第 12 节
作者:水王      更新:2022-05-01 22:41      字数:9322
  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