Le Nord : revue internationale des Pays de Nord - 01.06.1938, Blaðsíða 288

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LE NORD
but it would create many new problems. If the Northern coun-
tries were combined in a customs union, i. e. in one economic
area, either the agriculture or some special branch of industry
of one country that was on a higher level might easily gain the
upper hand over a neighbouring country and actually smother
the corresponding production already in existence there. Under
present conditions especially this idea must therefore be con-
sidered beyond the bounds of possibility. If, on the contrary,
it were possible to grant customs preferences at will to such classes
of production, in which a neighbouring country was, indeed, able
to compete, but which were not carried on to any great extent
in the country itself, it would be possible to make considerable
headway.
When we consider, what means should be employed in order
to arrive at a closer economic co-operation, attention should also
be paid to such a question as the establishment of a suitable
division of labour between the Northern countries.
The natural conditions and the natural resources of each
country generally determine, what a country can produce and
what tasks it can engage in, but mankind can, nevertheless, assist
nature to a great extent in this and develop classes of production,
for which actual natural conditions do not exist. It seems a great
waste of energy, however, when one of the four countries is seen
to aim at self-sufficiency in spheres, for which no natural con-
ditions are in existence. If in this respect satisfactory co-operation
could be achieved by agreeing on a division of labour, a great
saving would be effected. Thus, one country might undertake
one difficult industry, a second another, and each supply the
requirements of the other Northern countries in these spheres. Such
a division of labour has already been carried out partially. I
refer, e. g., to the great armaments industry of Sweden and the
manufacture of nitrogen in Norway, which are able, at least in
normal circumstances, to satisfy the requirements of all four
countries.
The accomplishment of such a division of labour could be
extended to other spheres. Recent progress in the social and espe-
cially in the technical field of activities will force all countries
gradually to direct their efforts to such activities in which the
small countries can not so easily get entirely satisfactory results
or not results so remarkable as in some large countries with great
technical and financial resources. Larger countries can do certain