Recent Developments in World Trade
Need for Export Markets
According to Prime Minister Ferry, industrial France needs outlets or markets to export their products and colonies provide the most effective market for selling French goods. Major French industries such as textiles need more outlets for economic growth. Neighboring countries such as Germany had started to implement trade barriers and the United States had implemented protectionist policies, further increasing the need for new markets for French goods. In addition, the industrialized nations had started to push their products into the French markets. Overall, the markets for French goods were shrinking, both and abroad and colonies provided an undisputed market for selling French goods.
Increased Competition
Arguments against Imperialism and Ferry’s Countering Argument
Ferry’s critics claim that France should not partake in the European Imperialist greed and needs to be place a peaceful role in the global context. The critics consider Ferry’s ambitions as a trap and an adventure only for enslaving people. Ferry countered this argument by claiming that spreading the light was impossible without colonizing the uncivil society. In addition, he considered that by staying away from the alliances and Imperialist ambitions, France would soon fall behind other European nations and sink their own legacy to fall behind weaker nations.
Non-Economic Arguments
Duty to Civilize
Ferry makes an argument for the duty of French as the superior race to educate and civilize the inferior races in the colonies. Ferry points out that, other colonists have failed in their duty of civilizing their colonies and the French would not follow the suit. Ferry claims that Spanish colonists moved to Central America have failed in their duty towards inferior classes as introduced slavery and failed to civilize the inferiors. Ferry request for acquitting the French thinking towards Imperialism and consider it as an act of grandeur, generosity, and sincerity; as they would be performing their moral duty to civilize the inferior classes based in colonies.
Naval Warfare
Ferry also points out that the naval warfare has taken a new direction with the passage of time. He identifies that no warship is capable of carrying more than 2 weeks of coal supply, meaning the French vessels can be wrecked when faced with high seas. Also, the sailors would need to abandon their ships and the goods would become the property of the first occupiers. The only way to ensure that French vessels were safe was to ensure that they had places to supply necessary products such as coal, ammunition and other necessities during their travels. Therefore, Ferry was asking for French Imperialism that would ensure that French ports were available on every corner of the world for protecting French interests and keeping shelter and provisions for challenging times.
