World-power and evolution / by Ellsworth Huntington.

  • Ellsworth Huntington
Date:
1919
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: World-power and evolution / by Ellsworth Huntington. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    occurred a year before the absolute minimum of health. Hence, since the curves are drawn with the imports and exports shoved two 3Tears to the left, there does not appear to be much agreement. The health maximum of 1887-1888, however, is faithfully reflected in both of the business curves. So, too, is the minimum of 1893, which is delayed two years in imports and one year in exports. In all three curves the minor maximum of 1891 is apparent, although it is insignificant in the line for imports. Next comes the little maximum of 1894, which is evident in the exports but not in the imports. The general high level of health from 1894 to 1898 has its counterpart in an increase of both imports and exports reaching a maximum in 1900, which appears in Figure 6 as 1898. Then comes a rapid drop in all the curves. Taking the curves as a whole we may say that up to 1900 (or 1902 in the business curves) the course of health is closely followed by that of business, especially in the imports, which seem to be an excellent measure of general prosperity. After 1900, however, the other curves appear to have nothing to do with that of health. That w*as the time when the German imperial policy began to be effective. German business was not allowed to pursue its natural course as hitherto. It was officially boosted, guided, and, if need be, chastised. Notice the unnatural steadiness with which the imports increased from 1902 to 1907 (1900 to 1905 according to the health dates). The sudden collapse in 1907 may perhaps have had something to do with the American panic. Then once more the government’s steady boosting began to have effect. From this brief survey of European countries we conclude that in Europe as well as in America health has much to do with eco¬ nomic cycles. In countries like England and France the mildness of both the summers and winters causes the variations in nervous activity to be so slight that their effect is concealed by other influences such as the commerce and foreign relations of England and the thrift of France together with her lack of an expansive labor supply. Yet when further analysis is possible, even these
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