The Causes of Emigration, § 17

§ 17

Among the branches of economy, Sweden’s commerce is still under the yoke and contributes disproportionately to our emigration.

Great trading nations have by free and unrestricted trade and navigation made their flags respected throughout the world. Sweden has had the same objective as them but has used quite different means to that end.

We have been convinced that restrictions, exclusive privileges and secrets would be most effective. For that purpose a commercial ordinance was issued on 10 February 1614, but as it still did not have the desired effect, another one was issued in 1617,1For that purpose a commercial ordinance was issued on 10 February 1614 ... another one was issued in 1617: this refers to two commercial ordinances that circumscribed the rights of the lesser towns to engage in foreign trade (the so-called staple system). which concentrated the commerce in fewer hands: it specified certain towns that were to be solely permitted to engage in overseas navigation, others were allowed to engage in shipping between themselves within the country but some only to Stockholm51 and Turku. All rural trading was banned and a long list of contraband goods enabled any inspector to accost a merchant whenever he so wished.

These regulations are already so old that they have had ample time to demonstrate their effectiveness. The English are now able to deploy more than 300 sail in their navy, but Sweden does not even reach a third of that number, with regulations like these.

Medicines that fail cause a sick person to resort all the sooner to one that has helped others. Yet our merchants assert as eagerly as ever that the old constraint is the only remedy for our flagging commerce and regard any changes in it as matters of conscience in politicis.2in politicis: in or on politics. Even if someone could therefore show with mathematical precision that the old ordinances no longer even suit the condition of our commerce, that a free trade increases the quantity of commodities and that the resulting quantity of commodities employs and retains more citizens, they still stand by their assertion as firmly as ever.

I am obliged on this occasion to be briefer on a subject that demands more extensive treatment than I had intended. The matter has been dealt with by several writers elsewhere,3by several writers elsewhere: Especially referring to Per (Petter) Stenhagen’s tract Tankar om nödwändigheten af stapel-städers anläggande i Sweriges norra orter och i synnerhet i Öster- och Wästerbotten (Stockholm, 1762). It is possible that Chydenius also means his own tract on this subject, Wederläggning af de skäl, hwarmed man söker bestrida öster- och wästerbotniska samt wäster-norrländske städerne fri seglation, which was published two months earlier than his piece on emigration. and the arguments adduced against freedom of trade have already been addressed and clearly refuted. But if authority buttressed by arguments is more impressive, the proceedings of the honourable Estate of Nobility52 on this subject recorded during the last Diet, and in particular those of 24 April 1762, deserve to be read with due attention.4the proceedings of the honourable Estate of the Nobility: Chydenius is probably referring to discussions concerning the staple ordinance. At the very end of the Diet of 1761–2 the Estate of Nobility decided to approve of the establishment of three new staple towns in Ostrobothnia and two in Norrland. However, on this particular day the minutes contain hardly anything that coincides with Chydenius’s description.

1. For that purpose a commercial ordinance was issued on 10 February 1614 ... another one was issued in 1617: this refers to two commercial ordinances that circumscribed the rights of the lesser towns to engage in foreign trade (the so-called staple system).
2. in politicis: in or on politics.
3. by several writers elsewhere: Especially referring to Per (Petter) Stenhagen’s tract Tankar om nödwändigheten af stapel-städers anläggande i Sweriges norra orter och i synnerhet i Öster- och Wästerbotten (Stockholm, 1762). It is possible that Chydenius also means his own tract on this subject, Wederläggning af de skäl, hwarmed man söker bestrida öster- och wästerbotniska samt wäster-norrländske städerne fri seglation, which was published two months earlier than his piece on emigration.
4. the proceedings of the honourable Estate of the Nobility: Chydenius is probably referring to discussions concerning the staple ordinance. At the very end of the Diet of 1761–2 the Estate of Nobility decided to approve of the establishment of three new staple towns in Ostrobothnia and two in Norrland. However, on this particular day the minutes contain hardly anything that coincides with Chydenius’s description.