From page 86 of the Liberty Fund edition of Frederic Bastiat’s collected works, Economic Sophisms and “What Is Seen and What Is Not Seen”:
“What will we do in case of war,” [French] people say, “if we are subject to England’s discretion with regard to iron and coal?”
Monopolists in England, for their part, unfailingly proclaim:
“What would become of Great Britain in time of war if she were dependent on France for her food?”
We tend to disregard one fact, which is that this type of dependence resulting from trade and commercial transactions is mutual. We cannot be dependent on foreigners without them being dependent on us.
Inertia Wins! 