投资 · 创业者自述
塞缪尔·斯迈尔斯：节俭·摘录 221
塞缪尔·斯迈尔斯《节俭》· Thrift · 投资
It is not the want of money that prevents skilled workmen from becoming capitalists, and opening the door for the employment of labouring men who are poorer and less skilled than themselves. The work-people threw away half a million sterling during the Preston strike, after which they went back to work at the old terms. The London building trades threw away over three hundred thousand pounds during their strike; and even had they obtained the terms for which they struck, it would have taken six years to recoup them for their loss. The colliers in the Forest of Dean went back to work at the old terms after eleven weeks' play, at the loss of fifty thousand pounds. The iron-workers of Northumberland and Durham, after spending a third of the year in idleness, and losing two hundred thousand pounds in wages, went back to work at a reduction of ten per cent. The colliers and iron-workers of South Wales, during the recent strike or lock-out, were idle for four months, and, according to Lord Aberdare, lost, in wages alone, not less than three millions sterling!
出处：
https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/14418
定位：Excerpt 221 · 核对日期：2026-10-19 · 核验：短摘录
白话
熟练工人当不上资本家、没法给更穷更没技术的人开就业之门，不是因为缺钱。普雷斯顿罢工期间工人白白扔掉了五十万英镑，最后按原条件回去上班。伦敦建筑行业罢工扔掉了三十多万英镑，就算争到了条件，也得六年才能补回损失。迪恩森林的矿工停工十一周，损失五万英镑，按原条件复工。诺森伯兰和达勒姆的炼铁工人闲了三分之一年，损失二十万英镑工资，回去时工资还降了一成。南威尔士矿工和铁工最近罢工停工四个月，据阿伯代尔勋爵说，光工资就损失了三百万英镑。这些钱要是攒下来，足够他们自己当老板了。
上下文
斯迈尔斯在《节俭》中列举19世纪英国多次罢工的经济损失，论证罢工得不偿失。
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你为了争一口气而付出的代价，事后算过账吗？那笔钱本来可以拿来做什么？
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