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An Inquiry into the Permanent Causes of the Decline and Fall of Powerful and Wealthy Nations. - Designed To Shew How The Prosperity Of The British Empire - May Be Prolonged by William Playfair
page 276 of 470 (58%)
possess, and what it may always do without. [end of page #177]

The intention of this inquiry is not to discover a method by which a
nation may engross the trade that ought to belong to others, it is only
to enable it, by industry and other means, to guard against the
approaches of adversity, which tend to sink it far below its level,
thereby making way for the elevation of some other nation, on the
ruins of its greatness.

As, in the interior causes of decline, we have traced the most part to
the manners and habits of the people, so, in the exterior causes, it will
be found that much depends upon the conduct of the government. [end
of page #178]




CHAP. XI.


_Why the Intercourse between Nations is ultimately in Favour of the
poorer one, though not so at first_.

In all commercial intercourse with each other, (or competition in
selling to a third nation,) the poorer nation has the advantage in its
gain; but this advantage is generally prevented by the length of credit
which the wealthy nation is enabled to give, by which manufacturers
are sometimes ruined in their own country by strangers, who can
neither rival them in lowness of price nor goodness in quality.

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