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1、Iwouldliketoreflectononeoftheoldestofhumanexercises,theprocessbywhichovertheyears,andindeedoverthecenturies,wehaveundertakentogetthepooroffourconscience.Richandpoorhavelivedtogether,alwaysuncomfortablyandsometimesperilously,sincethebeginningoftime.Plutarchwasledtosay:
2、“Animbalancebetweentherichandpooristheoldestandmostfatalailmentofrepublics.”Andtheproblemsthatarisefromthecontinuingco-existenceofaffluenceandpoverty–andparticularlytheprocessbywhichgoodfortuneisjustifiedinthepresenceoftheillfortuneofothers—havebeenanintellectualpreoc
3、cupationforcenturies.Theycontinuetobesoinourowntime.OnebeginswiththesolutionproposedintheBible:thepoorsufferinthisworldbutarewonderfullyrewardedinthenext.Thepovertyisatemporarymisfortune;iftheyarepoorandalsomeektheyeventuallywillinherittheearth.Thisis,insomeways,anadm
4、irablesolution.Itallowstherichtoenjoytheirwealthwhileenvyingthepoortheirfuturefortune.[HarryCrews’s“PagesfromtheLifeofaGeorgiaInnocent”discussestheromanticizingofpoverty.]Much,muchlater,inthetwentyorthirtyyearsfollowingthepublicationin1776ofTheWealthofNations–thelated
5、awnoftheIndustrialRevolutioninBritain–theproblemanditssolutionbegantotakeontheirmodernform.JeremyBentham,anearcontemporaryofAdamSmith,cameupwiththeformulathatforperhapsfiftyyearswasextraordinarilyinfluentialinBritishand,tosomedegree,Americanthought.Thiswasutilitariani
6、sm.“Bytheprincipleofutility,”Benthamsaidin1789,“ismeanttheprincipalwhichapprovesordisapprovesofeveryactionwhatsoeveraccordingtothetendencywhichitappearstohavetoaugmentordiminishthehappinessofthepartywhoseinterestisinquestion.”Virtueis,indeedmustbe,self-centered.Whilet
7、herewerepeoplewithgreatgoodfortuneandmanymorewithgreatillfortune,thesocialproblemwassolvedaslongas,againinBentham’swords,therewas“thegreatestgoodforthegreatestnumber.”Societydiditsbestforthelargestpossiblenumberofpeople;oneacceptedthattheresultmightbesadlyunpleasantfo
8、rthemanywhosehappinesswasnotserved.Inthe1830’sanewformula,influentialinnoslightdegreetothisday,becameavailableforgettingthep
