FROM THE ARCHIVES:Protectionism was so much part of the culture by the early 1950s that opposing politicians like Seán MacBride, the minister for external affairs and leader of Clann na Poblachta, and Fianna Fáil's Seán Lemass were criticised for suggesting manufacturers should export their wares, a view supported by this editorial. – JOE JOYCE
IN THE current number of Irish Industry, more than one reference is made to the feeling among manufacturers that they are not being permitted to compete with foreign rivals on equal terms. The Minister for External Affairs is criticised because he said that “Ireland should think boldly in terms of creating industries that would cater essentially for export.”
This statement savours almost of hypocrisy, Irish Industry replies, coming from a member of a Government that has refused to give Ireland’s exporters the aids, encouragement and incentives provided by the Governments of other countries. Quick to dispel any appearance of partiality, the writer then rounds upon Mr. Sean Lemass, who has been saying that the fair test of the efficiency of Irish industry is the measurement of its capacity to produce and sell goods of equal quality at an equal price to similar goods produced abroad.
This, Mr. Lemass is reminded, is a retreat from a position that he formerly held, in the days when the late Government took into account the fact that Irish goods were not, and could not be, produced under comparable conditions to the manufactures of a highly industrialised country, such as Britain. At these arguments, which industrialists are constantly voicing in Ireland to-day, there can be little ground to cavil. It is manifestly absurd that politicians – or, for that matter, the general public - should complain of the inability of Irish producers to keep on level terms with rivals who are being encouraged to export by every expedient that the wit of Government can devise.
Before, however, our own Government takes a hand in this particular game, we should ask ourselves whether it is worth the playing. The countries of Europe, and in particular Britain, have shown a remarkable ability to hide from themselves the absurdities latent in their “export or die” campaigns. That is no reason why we should follow their example. The British, for instance, have now grown accustomed to the assumption that exports are economically valuable. As a result, they actually are sending many commodities abroad – coal is the obvious example – of which they are in dire need. Some of the countries that wanted British coal had insufficient sterling with which to pay for it. The ludicrous position has been reached where the British are actually importing goods that they do not really need, in order to provide customers with the currency to pay for, and remove, the coal which Britain needs urgently.
It is improbable that our own industries, with a few exceptions, will in measurable time be able to do much more than fulfil the requirements of the home market.