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list2-第56部分
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that the nation ought to impose obstacles in the way of the
exportation of precious metals; or that we must keep a specially
exact account with each individual nation; or that in the commerce
between great nations a few millions difference between the imports
and exports is of great moment。 What we deny is merely this: that
a great and independent nation; as Adam Smith maintains at the
conclusion of his chapter devoted to this subject;(1*) 'may
continually import every year considerably larger values in
products and fabrics than it exports; that the quantities of
precious metals existing in such a nation may decrease considerably
from year to year and be replaced by paper circulation in the
interior; moreover; that such a nation may allow its indebtedness
towards another nation continually to increase and expand; and at
the same time nevertheless make progress from year to year in
prosperity。
This opinion; expressed by Adam Smith and maintained since that
time by his school; is alone that which we here characterise as one
that has been contradicted a hundred times by experience; as one
that is contrary in the very nature of things to common sense; in
one word (to retort upon Adam Smith his own energetic expression)
as 'an absurdity。'
It must be well understood that we are not speaking here of
countries which carry on the production of the precious metals
themselves at a profit; from which therefore the export of these
articles has quite the character of an export of manufactured
goods。 We are also not speaking of that difference in the balance
of trade which must necessarily arise if the nation rates its
exports and imports at those prices which they have in their own
seaport towns。 That in such a case the amount of imports of every
nation must exceed its exports by the total amount of the nation's
own commercial profits (a circumstance which speaks to its
advantage rather than to its disadvantage); is clear and
indisputable。 Still less do we mean to deny the extraordinary cases
where the greater exportation rather denotes loss of value than
gain; as e。g。 if property is lost by shipwreck。 The popular school
has made clever use of all those delusions arising from a
shopkeeper…like calculation and comparison of the value of the
exchanges arising from the exports and imports; in order to make us
disbelieve in the disadvantages which result from a real and
enormous disproportion between the exports and imports of any great
and independent nation; even though such disproportion be not
permanent; which shows itself in such immense sums as for instance
in the case of France in 1786 and 1789; in that of Russia in 1820
and 1821; and in that of the United States of North America after
the 'Compromise Bill。'
Finally; we desire to speak (and this must be specially noted)
not of colonies; not of dependent countries; not of small states or
of single independent towns; but of entire; great; independent
nations; which possess a commercial system of their own; a national
system of agriculture and industry; a national system of money and
credit。
It evidently consists with the character of colonies that their
exports can surpass their imports considerably and continuously;
without thereby involving any conclusion as to the decrease or
increase of their prosperity。 The colony always prospers in the
proportion in which the total amount of its exports and imports
increases year by year。 If its export of colonial produce exceeds
its imports of manufactured goods considerably and lastingly the
main cause of this may be that the landed proprietors of the colony
live in the mother country; and that they receive their income in
the shape of colonial goods; in produce; or in the money which has
been obtained for them。 If; however; the exports of fabrics to the
colony exceed the imports of colonial goods considerably; this may
be chiefly due to the fact that by emigrations or loans from year
to year large masses of capital go to the colony。 This latter
circumstance is; of course; of the utmost advantage to the
prosperity of the colony。 It can continue for centuries and yet
commercial crises under such circumstances may be infrequent or
impossible; because the colony is endangered neither by wars nor by
hostile commercial measures; nor by operations of the national bank
of the mother country; because it possesses no independent system
of commerce; credit; and industry peculiar to itself; but is; on
the contrary; supported and constantly upheld by the institutions
of credit and political measures of the mother country。
Such a condition existed for more than a century with advantage
between North America and England; exists still between England and
Canada; and will probably exist for centuries between England and
Australia。
This condition becomes fundamentally changed; however; from the
moment in which the colony appears as an independent nation with
every claim to the attributes of a great and independent
nationality in order that it may develop a power and policy of
its own and its own special system of commerce and credit。 The
former colony then enacts laws for the special benefit of its own
navigation and naval power it establishes in favour of its own
internal industry a customs tariff of its own; it establishes a
national bank of its own; &c。; provided namely that the new nation
thus passing from the position of a colony to independence feels
itself capable; by reason of the mental; physical; and economical
endowments which it possesses; of becoming an industrial and
commercial nation。 The mother country; in consequence; places
restrictions; on its side; on the navigation; commerce; and
agricultural production of the former colony; and acts; by its
institutions of credit; exclusively for the maintenance of its own
national economical conditions。
But it is precisely the instance of the North American colonies
as they existed before the American War of Independence by which
Adam Smith seeks to prove the above…mentioned highly paradoxical
opinion: that a country can continually increase its exportation of
gold and silver; decrease its circulation of the precious metals;
extend its paper circulation; and increase its debts contracted
with other nations while enjoying simultaneously steadily
increasing prosperity。 Adam Smith has been very careful not to cite
the example of two nations which have been independent of one
another for some time; and whose interests of navigation; commerce;
industry; and agri
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