第 12 节
作者:翱翔1981      更新:2021-02-19 18:34      字数:9322
  who increase 〃the stock of permanent means of enjoyment〃 (I。 iii。
  4)? Or if; instead of bayonets; he supply bombs; will not the
  absolute and final 〃enjoyment〃 of even these energetically
  productive articles (each of which costs ten pounds(16*)) be
  dependent on a proper choice of time and place for their
  enfantement; choice; that is to say; depending on those
  philosophical considerations with which political economy has
  nothing to do?(17*)
  I should have regretted the need of pointing out
  inconsistency in any portion of Mr Mill's work; had not the value
  of his work proceeded from its inconsistencies。 He deserves
  honour among economists by inadvertently disclaiming the
  principles which he states; and tacitly introducing the moral
  considerations with which he declares his science has no
  connection。 Many of his chapters are; therefore; true and
  valuable; and the only conclusions of his which I have to dispute
  are those which follow from his premises。
  Thus; the idea which lies at the root of the passage we have
  just been examining; namely; that labour applied to produce
  luxuries will not support so many persons as labour applied to
  produce useful articles; is entirely true; but the instance given
  fails  and in four directions of failure at once…because Mr
  Mill has not defined the real meaning of usefulness。 The
  definition which he has given…〃 capacity to satisfy a desire; or
  serve a purpose〃 (III。 i。 2)  applies equally to the iron and
  silver。 while the true definition which he has not given; but
  which nevertheless underlies the false verbal definition in his
  mind; and comes out once or twice by accident (as in the words
  〃any support to life or strength〃 in I。 iii。 5)  applies to
  some articles of iron; but not to others; and to some articles of
  silver; but not to others。 It applies to ploughs; but not to
  bayonets; and to forks; but not to filigree。(18*)
  The eliciting of the true definitions will give us the reply
  to our first question; 〃What is value?〃 respecting which;
  however; we must first hear the popular statements。
  〃The word 'value;' when used without adjunct; always means;
  in political economy; value in exchange〃 (Mill; III。 i。 2)。 So
  that; if two ships cannot exchange their rudders; their rudders
  are; in politico…economic language; of no value to either。
  But 〃the subject of political economy is wealth。〃
  (Preliminary remarks; page 1)
  And wealth 〃consists of all useful and agreeable objects
  which possess exchangeable value。〃  (Preliminary remarks; page
  10。)
  It appears; then; according to Mr Mill; that usefulness and
  agreeableness underlie the exchange value; and must be
  ascertained to exist in the thing; before we can esteem it an
  object of wealth。
  Now; the economical usefulness of a thing depends not merely
  on its own nature; but on the number of people who can and will
  use it。 A horse is useless; and therefore unsaleable; if no one
  can ride;  a sword; if no one can strike; and meat; if no one
  can eat。 Thus every material utility depends on its relative
  human capacity。
  Similarly: The agreeableness of a thing depends not merely on
  its own likeableness; but on the number of people who can be got
  to like it。 The relative agreeableness; and therefore
  saleableness; of 〃a pot of the smallest ale;〃 and of 〃Adonis
  painted by a running brook;〃 depends virtually on the opinion of
  Demos; in the shape of Christopher Sly。 That is to say; the
  agreeableness of a thing depends on its relatively human
  disposition。(19*) Therefore; political economy; being a science
  of wealth; must be a science respecting human capacities and
  dispositions。 But moral considerations have nothing to do with
  political economy (III。 i。 2)。 Therefore; moral considerations
  have nothing to do with human capacities and dispositions。
  I do not wholly like the look of this conclusion from Mr
  Mill's statements:  let us try Mr Ricardo's。
  〃Utility is not the measure of exchangeable value; though it
  is absolutely essential to it。〃  (Chap。 I。 sect。 i) essential
  in what degree; Mr Ricardo? There may be greater and less degrees
  of utility。 Meat; for instance; may be so good as to be fit for
  any one to eat; or so bad as to be fit for no one to eat。 What is
  the exact degree of goodness which is 〃essential〃 to its
  exchangeable value; but not 〃the measure〃 of it? How good must
  the meat be; in order to possess any exchangeable value; and how
  bad must it be  (I wish this were a settled question in London
  markets)  in order to possess none?
  There appears to be some hitch; I think; in the working even
  of Mr。 Ricardo's principles; but let him take his own example。
  〃Suppose that in the early stages of society the bows and arrows
  of the hunter were of equal value with the implements of the
  fisherman。 Under such circumstances the value of the deer; the
  produce of the hunter's day's labour; would be exactly equal to
  the value of the fish; the product of the fisherman's day's
  labour; The comparative value of the fish and game would be
  entirely regulated by the quantity of labour realized in each。〃
  (Ricardo; chap。 iii。 On Value)。
  Indeed! Therefore; if the fisherman catches one sprat。 and
  the huntsman one deer; one sprat will be equal in value to one
  deer but if the fisherman catches no sprat; and the huntsman two
  deer; no sprat will be equal in value to two deer?
  Nay but  Mr Ricardo's supporters may say  he means; on an
  average; …if the average product of a day's work of fisher and
  hunter be one fish and one deer; the one fish will always be
  equal in value to the one deer。
  Might I inquire the species of fish? Whale? or
  white…bait?(20*)
  It would be waste of time to purpose these fallacies farther;
  we will seek for a true definition。
  Much store has been set for centuries upon the use of our
  English classical education。 It were to be wished that our
  well…educated merchants recalled to mind always this much of
  their latin schooling;  that the nominative of valorem (a word
  already sufficiently familiar to them) is valor; a word which;
  therefore; ought to be familiar to them。 Valor; from valere; to
  be well or strong;  strong; life (if a man); or valiant;
  strong; for life (if a thing); or valuable。 To be 〃valuable;〃
  therefore; is to 〃avail towards life。〃 A truly valuable or
  availing thing is that which leads to life with its whole
  strength。 In proportion as it does not lead to life; or as its
  strength is broken; it is less valuable; in proportion as it
  leads away from life; it is unvaluable or malignant。
  The value of a thing; therefore; is independent of opinion;
  and of quantity。 Think what you will of it; gain how much you may
  of it; the value of the thing itself is neither greater nor less。
  For ever it avails; or avails not; no estimate can raise; no
  disdain repress; the power which it holds from the Maker of
  things and of men。
  The real science of political economy; which has yet to be
  distinguished from the bastard science; as medicine from
  witchcraft; and astronomy from astrology; is that which teaches
  nations to desire and labour for the things that lead to life:
  and which teaches them to scorn and destroy the things that lead
  to destruction。 And if; in a state of infancy; they supposed
  indifferent things; such as excrescences of shell…fish; and
  pieces of blue and red stone; to be valuable; and spent large
  measures of the labour which ought to be employed for the
  extension and ennobling of life; in diving or digging for them;
  and cutting them into various shapes;or if; in the same state of
  infancy; they imagine precious and beneficent things; such as
  air; light; and cleanliness; to be valueless;…or if; finally;
  they imagine the conditions of their own existence; by which
  alone they can truly possess or use anything; such; for instance;
  as peace; trust; and love; to be prudently exchangeable; when the
  markets offer; for gold; iron; or excresrences of shells  the
  great and only science of Political Economy teaches them; in all
  these cases; what is vanity; and what substance; and how the
  service of Death; the lord of Waste; and of eternal emptiness;
  differs from the service of Wisdom; the lady of Saving; and of
  eternal fulness; she who has said; 〃I will cause those that love
  me to inherit SUBSTANCE; and I will FILL their treasures。〃
  The 〃Lady of Savin