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托斯丹·凡勃伦:有闲阶级论·摘录 43

托斯丹·凡勃伦《有闲阶级论》· The Theory of the Leisure Class · 投资

As the standard of wealth recognized by common consent advances, the possession and exploitation of servants as a means of showing superfluity undergoes a refinement. The possession and maintenance of slaves employed in the production of goods argues wealth and prowess, but the maintenance of servants who produce nothing argues still higher wealth and position. Under this principle there arises a class of servants, the more numerous the better, whose sole office is fatuously to wait upon the person of their owner, and so to put in evidence his ability unproductively to consume a large amount of service. There supervenes a division of labour among the servants or dependents whose life is spent in maintaining the honour of the gentleman of leisure. So that, while one group produces goods for him, another group, usually headed by the wife, or chief, consumes for him in conspicuous leisure; thereby putting in evidence his ability to sustain large pecuniary damage without impairing his superior opulence.

出处: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/833
定位:Excerpt 43 · 核对日期:2026-10-19 · 核验:短摘录

白话

随着社会公认的财富标准提高,用仆人来炫耀富裕的方式也变得更精细。过去,拥有奴隶并让他们生产商品能显示财富和权势;但维持一群不生产任何东西的仆人,则显示更高的财富和地位。于是出现一类仆人,人数越多越好,唯一职责就是愚蠢地侍候主人,以证明主人能非生产性地消耗大量服务。仆人之间还出现分工:一部分为主人生产商品,另一部分(通常由妻子或首领带领)则为主人进行炫耀性休闲消费,从而证明主人能承受巨大金钱损失而不损其优越富裕。

上下文

凡勃伦《有闲阶级论》讨论炫耀性消费与代理休闲,分析仆人如何成为财富证明。

今日一问

今天你身边有哪些“不生产却显示地位”的消费或服务?

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