International trade

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Monograph

Identifikator:: 1758394757

URN:: urn:nbn:de:zbw-retromon-136209

Document type:: Monograph

Author:: Taussig, Frank William http://d-nb.info/gnd/120199459

Title:: International trade

Place of publication:: New York, NY

Publisher:: Macmillan

Year of publication:: 1927

Scope:: XXI, 425 Seiten; graph. Darst.

Digitisation:: 2021

Collection:: Economics Books

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Chapter

Document type:: Monograph

Structure type:: Chapter

Title:: Part II. Problems of verification

Collection:: Economics Books

DIFFERENCES IN LABOR COSTS 169 doubt, in a strictly accurate accounting, the machinery employed should also be reckoned in terms of labor. That 1s, there should be reckoned, in addition to the labor currently applied by the workers of the year, some part of the labor given in previous years to making the machinery — so large a part as corresponds to the depreciation of the machinery during this one year. Thus revised, the figures would show not quite so great a superiority in effective- ness for the United States. None the less a marked superiority would remain. And the explanation of that superiority, it is to be observed, is the very fact that more horsepower, more machinery was used. In the language of everyday life, it was the greater use of power and machinery that most contributed to making American labor effective and productive. In the language of economic theory, it was the use of previous or ancillary labor, given to making the machines, which — combined with the necessary waiting — served toward making all the labor more effective. The reader will bear in mind that in this chapter we are con- cerned solely with the fact of differences in physical output. The causes of the differences are another matter, to which attention will be directed in the next ensuing chapter. But certain other figures, which have at least a possible bearing on the causes (the explana- tion) of the differences, may be of interest. It appeared that for each ton of pig iron produced there were used in Great Britain 2.48 tons of ore and cinder (lime-stone); in the United States, 1.96 tons. In this regard, the effectiveness of labor was some- what greater, tho not strikingly greater in the United States. The advantage was presumably due to a simple physical cause, the greater richness of the American ore; and not to any human cause, such as greater use of power and machinery, or more effective exertions by the workmen. As regards coal consumption, there was a similar difference. For each ton of pig iron produced, 2.09 tons of coal were used in Great Britain, 1.74 in the United States. Here also the main explanation is probably to be found in the better quality of the American coal used in the blast-furnaces. [ know of no evidence to indicate that there was better handling or utilization of the coal.

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