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弗雷德里克·巴斯夏:经济诡辩·摘录 96

弗雷德里克·巴斯夏《经济诡辩》· Economic Sophisms · 投资

I have said more than once that I propose only to explain the theory, and lay open, as far as possible, the sources of protectionist errors. Had I intended to raise a controversy, I should have asked the protectionists why they direct their tariffs chiefly against England and Belgium, the most heavily taxed countries in the world? Am I not warranted in regarding their argument only as a pretext? But I am not one of those who believe that men are prohibitionists from self-interest, and not from conviction. The doctrine of protection is too popular not to be sincere. If the majority had faith in liberty, we should be free. Undoubtedly it is self-interest which makes our tariffs so heavy; but conviction is at the root of it. "The will," says Pascal, "is one of the principal organs of belief." But the belief exists nevertheless, although it has its root in the will, and in the insidious suggestions of egotism.

出处: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/44145
定位:Excerpt 96 · 核对日期:2026-10-19 · 核验:短摘录

白话

巴师夏说,他只想揭示保护主义错误的来源,不想吵架。否则他会问:为什么关税主要针对英国和比利时——世界上税最重的国家?这不像真在追求公平。但他不认为保护主义者都出于私利而虚伪;保护学说太流行,不可能全是假的。多数人若真信自由,我们早就自由了。关税重当然有私利在推,但根子上是信念。帕斯卡说“意志是信仰的主要器官之一”,信念即便源于意志和自恋的暗示,也仍是真信念。

上下文

巴师夏在《经济诡辩》中回应保护主义者的“公平竞争”论,并引用帕斯卡说明信念与利益的关系。

今日一问

你反对的某种经济政策,是否也可能源于真诚的信念而非私利?

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