The Historical School: From Friedrich List to the Social Market Economy. Zemfira Nazarova

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СКАЧАТЬ historical school. The reason for the success of the book is probably also the fact that it was timely and pursued the goal of theoretically substantiating the urgent economic needs of Germany. Engels considered Liszt’s work "…the best of what German bourgeois economic literature has produced, although all of his celebrated work was copied from the Frenchman Ferrier». There may be some truth in these words, but it should be noted that any research is the result of analysis, including the literature of its predecessors and, as the author of this study believes, List’s work is a really very deep analysis of the economies of the European countries of his time and the theory of Adam Smith and a number of representatives of the classical school of political economy. It should also be noted that List, being in America, was familiar with the views of the American Minister of Finance (Secretary of the Treasury) Alexander Hamilton (1757—1804), who was the author of the program to encourage the development of national industry, and living in France, with the works and views of statesman and political figure, economist and publicist François Ferrier (1777—1861). Developing the idea of «educational protectionism» put forward by A. Hamilton and F. Ferrier, List advocated active intervention of the state in the economy in order to create a single national market and protect national production until it reached the English level of competitiveness. All this contributed to the expansion of List’s views and, reflecting the historical peculiarities of the development of capitalism in Germany, he, preaching the idea of «educational protectionism» opposes both the adherents of feudal orders and supporters of economic liberalism, and it is deeply substantiated in the work «National System of Political Economy», which he publishes in 1841.

      In this work List formulates his position in the consideration of the method, tasks and content of political economy: 1) historicism as a method of political economy; 2) productive forces as a source of wealth of the nation and 3) the national idea as the basis of economic policy of the state.

      List creates his own system of historical-economic development of nations, distinguishing five main stages: states of savagery, pastoral, agricultural, agricultural-manufacturing and agricultural-manufacturing-commercial.

      In the theory of productive forces, List considers «mental capital» – the main source of wealth – to be the main component.

      Friedrich List’s book «The National System of Political Economy» in Russian translation by V.M.Isergin, edited by K.V.Trubnikov, published in 1891 and republished by the publishing house «Sotsium» in 2017 contains four books: the first is called «History», the second – «Theory», the third – «Systems», the fourth – «Politics».

      In the introduction, compiled by Konstantin Trubnikov it is noted that F. List, during his lifetime, was known in the highest government, scholarly and public spheres throughout Germany, Austria, England, France and the United States of America, where he personally participated in scholarly economic literature. After his death, The National System of Political Economy was reprinted several times in Germany, and was translated into French and English. Trubnikov notes, «unfortunately, the „National System of Political Economy“ by Fr. List, which has a worldwide reputation, not only has not been translated into Russian until now, and therefore unknown to Russian educated society, but even very little known to most of our scientists-economists»45. Konstantin Trubnikov further states that the teachings of Fr. List constituted an epoch not only in the scientific, but also in the practical life of Germany and the United States, and were the guiding star that brought finance, agriculture, industry and commerce in these states to a flourishing state. Scholars of economics recognize that List’s «National System of Political Economy» may be regarded «as the highest scientific expression of the patronage system.»

      Let us turn directly to the primary source. In the preface of the book List notes that he has to tell in it almost half of his life, because «more than twenty-three years have passed since I had my first doubt about the truthfulness of the prevailing theory of political economy, since I devoted myself to the study of its fallacies and their root causes… I have studied as well as others everything that was then thought and written about the subject, but I did not want to limit myself to familiarize young people with the current state of science; I sought to teach them how the national-economic theory of political economy, the national system of political economy, the national system of protection, the national system of protection, and the national system of political economy46. And he also notes there that «for two very advanced nations, free competition can only be beneficial when they are both at the same approximate stage of industrial development». He found a difference between cosmopolitan economics, as he called classical political economy, and political economy.

      Criticizing the classical school for its «cosmopolitanism,» he formulated the doctrine of «national economy,» by which he meant a system of economic policy recommendations for the developing German national bourgeoisie. In his introduction, foregrounding the analysis of national factors and national unity, he argued that there is a «cosmopolitan and political economy, a theory of exchange-valued property and a theory of productive forces – doctrines different in essence, but which must be developed independently» and he further notes «the productive forces of nations depend not only on the labor, savings, morals, and abilities of men, or on the possession of natural treasures and material capitals, but also on social, political, and civilization. No matter how diligent, thrifty, skillful, enterprising, intelligent and moral individuals may be, yet without national unity, without national division of labor and without national cooperation of productive forces, a nation will never be able to attain a high degree of wealth and power or secure a lasting possession of its intellectual, social and material wealth»47.

      The first book, «History» of the «National System of Political Economy» includes an in-depth analysis of the development of the economies of the Italians, Hanseatic, Dutch, English, Spanish and Portuguese, French, Germans, Russians, North Americans and Chapter X – «Lessons of History». He speaks of the rise and loss of power of the Italian cities and the Hanseatic League, how they were supplanted by the Spanish and Portuguese and then the Dutch, in particular he claimed that «when Hanseatic shipping began to decline, the Dutch were building up to 2,000 new ships each year»48. And he goes on to note that until the first half of the seventeenth century, «the Dutch are as far above the English in factories and colonies, in trade and navigation, as the English are at present superior to the French in this respect.» And in the chapter on the English he emphasizes the thought of how, through the wise and energetic policy of Queen Elizabeth and the encouraging measures of the government, industry and commerce have developed in this country. F. List saw the beginning of the industrial and commercial greatness of England mainly in sheep breeding and wool production, emphasizing the great importance of the act of navigation for the growth of economic power of the country. Laying out the policy of protectionism of the English government, he wrote: «It comes out according to our theory, which we call the theory of productive forces and which, without investigating its foundations, recognized English ministers, adhering to the rule: buy raw materials, sell fabricated goods. The English ministers cared not for the acquisition of very cheap but transitory manufactures, but for the creation with endowments of an expensive and permanent manufactory force»49.

      In the history of the development of the French economy F.List notes the role of Colbert’s policy, singling out this time as a brilliant period of French industry and censures Kenet, who «censured» Colbert for the fact that he sought to bring factory industry at the expense of farming. Noting Napoleon’s «advancement» List writes «Once upon a time,» Napoleon said, «there was only one kind of property known – land property; now СКАЧАТЬ