the vested interests and the common man-第25节

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！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


the　whole。　It　also　lies　in　the　nature　of　protective　tariffs　that　
they　always　cost　the　nation　disproportionately　much　more　than　
they　are　worth　to　those　vested　interests　which　profit　by　them。　In　
this　respect　they　are　like　any　other　method　of　businesslike　
sabotage。　Their　aim；　and　presumably　their　effect；　is　to　keep　the　
price　up　by　keeping　the　supply　down；　to　hinder　competitors　and　
retard　production。　As　in　other　instances　of　businesslike　
sabotage；　therefore；　the　net　margin　of　advantage　to　those　who　
profit　by　it　is　greatly　less　than　what　it　costs　the　community。　
　　　　Yet　it　is　to　be　noted　that　the　Americans　have　prospered；　on　
the　whole；　under　protective　tariffs　which　have　been　as　
ingeniously　and　comprehensively　foolish　as　could　well　be　
contrived。　There　is　even　some　color　of　reason　in　the　contentions　
of　the　protectionists　that　the　more　reasonable　tariffs　have　
commonly　been　more　depressing　to　industry　than　the　most　imbecile　
of　them。　All　of　which　should　be　disquieting　to　the　advocates　of　
free　trade。　The　defect　of　the　free…trade　argument；　and　the　
disappointment　of　free…trade　policies；　lies　in　overlooking　the　
fact　that　in　the　absence　of　an　obstructive　tariff　substantially　
the　same　amount　of　obstruction　has　to　be　accomplished　by　other　
means；　if　business　is　to　prosper。　And　business　prosperity　is　the　
only　manner　of　prosperity　known　or　provided　for　among　the　
civilised　nations。　It　is　the　only　manner　of　prosperity　on　which　
the　divine　right　of　the　nation　gives　it　a　claim。　A　protective　
tariff　is　only　an　alternative　method　of　businesslike　sabotage。　If　
and　so　far　as　this　method　of　keeping　the　supply　of　goods　within　
salutary　bounds　is　not　resorted　to；　other　means　of　accomplishing　
the　same　result　must　be　employed。　For　so　long　as　investment　
continues　to　control　industry　the　welfare　of　the　community　is　
bound　up　with　the　prosperity　of　its　business；　and　business　can　
not　be　carried　on　without　reasonably　profitable　prices；　and　
reasonably　profitable　prices　can　not　be　maintained　without　a　
salutary　limitation　of　the　supply；　which　means　slowing　down　
production　to　such　a　rate　and　volume　as　the　traffic　will　bear。　
　　　　A　protective　tariff　is　only　one　means　of　crippling　the　
country's　industrial　forces；　for　the　good　of　business。　In　its　
absence　all　that　matter　will　be　taken　care　of　by　other　means。　The　
tariff　may　perhaps　be　a　little　the　most　flagrant　method　of　
sabotage　by　which　the　vested　interests　are　enabled　to　do　a　
reasonably　profitable　business；　but　there　is　nothing　more　than　a　
difference　of　degree；　and　not　a　large　difference　at　that。　So　long　
as　industry　is　managed　with　a　view　to　a　profitable　price　it　is　
quite　indispensable　to　guard　against　an　excessive　rate　and　volume　
of　output。　In　the　absence　of　all　businesslike　sabotage　the　
productive　capacity　of　the　industrial　system　would　very　shortly　
pass　all　reasonable　bounds；　prices　would　decline　disastrously　and　
overhead　charges　would　not　be　covered；　fixed　charges　on　
corporation　securities　and　other　credit　instruments　could　not　be　
met；　and　the　whole　structure　of　business　enterprise　would　
collapse；　as　it　occasionally　has　done　in　times　of　
〃over…production。〃　There　is　no　doing　business　without　a　fair　
price；　since　the　net　price　over　cost　is　the　motive　of　business。　A　
protective　tariff　is；　in　effect；　an　auxiliary　safeguard　against　
overproduction。　Incidentally　the　fact　that　its　imposition　does　
not　result　in　insufferable　hardship　serves　also　to　show　that　the　
new　order　of　industry　is　highly　productive；　quite　inordinately　
productive　in　fact。　And　it　is　a　divine　right　of　the　nation　to　use　
its　discretion　and　offset　this　inordinate　efficiency　of　its　
common　stock　of　knowledge　by　adroitly　crippling　its　own　commerce　
and　the　commerce　of　its　neighbors；　for　the　benefit　of　those　
vested　interests　that　are　domiciled　within　the　national　
frontiers。　
　　　　But　the　divine　right　of　national　self…direction　also　covers　
much　else　of　the　same　description；　besides　the　privilege　of　
setting　up　a　tariff　in　restraint　of　trade。　There　are　many　
channels　of　such　discrimination；　of　divers　kinds；　but　always　it　
will　be　found　that　these　channels　are　channels　of　sabotage　and　
that　they　serve　the　advantage　of　some　group　of　vested　interests　
which　do　business　under　the　shelter　of　the　national　pretensions。　
There　are　foreign　investments　and　concessions　to　be　procured　and　
safeguarded　for　the　nation's　business　men　by　moral　suasion　backed　
with　warlike　force；　and　the　common　man　pays　the　cost；　there　is　
discrimination　to　be　exercised　and　perhaps　subsidies　and　credits　
to　be　accorded　those　of　the　nation's　business　men　who　derive　a　
profit　from　shipping；　for　the　discomfiture　of　alien　competitors；　
and　the　common　man　pays　the　cost；　there　are　colonies　to　be　
procured　and　administered　at　the　public　expense　for　the　private　
gain　of　certain　traders；　concessionaires　and　administrative　
office…holders；　and　the　common　man　pays　the　cost。　Back　of　it　all　
is　the　nation's　divine　right　to　carry　arms；　to　support　a　
competitive　military　and　naval　establishment；　which　has　ceased；　
under　the　new　order；　to　have　any　other　material　use　than　to　
enforce　or　defend　the　businesslike　right　of　particular　vested　
interests　to　get　something　for　nothing　in　some　particular　place　
and　in　some　particular　way；　and　the　common　man　pays　the　cost　and　
swells　with　pride。　
　
Chapter　7　
　
Live　and　Let　Live　
　
　　　　The　Nation's　inalienable　right　of　self…direction　and　
self…help　is　of　the　same　nature　and　derivation　as　the　like　
inalienable　right　of　self…help　vested　in　an　irresponsible　king　by　
the　grace　of　God。　In　both　cases　alike　it　is　a　divine　right；　in　
the　sense　that　it　is　irresponsible　and　will　not　bear　scrutiny；　
being　an　arbitrary　right　of　self…help　at　the　cost　of　any　whom　it　
may　concern。　There　is　the　further　parallel　that　in　both　cases　
alike　the　ordinary　exercise　of　these　rights　confers　no　material　
benefit　on　the　underlying　community。　In　practical　effect　the　
exercise　of　such　divine　rights；　whether　by　a　sovereign　monarch　or　
by　the　officials　of　a　sovereign　nation；　works　damage　and　
discomfort　to　one　and　another；　within　the　national　frontiers　or　
beyond　them；　with　nothing　better　to　show　for　it　than　some　
relatively　slight　gain　in　prestige　or　in　wealth　for　some　
relatively　small　group　of　privileged　persons　or　vested　interests。　
And　the　gain　of　those　who　profit　by　this　means　is　always　got　at　
the　cost　of　the　common　man　at　home　and　abroad。　These　inalienable　
rights　are　an　abundant　source　of　grievances　to　be　redressed　at　
the　cost　of　the　common　man。　
　　　　It　has　long　been　a　stale　commonplace　that　the　quarrels　of　
competitive　kings　in　pursuit　of　their　divine　rights　have　brought　
nothing　but　damage　and　discomfort　to　the　underlying　peoples　whose　
material　wealth　and　man　power　have　been　made　use　of　for　national　
enterprise　of　this　kind。　And　it　is　no　less　evident；　though　
perhaps　less　notorious；　that　the　pursuit　of　national　advantages　
by　competitive　nations　by　use　of　the　same　material　wealth　and　man　
power　unavoidably　brings　nothing　better　than　the　same　net　output　
of　damage　and　discomfort　to　all　the　peoples　concerned。　There　is　
of　course　the　reservation　that　in　the　one　case　the　kings　and　
their　accomplices　and　pensioners　have　come　in　for　some　gain　in　
prestige　and　in　perquisites；　while　in　the　case　of　the　competitive　
nations　certain　vested　interests　and　certain　groups　of　the　kept　
classes　stand　to　gain　something　in　the　way　of　perquisites　and　
free　income；　but　always　and　in　the　nature　of　the　case　the　total　
gain　is　less　than　the　cost；　and　always　the　gain　goes　to　the　kept　
classes　and　the　cost　falls　on　the　common　man。　So　much　is　
notorious；　particularly　so　far　as　it　is　a　question　of　material　
gain　and　loss。　So　far　as　it　is　an　immaterial　question　of　jealousy　
and　prestige；　the　line　of　division　runs　between　nations；　but　as　
regards　material　gain　and　loss　it　is　always　a　division　between　
the　kept　classes　and　the　common　man；　and　always　the　common　man　
has　more　to　lose　than　the　kept　classes　stand　to　gain。　
　　　　The　war　is　now　concluded；　provisionally；　and　peace　is　in　
prospect　for　the　immediate　future；　also　provisionally。　As　is　true　
between　individuals；　so　also　among　the　nations；　peace　means　the　
same　thing　as　Live　and　Let　Live；　which　also　means　the　same　thing　
as　a　world　made　safe　for　democracy。　And　the　rule　of　Live　and　Let　
Live　means　the　discontinuance　of　animosity　and　discrimination　
between　the　nations。　Therefore　it　involves　the　disallowance　of　
such　incompatible　national　pretensions　as　are　likely　to　afford　
ground　for　international　grievances；　　which　comes　near　
involving　the　disallowance　of　all　those　claims　and　perquisites　
that　habitually　go　in　under　the　captions　of　〃national　
self…determination〃　and　〃national　integrity；〃　as　these　phrases　
are　employed　in　diplomatic　intercourse。　At　the　same　time　it　
involves　the　disallowance　of　all　those　class　pretensions　and　
vested　interests　that　make　for　dissension　within　the　nation。　
Ill…will　is　not　a　practicable　basis　of　peace；　whether　within　the　
nation　or　between　the　nations。　So　much　is　plain　matter　of　course。　
What　may　be　the　chances　of　peace　and　war；　at　home　and　abroad；　in