of the jealousy of trade-第1章

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Of　the　Jealousy　of　Trade


by　David　Hume





Having　endeavoured　to　remove　one　species　of　ill…founded　jealousy；
which　is　so　prevalent　among　commercial　nations；　it　may　not　be
amiss　to　mention　another；　which　seems　equally　groundless。　Nothing
is　more　usual；　among　states　which　have　made　some　advances　in
commerce；　than　to　look　on　the　progress　of　their　neighbours　with　a
suspicious　eye；　to　consider　all　trading　states　as　their　rivals；
and　to　suppose　that　it　is　impossible　for　any　of　them　to　flourish；
but　at　their　expence。　In　opposition　to　this　narrow　and　malignant
opinion；　I　will　venture　to　assert；　that　the　encrease　of　riches
and　commerce　in　any　one　nation；　instead　of　hurting；　commonly
promotes　the　riches　and　commerce　of　all　its　neighbours；　and　that
a　state　can　scarcely　carry　its　trade　and　industry　very　far；　where
all　the　surrounding　states　are　buried　in　ignorance；　sloth；　and
barbarism。　
　　　　It　is　obvious；　that　the　domestic　industry　of　a　people　cannot
be　hurt　by　the　greatest　prosperity　of　their　neighbours；　and　as
this　branch　of　commerce　is　undoubtedly　the　most　important　in　any
extensive　kingdom；　we　are　so　far　removed　from　all　reason　of
jealousy。　But　I　go　farther；　and　observe；　that　where　an　open
communication　is　preserved　among　nations；　it　is　impossible　but
the　domestic　industry　of　every　one　must　receive　an　encrease　from
the　improvements　of　the　others。　Compare　the　situation　of　GREAT
BRITAIN　at　present；　with　what　it　was　two　centuries　ago。　All　the
arts　both　of　agriculture　and　manufactures　were　then　extremely
rude　and　imperfect。　Every　improvement；　which　we　have　since　made；
has　arisen　from　our　imitation　of　foreigners；　and　we　ought　so　far
to　esteem　it　happy；　that　they　had　previously　made　advances　in
arts　and　ingenuity。　But　this　intercourse　is　still　upheld　to　our
great　advantage：　Notwithstanding　the　advanced　state　of　our
manufactures；　we　daily　adopt；　in　every　art；　the　inventions　and
improvements　of　our　neighbours。　The　commodity　is　first　imported
from　abroad；　to　our　great　discontent；　while　we　imagine　that　it
drains　us　of　our　money：　Afterwards；　the　art　itself　is　gradually
imported；　to　our　visible　advantage：　Yet　we　continue　still　to
repine；　that　our　neighbours　should　possess　any　art；　industry；　and
invention；　forgetting　that；　had　they　not　first　instructed　us；　we
should　have　been　at　present　barbarians；　and　did　they　not　still
continue　their　instructions；　the　arts　must　fall　into　a　state　of
languor；　and　lose　that　emulation　and　novelty；　which　contribute　so
much　to　their　advancement。　
　　　　The　encrease　of　domestic　industry　lays　the　foundation　of
foreign　commerce。　Where　a　great　number　of　commodities　are　raised
and　perfected　for　the　home…market；　there　will　always　be　found
some　which　can　be　exported　with　advantage。　But　if　our　neighbours
have　no　art　or　cultivation；　they　cannot　take　them；　because　they
will　have　nothing　to　give　in　exchange。　In　this　respect；　states
are　in　the　same　condition　as　individuals。　A　single　man　can
scarcely　be　industrious；　where　all　his　fellow…citizens　are　idle。
The　riches　of　the　several　members　of　a　community　contribute　to
encrease　my　riches；　whatever　profession　I　may　follow。　They
consume　the　produce　of　my　industry；　and　afford　me　the　produce　of
theirs　in　return。　
　　　　Nor　needs　any　state　entertain　apprehensions；　that　their
neighbours　will　improve　to　such　a　degree　in　every　art　and
manufacture；　as　to　have　no　demand　from　them。　Nature；　by　giving　a
diversity　of　geniuses；　climates；　and　soils；　to　different　nations；
has　secured　their　mutual　intercourse　and　commerce；　as　long　as
they　all　remain　industrious　and　civilized。　Nay；　the　more　the　arts
encrease　in　any　state；　the　more　will　be　its　demands　from　its
industrious　neighbours。　The　inhabitants；　having　become　opulent
and　skilful；　desire　to　have　every　commodity　in　the　utmost
perfection；　and　as　they　have　plenty　of　commodities　to　give　in
exchange；　they　make　large　importations　from　every　foreign
country。　The　industry　of　the　nations；　from　whom　they　import；
receives　encouragement：　Their　own　is　also　encreased；　by　the　sale
of　the　commodities　which　they　give　in　exchange。　
　　　　But　what　if　a　nation　has　any　staple　commodity；　such　as　the
woollen　manufacture　is　in　ENGLAND？　Must　not　the　interfering　of
our　neighbours　in　that　manufacture　be　a　loss　to　us？　I　answer；
that；　when　any　commodity　is　denominated　the　staple　of　a　kingdom；
it　is　supposed　that　this　kingdom　has　some　peculiar　and　natural
advantages　for　raising　the　commodity；　and　if；　notwithstanding
these　advantages；　they　lose　such　a　manufacture；　they　ought　to
blame　their　own　idleness；　or　bad　government；　not　the　industry　of
their　neighbours。　It　ought　also　to　be　considered；　that；　by　the
encrease　of　industry　among　the　neighbouring　nations；　the
consumption　of　every　particular　species　of　commodity　is　also
encreased；　and　though　foreign　manufactures　interfere　with　them　in
the　market；　the　demand　for　their　product　may　still　continue；　or
even　encrease。　And　should　it　diminish；　ought　the　consequence　to
be　esteemed　so　fatal？　If　the　spirit　of　industry　be　preserved；　it
may　easily　be　diverted　from　one　branch　to　another；　and　the
manufacturers　of　wool；　for　instance；　be　employed　in　linen；　silk；
iron；　or　any　other　commodities；　for　which　there　appears　to　be　a
demand。　We　need　not　apprehend；　that　all　the　objects　of　industry
will　be　exhausted；　or　that　our　manufacturers；　while　they　remain
on　an　equal　footing　with　those　of　our　neighbours；　will　be　in
danger　of　wanting　employment。　The　emulation　among　rival　nations
serves　rather　to　keep　industry　alive　in　all　of　them：　And　any
people　is　happier　who　possess　a　variety　of　manufactures；　than　if
they　enjoyed　one　single　great　manufacture；　in　which　they　are　all
employed。　Their　situation　is　less　precarious；　and　they　will　feel
less　sensibly　those　revolutions　and　uncertainties；　to　which　every
particular　branch　of　commerce　will　always　be　exposed。　
　　　　The　only　commercial　state；　that　ought　to　dread　the
improvements　and　industry　of　their　neighbours；　is　such　a　one　as
the　DUTCH；　who　enjoying　no　extent　of　land；　nor　possessing　any
number　of　native　commodities；　flourish　only　by　their　being　the
brokers；　and　factors；　and　carriers　of　others。　Such　a　people　may
naturally　apprehend；　that；　as　soon　as　the　neighbouring　states
come　to　know　and　pursue　their　interest；　they　will　take　into　their
own　hands　the　management　of　their　affairs；　and　deprive　their
brokers　of　that　profit；　which　they　formerly　reaped　from　it。　But
though　this　consequence　may　naturally　be　dreaded；　it　is　very　long
before　it　takes　place；　and　by　art　and　industry　it　may　be　warded
off　for　many　generations；　if　not　wholly　eluded。　The　advantage　of
superior　stocks　and　correspondence　is　so　great；　that　it　is　not
easily　overcome；　and　as　all　the　transactions　encrease　by　the
encrease　of　industry　in　the　neighbouring　states；　even　a　people
whose　commerce　stands　on　this　precarious　basis；　may　at　first　reap
a　considerable　profit　from　the　flourishing　condition　of　their
neighbours。　The　DUTCH；　having　mortgaged　all　their　revenues；　make
not　such　a　figure　in　political　transactions　as　formerly'。　but
their　commerce　is　surely　equal　to　what　it　was　in　the　middle　of
the　last　century；　when　they　were　reckoned　among　the　great　powers
of　EUROPE。　
　　　　Were　our　narrow　and　malignant　politics　to　meet　with　success；
we　should　reduce　all　our　neighbouring　nations　to　the　same　state
of　sloth　and　ignorance　that　prevails　in　MOROCCO　and　the　coast　of
BARBARY。　But　what　would　be　the　consequence？　They　could　send　us　no
commodities：　They　could　take　none　from　us：　Our　domestic　commerce
itself　would　languish　for　want　of　emulation；　example；　and
instruction：　And　we　ourselves　should　soon　fall　into　the　same
abject　condition；　to　which　we　had　reduced　them。　I　shall　therefore
venture　to　acknowledge；　that；　not　only　as　a　man；　but　as　a　BRITISH
subject；　I　pray　for　the　flourishing　commerce　of　GERMANY；　SPAIN；
ITALY；　and　even　FRANCE　itself。　I　am　at　least　certain；　that　GREAT
BRITAIN；　and　all　those　nations；　would　flourish　more；　did　their
sovereigns　and　ministers　adopt　such　enlarged　and　benevolent
sentiments　towards　each　other。　





the　End