DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.22140#0069
THE PROGRESS OF ENGLISH POPULATION.
53
by the War of American Independence. But we got a great
start ; the attitude taken by France during that war was speedily
turned against itself, and the success of British manufacture was,
at any rate, if not permanently assured, greatly aided.
At first sight, the acquisition of a sole market seems like that
limited protection in young countries which Mill has incautiously,
and, as I think, for wholly insufficient reasons, commended. But
the difference between the two is fundamental. The acquisition of
a sole n arket gives the possessor of it the opportunity, with entire
competition among his fellows, and therefore with every stimulant
to invention and thereby labour-saving and profit-making expe-
dients, to hinder foreign rivals from entering on the market- which
has been won for the trader. The adoption of protection does not,
and by the very terms of its existence cannot, aid in procuring a
foreign market, but, on the contrary, excludes the protected industry
from that foreign market, unless the protected manufacturer sells at
a loss on production, that is, at the expense of the consumers in his
own protected market. It is possible that American calicoes and
German iron occasionally compete against our products in neutral
markets. But I am certain that, in the very nature of things, the
trade could not be carried on, unless the American and German
■consumer paid the expenses of the trial. It is also clear that the
power of competition by dealers who work under protection is
very narrow ; for if the trade grew to any dimensions, the burden
on the domestic market would be at once intolerable, and traced
to its true causes.
Of course, I hold that the sole market was a blunder, and that
Chatham in seeking to obtain it was chasing an ignis fatuus.
But like many unwise economical acts, it had a defence and a
plausible one. English statesmen saw that Spain had clung pas-
sionately to the monopolies which the Bull of Borgia, pontisf
and prosligate, had conferred on her, and had done all in her power
to exclude the British trader from the New World. They had
seen that the Dutch, the teachers of Europe in maritime enter-
prise and successful trade, had with De Witt believed that the
"true interest of Holland was to maintain her trade monopolies."
Now statesmen are rarely wiser than the times in which they live.
"They are apt to say that what they do not foresee and are not
53
by the War of American Independence. But we got a great
start ; the attitude taken by France during that war was speedily
turned against itself, and the success of British manufacture was,
at any rate, if not permanently assured, greatly aided.
At first sight, the acquisition of a sole market seems like that
limited protection in young countries which Mill has incautiously,
and, as I think, for wholly insufficient reasons, commended. But
the difference between the two is fundamental. The acquisition of
a sole n arket gives the possessor of it the opportunity, with entire
competition among his fellows, and therefore with every stimulant
to invention and thereby labour-saving and profit-making expe-
dients, to hinder foreign rivals from entering on the market- which
has been won for the trader. The adoption of protection does not,
and by the very terms of its existence cannot, aid in procuring a
foreign market, but, on the contrary, excludes the protected industry
from that foreign market, unless the protected manufacturer sells at
a loss on production, that is, at the expense of the consumers in his
own protected market. It is possible that American calicoes and
German iron occasionally compete against our products in neutral
markets. But I am certain that, in the very nature of things, the
trade could not be carried on, unless the American and German
■consumer paid the expenses of the trial. It is also clear that the
power of competition by dealers who work under protection is
very narrow ; for if the trade grew to any dimensions, the burden
on the domestic market would be at once intolerable, and traced
to its true causes.
Of course, I hold that the sole market was a blunder, and that
Chatham in seeking to obtain it was chasing an ignis fatuus.
But like many unwise economical acts, it had a defence and a
plausible one. English statesmen saw that Spain had clung pas-
sionately to the monopolies which the Bull of Borgia, pontisf
and prosligate, had conferred on her, and had done all in her power
to exclude the British trader from the New World. They had
seen that the Dutch, the teachers of Europe in maritime enter-
prise and successful trade, had with De Witt believed that the
"true interest of Holland was to maintain her trade monopolies."
Now statesmen are rarely wiser than the times in which they live.
"They are apt to say that what they do not foresee and are not