FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   555   556   557   558   559   560   561   562   563   564   565   566   567   568   569   570   571   572   573   574   575   576   577   578   579  
580   581   582   583   584   585   586   587   588   589   590   591   592   593   594   595   596   597   598   599   600   601   602   603   604   >>   >|  
ibutions or are directed toward mere money interests. In the case of the business corporation, especially, the basis of organization of members is exclusively an interest in the dividends, so exclusively that it is a matter of entire indifference to the individual what the society (enterprise) actually produces. The independence of the person of the concrete objects, in which he has a mere money interest, is reflected, likewise, in his independence, in his personal relations, of the other individuals with whom he is connected by an exclusive money interest. This has produced one of the most effective cultural formations--one which makes it possible for individuals to take part in an association whose objective aim it will promote, use, and enjoy without this association bringing with it any further personal connection or imposing any further obligation. Money has brought it about that one individual may unite himself with others without being compelled to surrender any of his personal freedom or reserve. That is the fundamental and unspeakably significant difference between the medieval form of organization which made no difference between the association of men as men and the association of men as members of an organization. The medieval form or organization united equally in one circle the entire business, religious, political, and friendly interests of the individuals who composed it. III. INVESTIGATIONS AND PROBLEMS 1. Biological Competition The conception of competition has had a twofold origin: in the notions (a) of the struggle for existence and (b) of the struggle for livelihood. Naturally, then, the concept of competition has had a parallel development in biology and in economics. The growth of the notion in these two fields of thought, although parallel, is not independent. Indeed, the fruitful process of interaction between the differing formulations of the concept in biology and economics is a significant illustration of the cross-fertilization of the sciences. Although Malthus was a political economist, his principle of population is essentially biological rather than economic. He is concerned with the struggle for existence rather than for livelihood. Reacting against the theories of Condorcet and of Godwin concerning the natural equality, perfectability, and inevitable progress of man, Malthus in 1798 stated the dismal law that population tends to increase in geometrical progression and subsiste
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   555   556   557   558   559   560   561   562   563   564   565   566   567   568   569   570   571   572   573   574   575   576   577   578   579  
580   581   582   583   584   585   586   587   588   589   590   591   592   593   594   595   596   597   598   599   600   601   602   603   604   >>   >|  



Top keywords:

organization

 

association

 
struggle
 

interest

 

personal

 

individuals

 

existence

 
population
 
independence
 

economics


parallel

 

concept

 

Malthus

 
livelihood
 

biology

 

competition

 

members

 
business
 

interests

 

political


exclusively

 

individual

 

difference

 

significant

 

entire

 

medieval

 
notion
 

thought

 

fields

 

growth


origin

 

Biological

 

Competition

 

PROBLEMS

 

conception

 

twofold

 

Naturally

 

notions

 

development

 

principle


equality

 
perfectability
 

inevitable

 

progress

 

natural

 
theories
 

Condorcet

 

Godwin

 

geometrical

 

progression