第36章

Butafterallqualificationshavebeenmade，thefactstillisapparentthattheeverydaylifeofthoseclasseswhichareengagedinbusinessdiffersmateriallyintherespectcitedfromthelifeoftheclassesengagedinindustryproper。Thereisanappreciableandwideningdifferencebetweenthehabitsoflifeofthetwoclasses；andthiscarrieswithitawideningdifferenceinthedisciplinetowhichthetwoclassesaresubjected。Itinducesadifferenceinthehabitsofthoughtandthehabitualgroundsandmethodsofreasoningresortedtobyeachclass。Thereresultsadifferenceinthepointofview，inthefactsdweltupon，inthemethodsofargument，inthegroundsofvalidityappealedto；andthisdifferencegainsinmagnitudeandconsistencyasthedifferentiationofoccupationsgoeson。Sothatthetwoclassescometohaveanincreasingdifficultyinunderstandingoneanotherandappreciatingoneanother’sconvictions，ideals，capacities，andshortcomings。 Theultimategroundofvalidityforthethinkingofthebusinessclassesisthenatural-rightsgroundofproperty，-aconventional，anthropomorphicfacthavinganinstitutionalvalidity，ratherthanamatter-of-factvaliditysuchascanbeformulatedintermsofmaterialcauseandeffect；whiletheclassesengagedinthemachineindustryarehabituallyoccupiedwithmattersofcausalsequence，whichdonotlendthemselvestostatementinanthropomorphictermsofnaturalrightsandwhichaffordnoguidanceinquestionsofinstitutionalrightandwrong，orofconventionalreasonandconsequence。Argumentswhichproceedonmaterialcauseandeffectcannotbemetwithargumentsfromconventionalprecedentordialecticallysufficientreason，andconversely。 Thethinkingrequiredbythepecuniaryoccupationsproceedsongroundsofconventionality，whereasthatinvolvedintheindustrialoccupationsruns，inthemain，ongroundsofmechanicalsequenceorcausation，totheneglectofconventionality。Theinstitution(habitofthought)ofownershiporpropertyisaconventionalfact；andthelogicofpecuniarythinking-thatistosay，ofthinkingonmattersofownership- isaworkingoutoftheimplicationsofthispostulate，thisconceptofownershiporproperty。Thecharacteristichabitsofthoughtgivenbysuchworkarehabitsofrecoursetoconventionalgroundsoffinalityorvalidity，toanthropomorphism，toexplanationsofphenomenaintermsofhumanrelation，discretion，authenticity，andchoice。Thefinalgroundofcertaintyininquiriesonthisnatural-rightsplaneisalwaysagroundofauthenticity，ofprecedent，oraccepteddecision。Theargumentisanargumentdejure，notdefacto，andthetraininggivenlendsfacilityandcertaintyinthepursuitofdejuredistinctionsandgeneralizations，ratherthaninthepursuitortheassimilationofadefactoknowledgeofimpersonalphenomena。Theendofsuchreasoningistheinterpretationofnewfactsintermsofaccreditedprecedents，ratherthanarevisionoftheknowledgedrawnfrompastexperienceinthematter-of-factlightofnewphenomena。Theendeavoristomakefactsconformtolaw，nottomakethelaworgeneralruleconformtofacts。Thebentsogivenfavorstheacceptanceofthegeneral，abstract，custom-maderuleassomethingrealwitharealitysuperiortotherealityofimpersonal，non-conventionalfacts。Suchtraininggivesreachandsubtletyinmetaphysicalargumentandinwhatisknownasthe“practical“managementofaffairs；itgivesexecutiveoradministrativeefficiency，so-called，asdistinguishedfrommechanicalwork。“Practical“efficiencymeanstheabilitytoturnfactstoaccountforthepurposesoftheacceptedconventions，togivealargeeffecttothesituationintermsofthepecuniaryconventionsinforce。(11*) Thespiritualattitudegivenbythistraininginreasoningdejure，frompecuniarypremisestopecuniaryconclusions，isnecessarilyconservative。Thisspeciesofreasoningassumesthevalidityoftheconventionallyestablishedpostulates，andisconsequentlyunabletotakeascepticalattitudetowardthesepostulatesortowardtheinstitutionsinwhichthesepostulatesareembodied。Itmayleadtoscepticismtouchingother，older，institutionsthatareatvariancewithitsown(natural-rights) postulates，butitsscepticismcannottouchthenatural-rightsgroundonwhichitrestsitsowncase。Inthesamemanner，ofcourse，thethinkingwhichrunsinmaterialcausalsequencecannottakeascepticalattitudetowarditsfundamentalpostulate，thelawofcauseandeffect；butsincereasoningonthismaterialisticbasisdoesnotvisiblygotoupholdthereceivedinstitutions，theattitudegivenbythedisciplineofthemachinetechnologycannot，forthepresent，becalledaconservativeattitude。 Thebusinessclassesareconservative，onthewhole，butsuchaconservativebentis，ofcourse，notpeculiartothem。Theseoccupationsarenottheonlyoneswhosereasoningprevailinglymovesonaconventionalplane。Indeed，theintellectualactivityofotherclasses，suchassoldiers，politicians，theclergy，andmenoffashion，movesonaplaneofstillolderconventions；sothatifthetraininggivenbybusinessemploymentsistobecharacterizedasconservative，thatgivenbytheseother，morearchaicemploymentsshouldbecalledreactionary。(12*)Extremeconventionalizationmeansextremeconservatism。Conservatismmeansthemaintenanceofconventionsalreadyinforce。Onthishead，therefore，thedisciplineofmodernbusinesslifemaybesaidsimplytoretainsomethingofthecomplexionwhichmarksthelifeofthehigherbarbarianculture，atthesametimethatithasnotretainedthedisciplinaryforceofthebarbariancultureinsohighastateofpreservationassomeoftheotheroccupationsjustnamed。 Thedisciplineofthemodernindustrialemploymentsisrelativelyfreefromthebiasofconventionality，butthedifferencebetweenthemechanicalandthebusinessoccupationsinthisrespectisadifferenceofdegree。Itisnotsimplythatconventionalstandardsofcertaintyfallintoabeyanceforlackofexercise，amongtheindustrialclasses。Thepositivedisciplineexercisedbytheirworkingoodpartrunscountertothehabitofthinkinginconventional，anthropomorphicterms，whethertheconventionalityisthatofnaturalrightsoranyother。Andinrespectofthispositivetrainingawayfromconventionalnorms，thereisalargedivergencebetweentheseverallinesofindustrialemployment。Inproportionasagivenlineofemploymenthasmoreofthecharacterofamachineprocessandlessofthecharacterofhandicraft，thematter-of-facttrainingwhichitgivesismorepronounced。Inasensemoreintimatethantheinventorsofthephraseseemtohaveappreciated，themachinehasbecomethemasterofthemanwhoworkswithitandanarbiterintheculturalfortunesofthecommunityintowhoselifeithasentered。 Theintellectualandspiritualtrainingofthemachineinmodernlife，therefore，isveryfar-reaching。Itleavesbutasmallproportionofthecommunityuntouched；butwhileitsconstraintisramifiedthroughoutthebodyofthepopulation，andconstrainsvirtuallyallclassesatsomepointsintheirdailylife，itfallswiththemostdirect，intimate，andunmitigatedimpactupontheskilledmechanicalclasses，forthesehavenorespitefromitsmastery，whethertheyareatworkoratplay。 Theubiquitouspresenceofthemachine，withitsspiritualconcomitant-workdayidealsandscepticismofwhatisonlyconventionallyvalidistheunequivocalmarkoftheWesterncultureofto-dayascontrastedwiththecultureofothertimesandplaces。Itpervadesallclassesandstratainavaryingdegree，butonanaverageinagreaterdegreethanatanytimeinthepast，andmostpotentlyintheadvancedindustrialcommunitiesandintheclassesimmediatelyincontactwiththemechanicaloccupations。(13*)Asthecomprehensivemechanicalorganizationofthematerialsideoflifehasgoneon，aheighteningofthisculturaleffectthroughoutthecommunityhasalsosupervened，andwithafartherandfastermovementinthesamedirectionafartheraccentuationofthis“modern“complexionofcultureisfairlytobelookedfor，unlesssomeremedybefound。Andastheconcomitantdifferentiationandspecializationofoccupationsgoeson，astillmoreunmitigateddisciplinefallsuponeverwideningclassesofthepopulation，resultinginaneverweakeningsenseofconviction，allegiance，orpietytowardthereceivedinstitutions。 Itisamatterofcommonnotorietythatthemodernindustrialpopulationsareimprovidentinahighdegreeandareapparentlyincapableoftakingcareofthepecuniarydetailsoftheirownlife。Thisapplies，notonlytofactoryhands，butalsotothegeneralclassofhighlyskilledmechanics，inventors，technologicalexperts。Theruledoesnotholdinanyhardandfastway，butitholdswithsuchgeneralityasmayfairlybelookedfor。Thepresentfactorypopulationmaybecomparedinthisrespectwiththeclassofhandicraftsmenwhomtheyhavedisplaced，asalsowiththefarmingpopulationofthepresenttime，especiallytheclassofsmallproprietaryfarmers。Thefailureofthemodernindustrialclassesonthisheadisnotduetoscantieropportunitiesforsaving，whethertheyarecomparedwiththeearlierhandicraftsmenorwiththemodernfarmerorpeasant；norisitduetoalackofgeneralintelligence，foracomparisoninpointofintelligencefallsoutinfavorofthemodernindustrialworkmen。Thisimprovidenceiscommonlydiscussedintermsofdeprecation，andthereismuchpreachingofthriftandsteadyhabits。Butthepreachinghasnoappreciableeffect。Thetroubleseemstobeofthenatureofhabitratherthanofreasonedconviction。Othercausesmaypartiallyexplainthisimprovidence，buttheinquiryisatleastpertinenthowfartheabsenceofpropertyandthriftamongthemmaybetraceabletotherelativeabsenceofpecuniarytrainingandtothepresenceofadisciplinewhichisatvariancewithhabitsofthrift。 Mereexemptionfrompecuniarytrainingisnotcompetentalonetoexplainthepatentthriftlessnessofmodernworkmen；themoresosincethisexemptionisbutpartialandrelative。Also，thethriftlessclassescommonlyhaveanenviousappreciationofpecuniaryadvantages。Itisratherthecompositeeffectofexemptionfrompecuniarytrainingandcertainpositiverequirementsofmodernlife。Amongthesepositiverequirementsiswhathasbeencalledthecanonofconspicuouswaste。Undermodernconditionsafreeexpenditureinconsumablegoodsisaconditionrequisitetogoodrepute。(14*)Thisconducestoimmediateconsumptionratherthantosaving。Whatisperhapsstillmoredecisiveagainstthriftonthepartofworkmenisthefactthatthemodernlargeorganizationofindustryrequiresahighdegreeofmobilityonthepartofemployees。Itrequires，infact，thatthelaborforceandthelaborunitsbemobile，interchangeable，distributable，afterthesameimpersonalfashionasthemechanicalcontrivancesengagedaremovableanddistributable。 Theworkingpopulationisrequiredtobestandardized，movable，andinterchangeableinmuchthesameimpersonalmannerastheraworhalfwroughtmaterialsofindustry。Fromwhichitfollowsthatthemodernworkmancannotadvantageouslyownahome。Byforceofthislatterfeatureofthecaseheisdiscouragedfrominvestinghissavingsinrealproperty，or，indeed，inanyoftheimpedimentsofliving。Andthesavings-bankaccount，itmaybeadded，offersnoadequatesubstitute，asanincentivetothrift，intheplaceofsuchpropertyasadwelling-place，whichistangiblyandusefullyundertheowner’shandandpersistentlyrequiresmaintenanceandimprovement。 Theconditionsoflifeimposedupontheworkingpopulationbythemachineindustrydiscouragethrift。Butafterallowancehasbeenmadeforthisalmostphysicalrestraintupontheaquisitionofpropertybytheworkingclasses，somethingisapparentlyleftover，tobeascribedtothemoraleffectofthemachinetechnology。Theindustrialclassesappeartobelosingtheinstinctofindividualownership。Theacquisitionofpropertyisceasingtoappealtothemasanatural，self-evidentsourceofcomfortandstrength。Thenaturalrightofpropertynolongermeanssomuchtothemasitoncedid。 Alikeweakeningofthenatural-rightsanimusisvisibleatanotherpointinthecurrentframeofmindoftheseclasses。Thegrowthoftrade-unionismandofwhatiscalledthetrade-unionspiritisaconcomitantofindustryorganizedafterthemannerofamachineprocess。Historicallythisgrowthbegins，virtually，withtheindustrialrevolution，cominginsporadically，loosely，tentatively，withnopreciseassignabledate，verymuchastherevolutiondoes。Englandisthelandofitsgenesis，its“areaofcharacterization，“andtheplacewhereithasreacheditsfullestdegreeofspecificationanditslargestforce；justasEnglandisthecountryinwhichthemodernmachineindustrytookitsriseandinwhichithashadthelongestandmostconsistentlifeandgrowth。InthismatterothercountriesarefollowersoftheBritishleadandapparentlyborrowersofBritishprecedentsandworkingconcepts。Still，thehistoryofthetrade-unionmovementinothercountriesseemstosaythattheworkingclasseselsewherehavenotadvisedlyborrowedidealsandmethodsoforganizationfromtheirBritishcongenerssomuchastheyhavebeenpushedintothesamegeneralattitudeandlineofconductbythesamegenerallineofexigenciesandexperiences。