Unit-1-How-to-Get-the-Poor-off-Our-Conscience-原文

LessonOneHowtoGetthePooroffOurConscienceJohnKennethGalbraith1.Iwouldliketoreflectononeoftheoldestofhumanexercises,theprocessbywhichovertheyears,andindeedoverthecenturies,wehaveundertakentogetthepooroffourconscience.2.Richandpoorhavelivedtogether,alwaysuncomfortablyandsometimesperilously,sincethebeginningoftime.Plutarchwasledtosay:―Animbalancebetweentherichandpooristheoldestandmostfatalailmentofrepublics.‖Andtheproblemsthatarisefromthecontinuingco-existenceofaffluenceandpoverty–andparticularlytheprocessbywhichgoodfortuneisjustifiedinthepresenceoftheillfortuneofothers—havebeenanintellectualpreoccupationforcenturies.Theycontinuetobesoinourowntime.3.OnebeginswiththesolutionproposedintheBible:thepoorsufferinthisworldbutarewonderfullyrewardedinthenext.Thepovertyisatemporarymisfortune;iftheyarepoorandalsomeektheyeventuallywillinherittheearth.Thisis,insomeways,anadmirablesolution.Itallowstherichtoenjoytheirwealthwhileenvyingthepoortheirfuturefortune.[HarryCrews’s―PagesfromtheLifeofaGeorgiaInnocent‖discussestheromanticizingofpoverty.]4.Much,muchlater,inthetwentyorthirtyyearsfollowingthepublicationin1776ofTheWealthofNations–thelatedawnoftheIndustrialRevolutioninBritain–theproblemanditssolutionbegantotakeontheirmodernform.JeremyBentham,anearcontemporaryofAdamSmith,cameupwiththeformulathatforperhapsfiftyyearswasextraordinarilyinfluentialinBritishand,tosomedegree,Americanthought.Thiswasutilitarianism.―Bytheprincipleofutility,‖Benthamsaidin1789,―ismeanttheprincipalwhichapprovesordisapprovesofeveryactionwhatsoeveraccordingtothetendencywhichitappearstohavetoaugmentordiminishthehappinessofthepartywhoseinterestisinquestion.‖Virtueis,indeedmustbe,self-centered.Whiletherewerepeoplewithgreatgoodfortuneandmanymorewithgreatillfortune,thesocialproblemwassolvedaslongas,againinBentham’swords,therewas―thegreatestgoodforthegreatestnumber.‖Societydiditsbestforthelargestpossiblenumberofpeople;oneacceptedthattheresultmightbesadlyunpleasantforthemanywhosehappinesswasnotserved.5.Inthe1830’sanewformula,influentialinnoslightdegreetothisday,becameavailableforgettingthepooroffthepublicconscience.ThisisassociatedwiththenamesofDavidRicardo,astockbroker,andThomasRobertMalthus,adivine.Theessentialsarefamiliar:thepovertyofthepoorwasthefaultofthepoor.Anditwassobecauseitwasaproductoftheirexcessivefecundity:theirgrievouslyuncontrolledlustcausedthemtobreeduptothefulllimitsoftheavailablesubsistence.6.ThiswasMalthusianism.Povertybeingcausedinthebedmeantthattherichwerenotresponsibleforeitheritscreationoritsamelioration.However,Malthuswashimselfnotwithoutacertainfeelingofresponsibility:heurgedthatthemarriageceremonycontainawarningagainstundueandirresponsiblesexualintercourse–awarning,itisfairtosay,thathasnotbeenacceptedasafullyeffectivemethodofbirthcontrol.Inmorerecenttimes,RonaldReaganhassaidthatthebestformofpopulationcontrolemergesfromthemarket.(CouplesinloveshouldrepairtoR.H.Macy’s,nottheirbedrooms.)Malthus,itmustbesaid,wasatleastasrelevant.7.Bythemiddleofthenineteenthcentury,anewformofdenialachievedgreatinfluence,especiallyintheUnitedStates.Thenewdoctrine,associatedwiththenameofHerbertSpencer,wasSocialDarwinism.Ineconomiclife,asinbiologicaldevelopment,theoverridingrulewassurvivalofthefittest.Thatphrase–‖survivalofthefittest‖–came,infact,notfromCharlesDarwinbutfromSpencer,andexpressedhisviewofeconomiclife.Theeliminationofthepoorisnature’swayofimprovingtherace.Theweakandunfortunatebeingextruded,thequalityofthehumanfamilyisthusstrengthened.8.OneofthemostnotableAmericanspokespersonsofSocialDarwinismwasJohnD.Rockefeller–thefirstRockefeller–whosaidinafamousspeech:―TheAmericanBeautyrosecanbeproducedinthesplendorandfragrancewhichbringcheertoitsbeholderonlybysacrificingtheearlybudswhichgrowuparoundit.Andsoitisineconomiclife.ItismerelytheworkingoutofalawofnatureandalawofGod.‖[JacobRiis’sHowtheOtherHalfLiveswaswrittenduringthetimeofSocialDarwinismandplayedamajorroleinthisideology’sdemise.]9.Inthecourseofthepresentcentury,however,SocialDarwinismcametobeconsideredabittoocruel.Itdeclinedinpopularity,andreferencestoitacquiredacondemnatorytone.WepassedontothemoreamorphousdenialofpovertyassociatedwithCalvinCoolidgeandHerbertHoover.Theyheldthatpublicassistancetothepoorinterferedwiththeeffectiveoperationoftheeconomicsystem–thatsuchassistancewasinconsistentwiththeeconomicdesignthathadcometoservemostpeopleverywell.Thenotionthatthereissomethingeconomicallydamagingabouthelpingthepoorremainswithustothisdayasoneofthewaysbywhichwegetthemoffourconscience.[Itdoesn’tfollow,however,thatgovernmentaidtotheaffluentismorallydamaging;see―TheNextNewDeal‖and―ReiningintheRich‖.]10.WiththeRooseveltrevolution(aspreviouslywiththatofLloydGeorgeinBritain),aspecificresponsibilitywasassumedbythegovernmentfortheleastfortunatepeopleintherepublic.RooseveltandthepresidentswhofollowedhimacceptedasubstantialmeasureofresponsibilityfortheoldthroughSocialSecurity,fortheunemployedthroughunemploymentinsurance,fortheunemployableandthehandicappedthroughdirectrelief,andforthesickthroughMedicareandMedicaid.This