登陆注册
19554800000034

第34章

The industry of Prussia had suffered more than that of anyother country from the devastations of the Thirty Years' War.Hermost important industry, the manufacture of cloth in the Margravateof Brandenburg, was almost entirely annihilated.The majority ofcloth workers had migrated to Saxony, while English imports at thetime held every competition in check.To the advantage of Prussianow came the revocation of the Edict of Nantes and the persecutionof the Protestants in the Palatinate and in Salzburg.The greatElector saw at a glance what Elizabeth before him had so clearlyunderstood.In consequence of the measures devised by him a greatnumber of the fugitives directed their steps to Prussia, fertilisedthe agricultural industry of the land, established a large numberof manufactures, and cultivated science and art.All his successorsfollowed in his footsteps, none with more zeal than the great King-- greater by his policy in times of peace than by his successes inwar.Space is wanting to treat at length of the countless measureswhereby Frederick II attracted to his dominions large numbers offoreign agriculturists, brought tracts of waste land intocultivation, and established the cultivation of meadows, of cattlefodder, vegetables, potatoes, and tobacco, improved sheep farming,cattle breeding, horse breeding, the use of mineral manures, &c.,by which means he created capital and credit for the benefit of theagricultural classes.Still more than by these direct measures hepromoted indirectly the interests of agriculture by means of thosebranches of manufacture which, in consequence of the customs tariffand the improved means of transport which he established, as wellas the establishment of a bank, made greater advances in Prussiathan in any other German state, notwithstanding that that country'sgeographical position, and its division into several provincesseparated from one another, were much less favourable for thesuccess of such measures, and that the disadvantages of a customscordon, namely, the damaging effects of a contraband trade, must befelt more acutely there than in great states whose territories arecompact and well protected by boundaries of seas, rivers, andchains of mountains.

At the same time we are nowise anxious, under cover of thiseulogy, to defend the faults of the system, such as, for example,the restrictions laid upon the exportation of raw material.Still,that in despite of these faults the national industry wasconsiderably advanced by it, no enlightened and impartial historianwould venture to dispute.

To every unprejudiced mind, unclouded by false theories, itmust be clear that Prussia gained her title to rank amongst theEuropean powers not so much by her conquests as by her wise policyin promoting the interests of agriculture, industry, and trade, andby her progress in literature and science; and all this was thework of one great genius alone.

And yet the Crown was not yet supported by the energy of freeinstitutions, but simply by an administrative system, well orderedand conscientious, but unquestionably trammelled by the deadmechanical routine of a hierarchical bureaucracy.

Meanwhile all the rest of Germany had for centuries been underthe influence of free trade -- that is to say, the whole world wasfree to export manufactured products into Germany, while no oneconsented to admit German manufactured goods into other countries.

This rule had its exceptions, but only a few.It cannot, however,be asserted that the predictions and the promises of the schoolabout the great benefits of free trade have been verified by theexperience of this country, for everywhere the movement was ratherretrograde than progressive.Cities like Augsburg, N黵nberg,Mayence, Cologne, &c., numbered no more than a third or a fourthpart of their former population, and wars were often wished formerely for the sake of getting rid of a valueless surplus ofproduce.

The wars came in the train of the French Revolution, and withthem English subsidies together with increased English competition.

Hence a new downward tendency in manufactures coupled with anincrease in agricultural prosperity, which, however, was onlyapparent and transitory.

Next followed Napoleon's Continental Blockade, an event whichmarked an era in the history of both German and French industry,notwithstanding that Mons.J.B.Say, Adam Smith's most famouspupil, denounced it as a calamity.Whatever theorists, and notablythe English, may urge against it, this much is clearly made out --and all who are conversant with German industry must attest it, forthere is abundant evidence of the fact in all statistical writingsof that day -- that, as a result of this blockade, Germanmanufactures of all and every kind for the first time began to makean important advance;(1*) that then only did the improved breedingof sheep (which had been commenced some time before) become generaland successful; that then only was activity displayed in improvingthe means of transport.It is true, on the other hand, that Germanylost the greater part of her former export trade, especially inlinens.Yet the gain was considerably greater than the loss,particularly for the Prussian and Austrian manufacturingestablishments, which had previously gained a start over all othermanufactories in the German states.

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 花样生命

    花样生命

    本书大概描述的是几个与女主毕业于同一院校,正值花样年华的少男少女们的感情归属。女主本想在伤痛过后一心追求梦想,但天降婚约让双重人格的腹黑女也应对不及,在感情中遭遇重重挫折换掉了乖乖女的衣裳,决定远离。大家只知道她表面的乐观却不知道她内心受过的伤,就连最懂她的母亲都困惑其中,分离多年,再重聚,会怎样.
  • 酷王爷的王妃

    酷王爷的王妃

    向往着白领梦想的女孩,却遭遇到了痛苦的事情,本抱着不想寻死的心却死了,像孙悟空似地大闹了地府,好不容回到了前朝。却被皇帝赐婚,要嫁给当朝的风流三王爷,这王爷也太酷了吧!明明喜欢人家却死鸭子嘴硬!两人的情感生活非常的坎坷,经历了数难,最终……--情节虚构,请勿模仿
  • 泄密宝宝:爹地,妈咪又翘家了!

    泄密宝宝:爹地,妈咪又翘家了!

    “管家,传我的命令,马上发布第十八号通缉令,附上这张照片——”说着男人随手将一张纸片扔下。“主子,这……这不是家里的舟小姐吗?”管家看着照片上笑得清纯灿烂的那张小脸,一脸震惊的问道。“通缉令上写:见此女人不报者,杀!”男人将手中的验孕报告狠狠扔进垃圾桶,一脸狠绝。报告上写得很清楚:已受孕五个月。+++++“妈咪,这已经是第六次了,我们还能去哪儿啊?”四岁大的宝宝眨巴着一双浅蓝色的大眼睛,可爱的要命。“小宝啊,你说奇不奇怪,为什么咱们每次离家出走你爹地都会准确无误的找到咱们呢?”还是一脸清纯的明斯舟此时却是有些迷惑。“爹地聪明啊。”小家伙儿一脸的理所当然,殊不知转身过后却是一脸的坏笑。+++++“一号一号,我是二号,妈咪这次变聪明了,小宝死活问不出她这次的动向,完毕!请指示!”屁大点儿的小宝宝手里握着一个微型的对讲机。“二号二号,一号收到,继续监视三号的行动,及时汇报,完毕!”豪华别墅里,英俊的男人一脸无奈。“二号收到,一号请……”“小宝,妈咪这次不仅学聪明了,而且,妈咪还生气了!”小女人伸手夺过宝宝手中的对讲机,“三号已经将二号缴获,请一号死心,哼!”
  • 良缘

    良缘

    作为一个散养大的乡下小丫头,皎月有青梅,也有好几只竹马。不过有一只不太一样!时人都说颖阳侯冷冽傲慢,可对媳妇那真是宠得没边儿了!皎月哼道:“咱俩谁宠谁,这事得论道论道。”
  • 重阳全真集

    重阳全真集

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 重生之狼少爷身边的小绵羊

    重生之狼少爷身边的小绵羊

    生前,她是软弱无比的千金,被后母跟姐姐使唤跟打骂,简直就是活脱脱的灰姑娘版本,还被逼迫嫁于狼一样的变态渣男成为自己的老公,与自己喜欢的人离得更远……某天,她遇到自称是仙人下凡的师傅,教她如何坚强,她却在修炼成功后下山,遇到车祸。再次醒来,发现自己回到过去,得此重生,这一生,她不再是软弱无比的小绵羊,她要踹变态渣男,接住后妈挥来的巴掌,面对姐姐的使唤,她要做甩手掌柜,从此跟喜欢的人幸福的生活一起……可是就在她觉得要过上幸福新的生活的时候,那个前世变态渣老公却……
  • 小恶魔的王座

    小恶魔的王座

    一个穿越成为拥有九头妖龙纯净血脉的小恶魔的混混,在主位面的一个全新的人生。人族的无限增长潜力,恶魔的黑暗魔力,以及七种不同能力的完美叠加,统统出现在一个人身上,这将会造就一个怎么样的“人”,请拭目以待。ps。感谢中国作者素材网免费封面支持
  • 阡陌茶花开清风徐自来

    阡陌茶花开清风徐自来

    她生性迷糊,大脑又慢半拍,却在上大学前遇到艺术系才子,从被他领回家的那一刻,她的命运发生了翻天覆地的变化,被他整日欺负和刁难不说,还要做他的裸体模特?就连最基本的人身自由权都被这个腹黑男剥夺,实在忍无可忍,两人都不知道其实爱的种子已经萌芽,被他吃干抹净以后,原来这故事才刚刚开始。
  • 极道军医

    极道军医

    江北小镇,一道疲惫的身影,拖着落日的归尘,行走在归途。他是一个老兵,但又不仅仅是一个寻常的老兵。为了国家的利益,他隐姓埋名,化身敌国特工,几经生死,用自己的血与魂奏响着一幕幕忠臣的凯歌!
  • 我的刁蛮冷美人

    我的刁蛮冷美人

    一位霸道的冷美人,却在一场意外中把初吻,给了一个让他打过耳刮子的少年,而这少年,最后与这霸道冷美人,他们共同经历生死,历经波折。