投资 · 创业者自述

塞缪尔·斯迈尔斯:节俭·摘录 217

塞缪尔·斯迈尔斯《节俭》· Thrift · 投资

The working classes have only begun to employ the same principle. Yet how much might they accomplish by its means! They might co-operate in saving as well as in producing. They might, by putting their saved earnings together, become, by combination, their own masters. Within a few years past, many millions sterling have been expended in strikes for wages. A hundred millions a year are thrown away upon drink and other unnecessary articles. Here is an enormous capital. Men who expend or waste such an amount can easily become capitalists. It requires only will, energy, and self-denial. So much money spent on buildings, plant, and steam-engines, would enable them to manufacture for themselves, instead of for the benefit of individual capitalists. The steam-engine is impartial in its services. It is no respecter of persons; it will work for the benefit of the labourer as well as for the benefit of the millionaire. It will work for those who make the best use of it, and who have the greatest knowledge of its powers.

出处: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/14418
定位:Excerpt 217 · 核对日期:2026-10-19 · 核验:短摘录

白话

工人阶层才刚刚开始运用合作储蓄的原则,但潜力巨大。他们可以像合作生产一样合作储蓄,把省下的钱凑在一起,通过联合成为自己的老板。近年来,数百万英镑被花在罢工上,每年还有上亿英镑浪费在饮酒等不必要的东西上。这本身就是一笔巨大的资本,能这样花钱的人只要有意愿、有精力、能克制自己,就很容易成为资本家。把这些钱用于建厂房、买设备、买蒸汽机,他们就能为自己生产,而不是为个别资本家赚钱。蒸汽机对谁都一样,它不认人,既为劳工服务,也为百万富翁服务;它只为最善用它、最懂它力量的人工作。

上下文

塞缪尔·斯迈尔斯是19世纪英国作家,著有《自助》《节俭》等书,倡导工人通过储蓄和合作改善处境。

今日一问

你每年花在非必需品上的钱,如果省下一半,五年后能凑出什么?

公版作品;原文逐字取自 Project Gutenberg,仅摘录段落并附全书链接。

本文本为公版;底本与原文链接见上。 版权

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