This text passage is a (partial) English translation of Francois Quesnay's »Depotisme de la chine« (1767) ...
, a book which was a major basis for free-trade and capitalist theory.
It was done with an online translation machine.
The quoted passage uses the metaphor of a feeding bird swarm to postulate a »natural« state of economy, which is best when unregulated. It locates this ideal natural form of economy in China.
The letters forming the quote were purchased online in China using an e- commerce platform, where they were produced with machines for a price that seems in no relation to material and labour value.
Neural machine translation of Francois Quesnay's »Depotisme de la chine«, wooden letters bought in China for 0,008 EUR/pcs, pins, taxidermized birds, 2017
In private collection
