The Theory of Business

第43章

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第43章

The Theory of Business 佚名

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The Theory of Business
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  Nothingcanserveasacorrectiveoftheculturaltrendgivenbythemachinedisciplineexceptwhatcanbeputintheformofabusinessproposition。Thequestionofneutralizingtheuntowardeffectsofthemachinedisciplineresolvesitselfintoaquestionastotheculturalworkandconsequencesofbusinessenterprise,andoftheculturalvalueofbusinessprinciplesinsofarastheyguidesuchhumanendeavorasliesoutsidetherangeofbusinessenterpriseproper。Itisnotaquestionofwhatoughttobedone,butofwhatisthecourselaidoutbybusinessprinciples;thediscretionrestswiththebusinessmen,notwiththemoralists,andthebusinessmen’sdiscretionisboundedbytheexigenciesofbusinessenterprise。Eventhebusinessmencannotallowthemselvestoplayfastandloosewithbusinessprinciplesinresponsetoacallfromhumanitarianmotives。Thequestion,therefore,remains,onthewhole,aquestionofwhatthebusinessmenmaybeexpectedtodoforculturalgrowthonthemotiveofprofits。

  Somethingtheyaredoing,asothersare,frommotivesofbenevolence,withawell-advisedendeavortomaintaintheculturalgainsofthepastandtomakethewayoflifesmootherformankindinthefuture。Butthemoresecureandsubstantialresultstobelookedforinthisdirectionarethosethatfollowincidentally,asbyproductsofbusinessenterprise,becausethesearenotdependentonthevagariesofpersonalpreference,tastes,andprejudices,butrestonabroadinstitutionalbasis。

  Theeffectsofbusinessenterpriseuponthehabitsandtemperofthepeople,andsouponinstitutionalgrowth,arechieflyofthenatureofsequelae,Ithasalreadybeennotedthatthedisciplineofbusinessemploymentsisofaconservativenature,tendingtosustaintheconventionsthatrestonnatural-rightsdogma,becausetheseemploymentstrainthemenengagedinthemtothinkintermsofnaturalrights。Itisunnecessarytoreturntothistopichere,excepttonoticethat,initsseverer,moreunmitigatedform,thisdisciplineinpecuniaryhabitsofthoughtfallsonagraduallylesseningproportionofthepopulation。Theabsolutenumberofbusinessmen,countingprincipalsandsubordinates,is,ofcourse,notdecreasing,Thenumberofmeninbusinesspursuits,inproportiontothepopulation,isalsoapparentlynotdecreasing;butwithinthebusinessemploymentsalargerproportionareoccupiedwithofficeroutine,andsoarewithdrawnfromthemoreeffectualtraininggivenbybusinessmanagementproper。Ifsuchadecreaseoccursinanycountry,itisalmostcertainlynottobefoundinanyothercountrythanAmerica。

  Thisbusinessdisciplineissomewhatcloselylimitedbothinscopeandrange。1Itactstoconserve,ortorehabilitate,acertainrestrictedlineofinstitutionalhabitsofthought,viz。

  thosepreconceptionsofnaturalrightswhichhavetodowithproperty。Whatitconserves,therefore,isthebourgeoisvirtuesofsolvency,thrift,anddissimulation。Thenoblerandmorespectaculararistocraticvirtues,withtheircorrelativeinstitutionalfurniture,arenotinanysensibledegreefortifiedbythehabitsofbusinesslife。Businesslifedoesnotfurtherthegrowthofmannerandbreeding,prideofCaste,punctiliosof“honor,“orevenreligiousfervor。2Thesalutarydisciplineofbusinesslifetouchesthebulkofthepopulation,theworkingclasses,inaprogressivelylessintimateandlessexactingmanner。Itcan,therefore,notservetocorrectorevengreatlytomitigatethematter-of-factbiasgiventheseclassesbythedisciplineofthemachineprocess。

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