第18章

类别:其他 作者:John K. Ingram字数:14088更新时间:18/12/18 13:38:00
Withthisdoctrine,thatofcostofproductionasdeterminingpricecollapses,andtheprincipleemergesthatitisnotcostof production,butdemandandsupply,onwhichdomestic,nolessthaninternational,valuesdepend,thoughthisformulawill requiremuchinterpretationbeforeitcanbeusedsafelyandwithadvantage。ThusLeslieextendstothewholeofthenational industrythepartialnegationoftheolderdogmaintroducedbyCairnesthroughtheideaofnon—competinggroups。Hedoes not,ofcourse,disputetherealoperationofcostofproductiononpriceinthelimitedareawithinwhichratesofprofitand wagesaredeterminateandknown;buthemaintainsthatitsactiononthelargescaleistooremoteanduncertaintojustify ourtreatingitasregulatorofprice。Now,ifthisbeso,theentireedificewhichRicardorearedonthebasisoftheidentityof costofproductionandprice,withitsapparentbutunrealsimplicity,symmetry,andcompleteness,disappears;andthe groundisclearedforthenewstructurewhichmusttakeitsplace。Lesliepredictsthat,ifpoliticaleconomy,underthatname, doesnotbenditselftothetaskofrearingsuchastructure,theofficewillspeedilybetakenoutofitshandsbySociology。 Lesliewasasuccessfulstudentofseveralspecialeconomicsubjectsofagriculturaleconomy,oftaxation,ofthedistribution ofthepreciousmetalsandthehistoryofprices,and,ashasbeenindicated,ofthemovementsofwages。Butitisinrelation tothemethodandfundamentaldoctrinesofthesciencethathedidthemostimportant,becausethemostopportuneand needfulwork。And,thoughhiscoursewasclosedtooearlyfortheinterestsofknowledge,andmuchofwhatheproduced wasmerelyoccasionalandfragmentary,hisserviceswillbefoundtohavebeengreaterthanthoseofmanywhohaveleft behindthemmoresystematic,elaborate,andpretentiouswritings。 OneofthemostoriginalofrecentEnglishwritersonPoliticalEconomywasW。StanleyJevons(18351882)。The combinationwhichhepresentedofapredilectionandaptitudeforexactstatisticalinquirywithsagacityandingenuityinthe interpretationoftheresultswassuchasmightremindusofPetty。Hetendedstronglytobringeconomicsintocloserelation withphysicalscience。Hemadeamarkedimpressiononthepublicmindbyhisattempttotakestockofourresourcesinthe articleofcoal。Hisideaofarelationbetweentherecurrencesofcommercialcrisesandtheperiodofthesun—spotsgave evidenceofafertileandboldscientificimagination,thoughhecannotbesaidtohavesucceededinestablishingsucha relation。HewasauthorofanexcellenttreatiseonMoneyandtheMechanismofExchange(1875),andofvariousessayson currencyandfinance,whichhavebeencollectedsincehisdeath,andcontainvigorousdiscussionsonsubjectsofthisnature, asonbimetallism(withadecidedtendencyinfavourofthesinglegoldstandard),andseveralvaluablesuggestions,aswith respecttothemostperfectsystemofcurrency,domesticandinternational,andinparticulartheextensionofthepaper currencyinEnglandtosmallerdenominations。Heproposedinotherwritings(collectedinMethodsofSocialReform,1883) avarietyofmeasures,onlypartlyeconomicintheircharacter,directedespeciallytotheelevationoftheworkingclasses,one ofthemostimportantbeinginrelationtotheconditionsofthelabourofmarriedwomeninfactories。Thiswasoneof severalinstancesinwhichherepudiatedthelaisserfaireprinciple,which,indeed,inhisbookonTheStateinRelationto Labour(1882),herefutedintheclearestandmostconvincingway,withoutchangingthepositionhehadalwaysmaintained asanadvocateoffreetrade。Towardstheendofhiscareer,whichwasprematurelyterminated,hewasmoreandmore throwingoff\"theincubusofmetaphysicalideasandexpressions\"whichstillimpededtherecognitionorconfusedthe appreciationofsocialfacts。Hewas,inhisownwords,evermoredistinctlycomingtotheconclusion\"thattheonlyhopeof attainingatruesystemofeconomicsistoflingaside,onceandforever,themazyandpreposterousassumptionsofthe Ricardianschool。\"Withrespecttomethod,thoughhedeclaresittobehisaimto\"investigateinductivelytheintricate phenomenaoftradeandindustry,\"hisviewshadnotperhapsassumedadefinitiveshape。Theeditorofsomeofhisremains declinestoundertakethedeterminationofhisexactpositionwithrespecttothehistoricalschool。Thefullestindicationswe possessonthatsubjectaretobefoundinalectureof1876,OntheFutureofPoliticalEconomy。Hesawtheimportance andnecessityineconomicsofhistoricalinvestigation,alineofstudywhichhehimselfwasledbynativebenttoprosecutein somedirections。Buthescarcelyapprehendedthefullmeaningofthehistoricalmethod,whichheerroneouslycontrasted withthe\"theoretical,\"andapparentlysupposedtobeconcernedonlywithverifyingandillustratingcertainabstractdoctrines restingonindependentbases。Hence,whilsthedeclaredhimselfinfavourof\"thoroughreformandreconstruction,\"he soughttopreservetheapriorimodeofproceedingalongsideof,andconcurrentlywith,thehistorical。Politicaleconomy,in fact,hethoughtwasbreakingupandfallingintoseveral,probablyintomany,differentbranchesofinquiry,prominent amongstwhichwouldbethe\"theory\"asithaddescendedfromhisbestpredecessors,especiallythoseoftheFrenchschool, whilstanotherwouldbethe\"historicalstudy,\"asitwasfollowedinEnglandbyJones,Rogers,andothers,andasithad beenproclaimedingeneralprinciplebyhiscontemporaryCliffeLeslie。Thiswasoneofthoseeclecticviewswhichhaveno permanentvalidity,butareusefulinfacilitatingatransition。Thetwomethodswilldoubtlessforatimecoexist,butthe historicalwillinevitablysupplantitsrival。WhatJevonsmeantasthe\"theory\"hewishedtotreatbymathematicalmethods (seehisTheoryofPoliticalEconomy,1871;2ded。,1879)。Thisprojecthad,aswehaveseen,beenentertainedandpartially carriedintoeffectbyothersbeforehim,thoughheundulymultipliesthenumberofsuchearlieressayswhen,forexample,he mentionsRicardoandJ。S。Millaswritingmathematicallybecausetheysometimesillustratedthemeaningoftheir propositionsbydealingwithdefinitearithmeticalquantities。Suchillustrations,ofwhichaspecimenissuppliedbyMill’s treatmentofthesubjectofinternationaltrade,havereallynothingtodowiththeuseofmathematicsasaninstrumentfor economicresearch,orevenfortheco—ordinationofeconomictruths。Wehavealready,inspeakingofCournot,explained why,asitseemstous,theapplicationofmathematicsinthehighersensetoeconomicsmustnecessarilyfail,andwedonot thinkthatitsucceededinJevons’shands。Hisconceptionof\"finalutility\"isingenious。Butitisnomorethanamodeof presentingthenotionofpriceinthecaseofcommoditieshomogeneousinqualityandadmittingofincreasebyinfinitestimal additions;andtheexpectationofbeingablebymeansofittosubjecteconomicdoctrinetoamathematicalmethodwillbe foundillusory。Heoffers(16)astheresultofahundredpagesofmathematicalreasoningwhathecallsa\"curious conclusion,\"(17)inwhich\"thekeystoneofthewholetheoryofexchangeandoftheprincipalproblemsofeconomicslies。\" Thisisthepropositionthat\"theratioofexchangeofanytwocommoditieswillbethereciprocaloftheratioofthefinal degreesofutilityofthequantitiesofcommodityavailableforconsumptionaftertheexchangeiscompleted。\"Nowaslongas weremainintheregionofthemetaphysicalentitiestermedutilities,thistheoremisunverifiableandindeedunintelligible, becausewehavenomeansofestimatingquantitativelythementalimpressionoffinal,oranyother,utility。Butwhenwe translateitintothelanguageofreallife,measuringthe\"utility\"ofanythingtoamanbywhathewillgiveforit,the propositionisatonceseentobeatruism。WhatJevonscalls\"finalutility\"beingsimplythepriceperunitofquantity,the theoremstatesthat,inanactofexchange,theproductofthequantityofthecommoditygivenbyitspriceperunitof quantity(estimatedinathirdarticle)isthesameasthecorrespondingproductforthecommodityreceivedatruthso obviousastorequirenoapplicationofthehighermathematicstodiscoverit。Ifwecannotlookforresultsmoresubstantial thanthis,thereisnotmuchencouragementtopursuesuchresearches,whichwillinfactneverbeanythingmorethan academicplaythings,andwhichinvolvetheveryrealevilofrestoringthe\"metaphysicalideasandexpressionspreviously discarded。ThereputationofJevonsasanacuteandvigorousthinker,inspiredwithnoblepopularsympathies,issufficiently established。Buttheattempttorepresenthim,inspiteofhimself,asafollowerandcontinuatorofRicardo,andasoneofthe principalauthorsofthedevelopmentofeconomictheory(meaningby\"theory\"theoldaprioridoctrine)canonlylowerhim inestimationbyplacinghisservicesongroundswhichwillnotbearcriticism。Hisnamewillsurvivemconnection,notwith newtheoreticalconstructions,butwithhistreatmentofpracticalproblems,hisfreshandlivelyexpositions,and,aswehave shown,hisenergetictendencytoarenovationofeconomicmethod。 ArnoldToynbee(18521883),wholeftbehindhimabeautifulmemory,filledashewaswiththeloveoftruthandanardent andactivezealforthepublicgood,wasauthorofsomefragmentaryorunfinishedpieces,whichyetwelldeserveattention bothfortheirintrinsicmeritandasindicatingthepresentdriftofallthehighestnatures,especiallyamongstouryounger men,inthetreatmentofeconomicquestions。(18)Hehadabeliefintheorganizingpowerofdemocracywhichitisnoteasyto share,andsomestrangeideasduetoyouthfulenthusiasm,suchas,forexample,thatMazziniis\"thetrueteacherofour age;\"andhefluctuatesconsiderablyinhisopinionoftheRicardianpoliticaleconomy,inoneplacedeclaringittobea detected\"intellectualimposture,\"whilstelsewhere,apparentlyundertheinfluenceofBagehot,hespeaksofitashavingbeen inrecenttimes\"onlycorrected,re—stated,andputintotheproperrelationtothescienceoflife,\"meaningapparently,bythis last,generalsociology。Hesaw,however,thatourgreathelpinthefuturemustcome,asmuchhadalreadycome,fromthe historicalmethod,towhichinhisownresearcheshegavepreponderantweight。Itstruecharacter,too,heunderstoodbetter thanmanyevenofthosewhohavecommendedit;forheperceivedthatitnotmerelyexplainstheactionofspeciallocalor temporaryconditionsoreconomicphenomena,butseeks,bycomparingthestagesofsocialdevelopmentindifferent countriesandtimes,to\"discoverlawsofuniversalapplication。\"If,aswearetold,thereexistsatOxfordarisinggroupof menwhooccupyapositioninregardtoeconomicthoughtsubstantiallyidenticalwiththatofToynbee,thefactisoneof goodomenforthefutureofthescience。 AMERICA Foralongtime,aswehavealreadyobserved,littlewasdonebyAmericainthefieldofEconomics。Themostobvious explanationofthisfact,whichholdswithrespecttophilosophicalstudiesgenerally,istheabsorptionoftheenergiesofthe nationinpracticalpursuits。FurtherreasonsaresuggestedintwoinstructiveEssaysonebyProfessorCharlesF。Dunbarin theNorthAmericanReview,1876,theotherbyCliffeLeslieintheFortnightlyReviewforOctober1880。 WehavealreadyreferredtotheReportonManufacturesbyAlexanderHamilton;andthememorialdrawnupbyAlbert Gallatin(1832),andpresentedtoCongressfromthePhiladelphiaConventioninfavourofTariffreform,deservestobe mentionedasanablestatementoftheargumentsagainstprotection。ThreeeditionsoftheWealthofNationsappearedin America,in1789,1811,and1818,andRicardo’sprincipalworkwasreprintedtherein1819。ThetreatisesofDaniel Raymond(1820),ThomasCooper(1826),WillardPhillips(1828),FrancisWayland(1837),andHenryVethake(1838) madeknowntheprinciplesarrivedatbyAdamSmithandsomeofhissuccessors。Rae,aScotchmansettledinCanada, published(1834)abookentitledNewPrinciplesofPoliticalEconomy,whichhasbeenhighlypraisedbyJ。S。Mill(bk。i。 chap。ii),especiallyforitstreatmentofthecauseswhichdeterminetheaccumulationofcapital。Theprincipalworkswhich afterwardsappeareddowntothetimeoftheCivilWarwereFrancisBowen’sPrinciplesofPoliticalEconomy,1856, afterwardsentitledAmericanPoliticalEconomy,1870;JohnBascom’sPoliticalEconomy,1859;andStephenColwell’sWaysandMeansofPayment,1859。IntheperiodincludingandfollowingthewarappearedAmasaWalker’sScienceof Wealth,1866;i8thed。,1883,andA。L。Perry’sElementsofPoliticalEconomy,1866。A。WalkerandPerryarefree—traders; PerryisadiscipleofBastiat。OfCareywehavealreadyspokenatsomelength;hisAmericanfollowersareE。PeshineSmith (AManualofPoliticalEconomy,1853),WilliamElder(QuestionsoftheDay,1871),andRobertE。Thompson(Social Science,1875)。ThenameofnoAmericaneconomiststandshigherthanthatofGeneralFrancisAWalker(sonofAmasa Walker),authorofspecialworksontheWagesQuestion(1876)andonMoney(1878),aswellasofanexcellentgeneral treatiseonPoliticalEconomy(1883;2ded。1887)。EarlyworksonAmericaneconomichistoryarethoseofA。S。Bolles, entitledIndustrialHistoryoftheUnitedStates(1878),andFinancialHistoryoftheUnitedStates,17741885,publishedin 1879andlateryears。 ThedeeperandmorecomprehensivestudyofthesubjectwhichhasoflateyearsprevailedinAmerica,addedtoinfluences fromabroad,hasgivenrise,therealso,toadivisionofeconomistsintotwoschoolsanoldandanewsimilartothose whichwehavefoundconfrontingeachotherelsewhere。AmeetingwasheldatSaratogainSeptember1885,atwhicha societywasfounded,calledtheAmericanEconomicAssociation。Theobjectofthismovementwastoopposetheideathat thefieldofeconomicresearchwasclosed,andtopromotealargerandmorefruitfulstudyofeconomicquestions。Thesame spiritledtotheestablishmentoftheQuarterlyJournalofEconomics,publishedatBostonforHarvardUniversity。Thefirst articleinthisJournalwasbyC。F。Dunbar,whosereviewofaCenturyofAmericanPoliticalEconomywehavealready noticed;andinthisarticlehesetout,intheinterestofconciliation,thetendenciesofthetwoschools。 Thisdivisionofopinionwasmanifestedinastrikingwaybyadiscussiononthemethodandfundamentalprinciplesof Economics,whichwasconductedinthepagesoftheperiodicalentitledScience,andhassincebeenreproducedinaseparate form(ScienceEconomicDiscussion,NewYork,1886)。Inthiscontroversytheviewsofthenewschoolwereexpounded andadvocatedwithgreatability。Thetruenatureofeconomicmethod,therelativitybothofeconomicinstitutionsandof economicthought,arisingfromtheirdependenceonvaryingsocialconditions,thecloseconnectionofeconomicdoctrine withcontemporaryjurisprudence,thenecessityofkeepingeconomicsinharmonywithsocialethics,andtheimportanceofa studyofconsumption(deniedbyJ。S。Millandothers)wereallexhibitedwithremarkableclearnessandforce。(19)Thereis everyreasontobelievewithLesliethatAmericawilltakeanactivepartbothinbringingtolighttheeconomicproblemsof thefutureandinworkingouttheirsolution。 NOTES: 1。Itwouldbeagraveerrortosupposethatthesubjectionofsocialphenomenatonaturallawsaffordsanyencouragement toaspiritoffatalisticquietism。Onthecontrary,itistheexistenceofsuchlawsthatisthenecessarybasisofallsystematic actionfortheimprovementeitherofourconditionorofournature,asmaybeseenbyconsideringtheparallelcaseof hygienicandthereapeuticagencies。And,sincethedifferentordersofphenomenaaremoremodifiableinproportiontotheir greatercomplexity,thesocialfieldadmitsofmoreextensiveandefficacioushumaninterventionthantheinorganicorvital domain。InrelationtothedynamicalsideofSociology,whilstthedirectionandessentialcharacteroftheevolutionare predetermined,itsrateandsecondaryfeaturesarecapableofmodification。 2。Hehadalreadyin1822statedhisfundamentalprinciplesinanepusculewhichisreproducedintheAppendixtohisPolitiquePositive。 3。UndertheinfluenceoftheseviewsofComte,J。S。MillattemptedinBookIV。ofhisPoliticalEconomyatreatmentof EconomicDynamics;butthatappearstousoneoftheleastsatisfactoryportionsofhiswork。 4。ThisphraseologywasprobablyborrowedfromthecontroversyonthemethodofjurisprudencebetweenThibautonthe onehandandSavignyandtheschoolofHugoontheother。 5。Itwillineachcasebenecessarytoexaminewhethertheactioncanbestbetakenbythecentral,orbythelocal, government。 6。ThisshouldberememberedbyreadersofM。Leroy—Beaulieu’sworkonCollectivism(1884),inwhichbetreatsSchäffleas theprincipaltheoreticrepresentativeofthatformofsocialism。 7。Bythepresentwriter;beinganAddresstotheSectionofEconomicScienceandStatisticsoftheBritishAssociationatits meetinginDublinin1878。 8。GuidetotheStudyofPoliticalEconomy,1880。SeealsotheBibliographicalmatterinhisPrimiElementidiE。P。,vol。i, 8thed。,1888。 9。SeehisSaggidiEconomiaPolitica。1881 10。TheremarkablebookMoneyandMorals,byJohnLalor,1852。waswrittenpartlyundertheinfluenceofCarlyle。There isagoodmonographentitledJohnRuskin’s,Economist,byP。Geddes,1884。 11。SeeherAutobiogaphy。2ded。,vol。ii,p。244。 12。AvigorousattackonthereceivedsystemwasmadebyDavidSymeinhisOutlinesofanIndustrialScience,1876。 13。Jones,whosewritingswereapparentlyunknowntoBagehot,had。aswehaveseen,insomedegreeanticipatedhiminhis exposition。 14。MrRogershassincecontinuedthiswork,andhasalsopublishedTheFirstNineYearsoftheBankofEngland,1887。 15。ThatservicewasduetoF。D。Lange(RefutationoftheWage—FundTheoryofModernPoliticalEconomy,1866)。 Leslie’streatmentofthesubjectwascontainedinanarticleofFraser’sMagazineforJuly1868。reprintedasanappendixto hisLand—SystemsandIndustrialEconomyofIreland。England,andContinentalCountries,1870。 16。TheoryofPoliticalEconomy。2ded。,p。103。 17。FortnightlyReviewforNovember1876,p。617。 18。SeehisLecturesonTheIndustrialRevolutioninEngland,withMemoirbytheMasterofBalliol,1884;2ded。,1887。 19。ThecontributorsonthesideofthenewschoolwereDr。EdwinR。A。Seligman,ProfessorE。J。James,Professor RichardT。Ely,HenryC。Adams,RichmondMayoSmith,andSimonN。Patten。Therepresentativesoftheoldschoolwere ProfessorSimonNewcomb,F。W。Taussig,andArthurT。Hadley。 CHAPTERVII CONCLUSION Letusbrieflyconsiderinconclusion,bythelightoftheprecedinghistoricalsurvey,whatappeartobethestepsinthe directionofarenovationofeconomicsciencewhicharenowatoncepracticableandurgent。 I。Economicinvestigationhashithertofallenforthemostpartintothehandsoflawyersandmenofletters,notintothoseof agenuinelyscientificclass。Norhaveitscultivatorsingeneralhadthatsoundpreparationinthesciencesofinorganicand vitalnaturewhichisnecessarywhetherassupplyingbasesofdoctrineorasfurnishinglessonsofmethod。Theireducation hasusuallybeenofametaphysicalkindHencepoliticaleconomyhasretainedmuchoftheformandspiritwhichbelongedto itintheseventeenthandeighteenthcenturies,insteadofadvancingwiththetimes,andassumingatrulypositivecharacter。It ishomogeneouswiththeschoollogic,withtheabstractunhistoricaljurisprudence,withtheaprioriethicsandpolitics,and othersimilarantiquatedsystemsofthought;anditwillbefoundthatthosewhoinsistmoststronglyonthemaintenanceof itstraditionalcharacterhavederivedtheirhabitualmentalpabulumfromthoseregionsofobsoletespeculation。Wecanthus understandtheattitudeoftruemenofsciencetowardsthisbranchofstudy,whichtheyregardwithill—disguisedcontempt, andtowhoseprofessorstheyeitherrefuseorveryreluctantlyconcedeaplaceintheirbrotherhood。 Theradicalviceofthisunscientificcharacterofpoliticaleconomyseemstolieinthetooindividualandsubjectiveaspect underwhichithasbeentreated。Wealthhavingbeenconceivedaswhatsatisfiesdesires,thedefinitelydeterminablequalities possessedbysomeobjectsofsupplyingphysicalenergy,andimprovingthephysiologicalconstitution,areleftoutof account。Everythingisgaugedbythestandardofsubjectivenotionsanddesires。Alldesiresareviewedasequallylegitimate, andallthatsatisfiesourdesiresasequallywealth。Valuebeingregardedastheresultofapurelymentalappreciation,the socialvalueofthingsinthesenseoftheirobjectiveutility,whichisoftenscientificallymeasurable,ispassedover,andratio ofexchangeisexclusivelyconsidered。Thetruthis,thatatthebottomofalleconomicinvestigationmustlietheideaofthe destinationofwealthforthemaintenanceandevolutionofasociety。And,ifweoverlookthis,oureconomicswillbecomea playoflogicoramanualforthemarket,ratherthanacontributiontosocialscience;whilstwearinganairofcompleteness, theywillbeintruthone—sidedandsuperficial。EconomicscienceissomethingfarlargerthantheCatallacticstowhichsome havewishedtoreduceitAspecialmeritofthephysiocratsseemstohavelainintheirvagueperceptionofthecloserelation oftheirstudytothatofexternalnature;and,sofar,wemustrecurtotheirpointofview,basingoureconomicsonphysics andbiologyasdevelopedinourowntime。(1)Further,thesciencemustbeclearedofallthetheologico—metaphysicalelements ortendencieswhichstillencumberanddeformit。Teleologyandoptimismontheonehand,andthejargonof\"natural liberty\"and\"indefeasiblerights\"ontheother,mustbefinallyabandoned。 Norcanweassumeasuniversalpremises,fromwhicheconomictruthscanbedeductivelyderived,theconvenientformulas whichhavebeenhabituallyemployed,suchashatallmendesirewealthanddislikeexertion。Thesevaguepropositions, whichprofesstoanticipateandsupersedesocialexperience,andwhichnecessarilyintroducetheabsolutewhererelativity shouldreign,mustbelaidaside。Thelawsofwealth(toreverseaphraseofBuckle’s)mustbeinferredfromthefactsof wealth,notfromthepostulateofhumanselfishness。Wemustbendourselvestoaseriouslirectstudyofthewayinwhich societyhasactuallyaddresseditselfandnowaddressesitselftoitsownconservationandevolutionthroughthesupplyofits materialwants。Whatorgansithasdevelopedforthispurpose,howtheyoperate,howtheyareaffectedbythemediumin whichtheyactandbythecoexistentorgansdirectedtootherendshowintheirturntheyreactonthoselatter,howtheyand theirfunctionsareprogressivelymodifiedinprocessoftinetheseproblems,whetherstaticalordynamical,areallquestions offact,ascapableofbeingstudiedthroughobservationandhistoryasthenatureandprogressofhumanlanguageor religion,oranyothergroupofsocialphenomena。Suchstudywillofcourserequireacontinued\"reflectiveanalysis\"ofthe resultsofobservation;and,whilsteliminatingallprematureassumptions,weshalluseascertainectruthsrespectinghuman natureasguidesintheinquiryandaidstowardstheinterpretationoffacts。Andtheemploymentofdeliberatelyinstituted hypotheseswillbelegitimate,butonlyasanoccasionallogicalartifice。 II。EconomicsmustbeconstantlyregardedasformingonlyonedepartmentofthelargerscienceofSociology,invital connectionwithitsotherdepartments,andwiththemoralsynthesiswhichisthecrownofthewholeintellectualsystem。We havealreadysufficientlyexplainedthephilosophicalgroundsfortheconclusionthattheeconomicphenomenaofsociety cannotbeisolated,exceptprovisionally,fromtherest,that,infact,alltheprimarysocialelementsshouldbehabitually regardedwithrespecttotheirmutualdependenceandreciprocalactions。Especiallymustwekeepinviewthehighmoral issuestowhichtheeconomicmovementissubservient,andintheabsenceofwhichitcouldneverinanygreatdegreeattract theinterestorfixtheattentioneitherofeminentthinkersorofright—mindedmen。Theindividualpointofviewwillhaveto besubordinatedtothesocial;eachagentwillhavetoberegardedasanorganofthesocietytowhichhebelongsandofthe largersocietyoftherace。Theconsiderationofinterests,asGeorgeEliothaswellsaid,mustgiveplacetothatoffunctions。 Theolddoctrineofright,whichlayatthebasisofthesystemof\"naturalliberty,\"hasdoneitstemporarywork;adoctrine ofdutywillhavetobesubstituted,fixingonpositivegroundsthenatureofthesocialco—operationofeachclassandeach memberofthecommunity,andtheruleswhichmustregulateitsjustandbeneficialexercise。 Turningnowfromthequestionofthetheoreticconstitutionofeconomics,andviewingthesciencewithrespecttoits influenceonpublicpolicy,weneednotatthepresentdaywastewordsinrepudiatingtheideathat\"non—government\"inthe economicsphereisthenormalorderofthings。Thelaisser—fairedoctrine,comingdowntousfromthesystemofnatural liberty,waslongthegreatwatchwordofeconomicorthodoxy。IthadaspecialacceptanceandpersistenceinEnglandin consequenceofthepoliticalstrugglefortherepealofthecornlaws,whichmadeeconomicdiscussioninthiscountryturn almostaltogetheronfreetradeastateofthingswhichwascontinuedbytheefforttoprocureamodificationofthe protectivepolicyofforeignnations。Butithasnowforsometimelostthesacrosanctcharacterwithwhichitwasformerly invested。Thisisaresultnotsomuchofscientificthoughtasofthepressureofpracticalneedsacausewhichhasmodified thesuccessiveformsofeconomicopinionmorethantheoristsarewillingtoacknowledge。Socialexigencieswillforcethe handsofstatesmen,whatevertheirattachmenttoabstractformulas;andpoliticianshavepracticallyturnedtheirbacksonlaisserfaire。TheStatehaswithexcellenteffectproceededaconsiderablewayinthedirectionofcontrolling,forendsof socialequityorpublicutility,theoperationsofindividualinterest。Theeconomiststhemselveshaveforthemostpartbeen convertedonthequestion;amongsttheoristsHerbertSpencerfoundhimselfalmostavoxclamantisindesertoinprotesting againstwhathecalledthenewslavery\"ofGovernmentalinterference。Hewillprotestinvain,sofarasheseeksto rehabilitatetheoldabsolutedoctrineoftheeconomicpassivityoftheState。Butitiscertainlypossiblethatevenbyvirtueof theforceofthereactionagainstthatdoctrinetheremaybeanexcessiveorprecipitatetendencyintheoppositedirection。 WiththecourseofproductionorexchangeconsideredinitselftherewillprobablybeinEnglandlittledispositiontomeddle。 Butthedangersandinconvenienceswhicharisefromtheunsettledconditionoftheworldoflabourwilldoubtlessfromtime totimehere,aselsewhere,prompttoprematureattemptsatregulation。Apart,however,fromtheremovalofevilswhich threatenthehealthoftheworkersorthepublicpeace,andfromtemporarypalliativestoeaseoffsocialpressure,theright policyoftheStateinthisspherewillforthepresentbeoneofabstention。Itisindeedcertainthatindustrialsocietywillnot permanentlyremainwithoutasystematicorganization。Themereconflictofprivateinterestswillneverproducea well—orderedcommonwealthoflabour。FreiheitistkeineLessung。Freedomisforsociety,asfortheindividual,the necessaryconditionprecedentofthesolutionofpracticalproblems,bothasallowingnaturalforcestodevelopthemselves andasexhibitingtheirspontaneoustendencies;butitisnotinitselfthesolution。Whilst,however,anorganizationofthe industrialworldmaywithcertaintybeexpectedtoariseinprocessoftime,itwouldbeagreaterrortoattempttoimprovise one。Wearenowinaperiodoftransition。Ourrulingpowershavestillanequivocalcharacter;theyarenotinrealharmony withindustriallife,andareinallrespectsimperfectlyimbuedwiththemodernspirit。Besidestheconditionsoftheneworder arenotyetsufficientlyunderstood。Theinstitutionsofthefuturemustbefoundedonsentimentsandhabits,andthesemust betheslowgrowthofthoughtandexperience。Thesolution,indeed,mustbeatalltimeslargelyamoralone;itisthe spiritualratherthanthetemporalpowerthatisthenaturalagencyforredressingormitigatingmostoftheevilsassociated withindustriallife。(2)Infact,ifthereisatendencyandwemayadmitthatsuchatendencyisrealorimminenttopushthe Statetowardsanextensionofthenormallimitsofitsactionforthemaintenanceofsocialequity,thisisdoubtlessinsome measureduetothefactthatthegrowingdissidenceonreligiousquestionsinthemostadvancedcommunitieshasweakened theauthorityoftheChurches,anddeprivedtheirinfluenceofsocialuniversality。Whatisnowmosturgentisnotlegislative interferenceonanylargescalewiththeindustrialrelations,buttheformation,inboththehigherandlowerregionsofthe industrialworld,ofprofoundconvictionsastosocialduties,andsomemoreeffectivemodethanatpresentexistsof diffusing,maintaining,andapplyingthoseconvictions。Thisisasubjectintowhichwecannotenterhere。Butitmayatleast besaidthattheonlypartiesincontemporarypubliclifewhichseemrightlytoconceiveoradequatelytoappreciatethe necessitiesofthesituationarethosethataim,ontheonehand,attherestorationoftheoldspiritualpower,or,ontheother, attheformationofanewone。AndthisleadstotheconclusionthatthereisonesortofGovernmentalinterferencewhichthe advocatesoflaisserfairehavenotalwaysdiscountenanced,andwhichyet,morethananyother,tendstopreventthe gradualandpeacefulriseofanewindustrialandsocialsystem,namely,theinterferencewithspirituallibertybysettingup officialtypesofphilosophicaldoctrine,andimposingrestrictionsontheexpressionanddiscussionofopinions。 Itwillbeseenthatourprincipalconclusionrespectingeconomicactionharmoniseswiththatrelatingtothetheoreticstudy ofeconomicphenomena。For,asweheldthatthelattercouldnotbesuccessfullypursuedexceptasadulysubordinated branchofthewiderscienceofSociology,soinpracticalhumanaffairswebelievethatnopartialsynthesisispossible,but thataneconomicreorganizationofsocietyimpliesauniversalrenovation,intellectualandmoralnolessthanmaterial。The industrialreformationforwhichwesternEuropegroansandtravails,andtheadventofwhichisindicatedbysomany symptoms(thoughitwillcomeonlyasthefruitoffaithfulandsustainedeffort),willbenoisolatedfact,butwillformpartof anappliedartoflife,modifyingourwholeenvironment,affectingourwholeculture,andregulatingourwholeconductina word,directingallourresourcestotheonegreatendoftheconservationanddevelopmentofHumanity。 NOTES: 1。ThisaspectofthesubjecthasbeenablytreatedinpaperscontributedtotheProceedingsoftheRoyalSocietyof Edinburghonseveraloccasion,duringandsince1881byMr。P。Geddes,wellknownasabiologist。 2。Theneglectofthisconsideration,andtheconsequentundueexaltationofStateaction,which,thoughquitelegitimate,is altogetherinsufficient,appearstobetheprincipaldangertowhichthecontemporaryGermanschoolofeconomistsis exposed。WhenSchmollersays,\"TheStateisthegrandestexistingethicalinstitutionfortheeducationofthehumanrace,\" hetransferstoitthefunctionsoftheChurch。TheeducationalactionoftheStatemustbe,inthemain,onlyindirect。