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托马斯·马尔萨斯:人口论·摘录 116

托马斯·马尔萨斯《人口论》· An Essay on the Principle of Population · 投资

That a woman should at present be almost driven from society for an offence which men commit nearly with impunity, seems to be undoubtedly a breach of natural justice. But the origin of the custom, as the most obvious and effectual method of preventing the frequent recurrence of a serious inconvenience to a community, appears to be natural, though not perhaps perfectly justifiable. This origin, however, is now lost in the new train of ideas which the custom has since generated. What at first might be dictated by state necessity is now supported by female delicacy, and operates with the greatest force on that part of society where, if the original intention of the custom were preserved, there is the least real occasion for it.

出处: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/4239
定位:Excerpt 116 · 核对日期:2026-10-19 · 核验:短摘录

白话

如今,女性若犯下男性几乎不受惩罚的过错,却几乎被社会驱逐,这显然违背自然正义。但这种习俗的起源,作为防止社区频繁遭遇严重麻烦的最直接有效方法,看起来是自然的,尽管未必完全正当。然而,这个起源如今已被习俗后来产生的新观念掩盖了。最初可能是出于国家需要,现在却由女性贞洁观念来支撑,并且对社会中那些——如果保留习俗原意——其实最不需要它的人群,施加了最大的压力。

上下文

马尔萨斯在《人口论》中讨论性道德的双重标准。他承认这种习俗起源于社会功利,但指出它已演变成对女性的不公平压迫。

今日一问

今天有哪些习俗,我们仍在用“传统”或“道德”来维护,却忘了它最初只是为了解决某个具体问题?

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