下载辰思小说免费APP
Theyshouldhavebeenthelastpeopletobelievetooimplicitlyinthemagicalefficacyofpoliticalcontrivances，fortheywerefullyawarethatmanymenareknavesandmostmenfools。TheyprobablyputlittlefaithinBentham’sUtopia，exceptasaremoteideal，andanidealofunimaginativeminds。TheUtopiawasconstructedon’individualist’principles，becausecommon-sensenaturallyapprovesindividualism。Thewholesocialandpoliticalorderisclearlythesumoftheindividuals，whocombinetoformanaggregate；andtheoriesaboutsocialbondstakeonetothemysticalandsentimental。TheabsolutetendencyiscommontoBenthamandtheJacobins。Whethertheindividualbetakenasaunitofconstantproperties，orasthesubjectofabsoluterights，wereachequallyabsoluteconclusions。Whenallthesocialandpoliticalregulationsareregardedasindefinitelymodifiable，theultimatelawscometodependupontheabsoluteframeworkofunalterablefact。This，again，isoftentherightpointofviewforimmediatequestionsinwhichwemaytakeforgrantedthattheaverageindividualisinfactconstant；and，asIhavesaidinregardtoBentham’slegislativeprocess，leadstoveryrelevantandimportant，thoughnotultimate，questions。Buttherearecertainotherresultswhichrequiretobenoticed。’Individualism，’likeotherwordsthathavebecomewatchwordsofcontroversy，hasvariousshadesofmeaning，andrequiresalittlemoredefinition。
VII。INDIVIDUALISM
’Individualism’inthefirstplaceisgenerallymentionedinadifferentconnection。The’ready-made’manofwhomIhavespokenbecomesthe’economicman。’Benthamhimselfcontributedlittletoeconomictheory。HismostimportantwritingwastheDefenceofUsury，andinthis，aswehaveseen，hewassimplyaddingacorollarytotheWealthofNations。TheWealthofNationsitselfrepresentedthespiritofbusiness；therevoltofmenwhowerebuildingupavastindustrialsystemagainstthefettersimposedbytraditionallegislationandbyrulerswhoregardedindustryingeneral，asTelfordissaidtohaveregardedrivers。Riversweremeanttosupplycanals，andtradetosupplytax-gatherers。Withthisrevolt，ofcourse，Benthamwasinfullsympathy，buthereIshallonlyspeakofonedoctrineofgreatinterest，whichoccursbothinhispoliticaltreatisesandhisfeweconomicalremarks。Benthamobjected，aswehaveseen，totheabstracttheoryofequality。Yetitwastothemodeofdeductionratherthantothedoctrineitselfwhichheobjected。Hegave，infact，hisowndefence；anditisoneworthnotice。(109*)Theprincipleofequalityisderivative，notultimate。Equalityisgoodbecauseequalityincreasesthesumofhappiness。Thus，ashesays，(110*)iftwomenhave£；1000，andyoutransfer£；500fromonetotheother，youincreasetherecipient’swealthbyone-third，anddiminishtheloser’swealthbyone-half。Youthereforeaddlesspleasurethanyousubtract。Theprincipleisgivenlessmathematically(111*)
bythemoresignificantargumentthat’felicity’dependsnotsimplyonthe’matteroffelicity’orthestimulus，butalsoonthesensibilitytofelicitywhichisnecessarilylimited。Thereforebyaddingwealth——taking，forexample，fromathousandlabourerstogivetooneking——youaresupersaturatingasensibilityalreadygluttedbytakingawayfromothersagreatamountofrealhappiness。Withthisargument，whichhasoflateyearsbecomeconspicuousineconomics，heconnectsanotherofprimaryimportance。Thefirstconditionofhappiness，hesays，isnot’equality’but’security。’Nowyoucanonlyequaliseattheexpenseofsecurity。IfIamtohavemypropertytakenawaywheneveritisgreaterthanmyneighbour’s，Icanhavenosecurity。(112*)
Hence，ifthetwoprinciplesconflict，equalityshouldgiveway。Securityistheprimary，whichmustoverridethesecondary，aim。Mustthetwoprinciples，then，alwaysconflict?No；but’timeistheonlymediator。’(113*)Thela
