6 THE POLICY OF THE PLOUGH 



progress. Economic expedients justify themselves 

 in exact accordance with their ability to bring to a 

 head, or to sharpen, an incentive. Moral energy is 

 the true source of wealth. 



Mr. Middleton has said that the German tariff did 

 not of itself revolutionise German agriculture. What 

 did revolutionise it was the policy of which the tariff 

 was an expression. The tariff justified itself in being 

 a visible pledge or guarantee that the State was 

 behind the farmer. The State had adopted a certain 

 policy for a very good — or, rather, for a very sinister 

 — ^reason, and the farmer knew that the State in no 

 circumstances would allow him to come to grief from 

 any cause outside his own control. Every case of 

 economic intervention in every country, if this reason- 

 ing be correct, must be judged on its merits. Where 

 confidence is obviously needed to ensure the progress 

 of some industry which is essential to the well-being 

 or security of a nation, the State must act in such a 

 way as to create an atmosphere of confidence in that 

 industry. When there is no need for haste a growth 

 of confidence may be cultivated in a leisurely fashion 

 along the line of least resistance ; when there is need 

 for haste the remedy must be more impressive, more 

 potent, and also immediate in its action. In short, 

 where a national end is to be served the State must 

 act in the sincere belief that that end — ^something 

 hitherto unattained and perhaps regarded as un- 

 attainable — ^is worth achieving, and that if the incen- 

 tive for its accomplishment be successfully encouraged 

 the price will be cheap whatever can be urged against 

 it by mathematical demonstration. 



