On Capitalism 論資本主義
According to the capitalists, there will be a guarantee to the world that every man in the country would get a job. They didn't contend it would be a well-paid job, because if it was well paid a man would save up enough one week to stop working the next week, and they were determined to keep a man working the whole time on a bare subsistence wage - and, on the other hand, divide an accumulation of capital.
They said capita1ism not only secured this for the working man, but, by insuring fabulous wealth in the hands of a small class of people, they would save money whether they liked it or not and would have to invest it. That is capitalism, and this Government is always interfering with capitalism. Instead of giving a man a job or letting him starve they are giving him doles - after making sure he has paid for them first.
We say in criticism of capitalism: Your system has never kept its promises for one single day since it was promulgated. Our production is ridiculous. We are producing eighty horsepower motor cars when many more houses should be built. We are producing most extravagant luxuries while children starve. You have stood production on its head. Instead of beginning with the things the nation needs most, you are beginning at just the opposite end.
按照資本家的觀點,完全可以保證這個國家人人都能得到一份職業(yè)。他們不主張那份職業(yè)工資很高,因為如果工資很高,一個星期就可以攢下足夠的錢,下個星期就不必工作了。他們決心以僅能糊口的工資使人們始終不停地工作,而他們自己則分享著一份資本增益。
他們說,資本主義不僅為工人提供了上述保證,而且,由于確保巨額財富掌握在一個人數(shù)很少的階級手中,這些人不論愿意與否都會把錢積攢下來,并且不得不用于投資。這就是資本主義,而我們的政府卻總是妨礙資本主義。政府既不為一個人提供工作,又不讓他挨餓,而是在肯定他已經(jīng)為得到救濟而先付過錢之后,給他一點救濟金。
我們在批評資本主義時說:你們的制度自公布以來,從未有哪一天信守過自己的諾言。我們的生產(chǎn)是荒唐的。需要建造更多的房屋時,我們卻在生產(chǎn)80馬力的汽車。孩子們正在挨餓時,我們卻在生產(chǎn)最豪華的奢侈品。你們把生產(chǎn)顛倒了。你們不先生產(chǎn)國民最需要的東西,卻反其道而行之。