On Capitalism 论资本主义
According to the capitalists, there will be a guarantee to the world that every man in the country would get a job. They didn't contend it would be a well-paid job, because if it was well paid a man would save up enough one week to stop working the next week, and they were determined to keep a man working the whole time on a bare subsistence wage - and, on the other hand, divide an accumulation of capital.
They said capita1ism not only secured this for the working man, but, by insuring fabulous wealth in the hands of a small class of people, they would save money whether they liked it or not and would have to invest it. That is capitalism, and this Government is always interfering with capitalism. Instead of giving a man a job or letting him starve they are giving him doles - after making sure he has paid for them first.
We say in criticism of capitalism: Your system has never kept its promises for one single day since it was promulgated. Our production is ridiculous. We are producing eighty horsepower motor cars when many more houses should be built. We are producing most extravagant luxuries while children starve. You have stood production on its head. Instead of beginning with the things the nation needs most, you are beginning at just the opposite end.
按照资本家的观点,完全可以保证这个国家人人都能得到一份职业。他们不主张那份职业工资很高,因为如果工资很高,一个星期就可以攒下足够的钱,下个星期就不必工作了。他们决心以仅能糊口的工资使人们始终不停地工作,而他们自己则分享着一份资本增益。
他们说,资本主义不仅为工人提供了上述保证,而且,由于确保巨额财富掌握在一个人数很少的阶级手中,这些人不论愿意与否都会把钱积攒下来,并且不得不用于投资。这就是资本主义,而我们的政府却总是妨碍资本主义。政府既不为一个人提供工作,又不让他挨饿,而是在肯定他已经为得到救济而先付过钱之后,给他一点救济金。
我们在批评资本主义时说:你们的制度自公布以来,从未有哪一天信守过自己的诺言。我们的生产是荒唐的。需要建造更多的房屋时,我们却在生产80马力的汽车。孩子们正在挨饿时,我们却在生产最豪华的奢侈品。你们把生产颠倒了。你们不先生产国民最需要的东西,却反其道而行之。