour and through the



confederation of their own powers of production; the benefits of



the continuation of their own industries from generation to



generation。







Chapter 25







The Manufacturing Power and the Inducement to Production and



Consumption







    In society man is not merely productive owing to the



circumstance that he directly brings forth products or creates



powers of production; but he also becomes productive by creating



inducements to production and to consumption; or to the formation



of productive powers。



    The artist by his works acts in the first place on the



ennobling and refinement of the human spirit and on the productive



power of society; but inasmuch as the enjoyment of art presupposes



the possession of those material means whereby it must be



purchased; the artist also offers inducements to material



production and to thrift。



    Books and newspapers act on the mental and material production



by giving information; but their acquisition costs money; and so



far the enjoyment which they afford is also an inducement to



material production。



    The education of youth ennobles society; but what great



exertions do parents make to obtain the means of giving their



children a good education!



    What immense performances in both mental and material



production arise out of the e

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