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national power is a dynamic force by which new productive resources



are opened out; and because the forces of production are the tree



on which wealth grows; and because the tree which bears the fruit



is of greater value than the fruit itself。 Power is of more



importance than wealth because a nation; by means of power; is



enabled not only to open up new productive sources; but to maintain



itself in possession of former and of recently acquired wealth; and



because the reverse of power  namely; feebleness  leads to the



relinquishment of all that we possess; not of acquired wealth



alone; but of our powers of production; of our civilisation; of our



freedom; nay; even of our national independence; into the hands of



those who surpass us in might; as is abundantly attested by the



history of the Italian republics; of the Hanseatic League; of the



Belgians; the Dutch; the Spaniards; and the Portuguese。



    But how came it that; unmindful of this law of alternating



action and reaction between political power; the forces of



production and wealth; Adam Smith could venture to contend that the



Methuen Treaty and the Act of Navigation had not been beneficial to



England from a commercial point of view? We have shown how England



by the policy which she pursued acquired power; and by her



political power gained productive power; and by her productive



power gained wealth。 Let us now see further how; as a result of



this policy; power has been added to power; and productive forces



to productive forces。



    England has got into her possession the keys of every sea; and



placed a sentry over every nation: over the Germans; Heligoland;



over the French; Guernsey and Jersey; over the inhabitants of North



America; Nova Scotia and the Bermudas; over Central America; the



island of Jamaica; over all countries bordering on the



Mediterranean; Gibraltar; Malta; and the Ionian Islands。 She



possesses every important strategical position on both the routes



to India with the exception of the Isthmus of Suez; which she is



striving to acquire; she dominates the Mediterranean by means of



Gibraltar; the Red Sea by Aden; and the Persian Gulf by Bushire and



Karrack。 She needs only the further acquisition of the Dardanelles;



the Sound; and the Isthmuses of Suez and Panama; in order to be



able to open and close at her pleasure every sea and every maritime



highway。 Her navy alone surpasses the combined maritime forces of



all other countries; if not in number of vessels; at any rate in



fighting strength。



    Her manufacturing capacity excels in importance that of all



other nations。 And although her cloth manufactures have increased



more than tenfold (to forty…four and a half millions) since the



days of James I; we find the yield of another branch of industry;



which was established only in the course of the last century;



namely; the manufacture of cotton; amounting to a much larger sum;



fifty…two and a half millions。(8*)



    Not content with that; England is now attempting to raise her



linen manufacture; which has been long in a backward state as



compared with that of other countries; to a similar position;



possibly to a higher one than that of the two above…named branches



of industry: it now amounts to fifteen and a half millions



sterling。 In the fourteenth century; England was still so poor in



iron that she thought it necessary to prohibit the exportation of



this indispensable metal; she now; in the nineteenth century;



manufactures more iron and steel wares than all the other nations



on earth (namely; thirty…one millions' worth); while she produces



thirty…four millions in value of coal and other minerals。 These two



sums exceed by over sevenfold the value of the entire gold and



silver production of all other nations; which amount to about two



hundred and twenty million francs; or nine millions sterling。



    At this day she produces more silk goods than all the Italian



republics produced in the Middle Ages together; namely; thirteen



and a half million pounds。 Industries which at the time of Henry



VIII and Elizabeth scarcely deserved classification; now yield



enormous sums; as; for instance; the glass; china; and stoneware



manufactures; representing eleven millions; the copper and brass



manufactures; four and a half millions; the manufactures of paper;



books; colours; and furniture; fourteen millions。



    England produces; moreover; sixteen millions' worth of leather



goods; besides ten millions' worth of unenumerated articles。 The



manufacture of beer and spirituous liquors in England alone greatly



exceeds in value the aggregate of national production in the days



of James I; namely; forty…seven millions sterling。



    The entire manufacturing production of the United Kingdom at



the present time; is estimated to amount to two hundred and



fifty…nine and a half millions sterling。



    As a consequence; and mainly as a consequence; of this gigantic



manufacturing production; the productive power of agriculture has



been enabled to yield a total value exceeding twice that sum (five



hundred and thirty…nine millions sterling)。



    It is true that for this increase in her power; and in her



productive capacity; England is not indebted solely to her



commercial restrictions; her Navigation Laws; or her commercial



treaties; but in a large measure also to her conquests in science



and in the arts。



    But how comes it; that in these days one million of English



operatives can perform the work of hundreds of millions? It comes



from the great demand for manufactured goods which by her wise and



energetic policy she has known how to create in foreign lands; and



especially in her colonies; from the wise and powerful protection



extended to her home industries; from the great rewards which by



means of her patent laws she has offered to every new discovery;



and from the extraordinary facilities for her inland transport



afforded by public roads; canals; and railways。



    England has shown the world how powerful is the effect of



facilities of transport in increasing the powers of production; and



thereby increasing the wealth; the population; and the political



power of a nation。 She has shown us what a free; industrious; and



well…governed community can do in this respect within the brief



space of half a century; even in the midst of foreign wars。 That



which the Italian republics had previously accomplished in these



respects was mere child's play。 It is estimated that as much as a



hundred and eighteen millions sterling have been expended in



England upon these mighty instruments of the nation's productive



power。



    England; however; only commenced and carried out these works



when her manufacturing power began to grow strong。 Since then; it



has become evident to all observers that that nation only whose



manufacturing power begins to develop itself upon an extensive



scale is able to accomplish such works; that only in a nation which



develops concurrently its internal manufacturing and agricultural



resources will such costly engines of trade repay their cost; and



that in such a nation only will they properly fulfil their purpose。



    It must be admitted; too; that the enormous producing capacity



and the great wealth of England are not the effect solely of



national power and individual love of gain。 The people's innate



love of liberty and of justice; the energy; the religious and moral



character of the people; have a share in it。 The constitution of



the country; its institutions; the wisdom and power of the



Government and of the aristocracy; have a share in it。 The



geographical position; the fortunes of the country; nay; even good



luck; have a share in it。



    It is not easy to say whether the material forces exert a



greater influence over the moral forces; or whether the moral



outweigh the material in their operation; whether the social forces



act upon the individual forces the more powerfully; or whether the



latter upon the former。 This much is certain; however; namely; that



between the two there subsists an interchanging sequence of action



and reaction; with the result that the increase of one set of



forces promotes the increase of the other; and that the



enfeeblement of the one ever involves the enfeeblement of the



other。



    Those who seek for the fundamental causes of England's rise and



progress in the blending of Anglo…Saxon with the Norman blood;



should first cast a glance at the condi
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