DANIEL DEFOE AS A PROMOTER OF ENGLAND'S INDUSTRIAL PROSPERITY IN THE EARLY EIGHTEENTH CENTURY (BASED ON TRAVELS IN THE EASTERN COUNTIES OF ENGLAND)

This article explores Daniel Defoe’s Travels in the Eastern Counties of England as both a descriptive and persuasive text. It argues that Defoe not only documented economic life but also actively promoted the idea of England as a rapidly developing industrial nation. Writing in the context of the English Enlightenment, he presented economic progress as a key marker of national strength. Focusing on East Anglia and the counties south of London, the study shows how Defoe highlighted the growth of manufacturing, especially in the textile sector, while also noting shipbuilding, metalwork, and other industries. His descriptions often emphasize productivity, diversity of output, and access to trade routes, particularly seaports. At the same time, he acknowledges regional differences and economic challenges. The article concludes that Defoe’s travel writing functioned not only as observation but also as a form of economic advocacy aimed at shaping public perception of England’s prosperity.本文将丹尼尔·笛福的《英格兰东部诸郡游记》同时视作描述性文本与劝服性文本展开研究。本文主张，笛福不仅记录了当时的经济生活，更主动宣扬了英格兰作为快速发展的工业国家的理念。在英格兰启蒙运动的时代背景下，他将经济进步视为国家实力的核心标志。 本研究以东盎格利亚及伦敦南部诸郡为聚焦对象，揭示了笛福如何着重展现制造业的发展——尤以纺织业为甚——同时提及造船业、金属制品业与其他行业。其描述往往强调生产效率、产出多样性以及贸易通路（尤其是海港）的通达性。与此同时，他也正视了区域差异与经济困境。 本文最终指出，笛福的游记作品不仅发挥了观察记录的功能，更作为一种经济宣传手段，旨在引导公众对英格兰繁荣景象的认知。