Though the principle of all commerce is the same, the domestic, in a national view, is the part the most beneficial; because the whole of the advantages, an both sides, rests within the nation; whereas, in foreign commerce, it is only a participation of one-half.
Thomas Paine: “Though the principle of all commerce is the same, the domestic, in a national view, is the part the most beneficial…”
Editor's note · Context
Paine argues for the superior benefits of internal trade over international trade for a nation's overall prosperity.
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