一位经济学家的社会正义理想——理查德·伊利的资本主义批判  

An Economist Optimistic for Social Reform and Social Justice:Richard T.Ely’s Critique of Capitalism

作　　者：彭小瑜[1] PENG Xiao-yu

机构地区：[1]北京大学历史学系,北京100871

出　　处：《首都师范大学学报（社会科学版）》2020年第5期1-14,共14页Journal of Capital Normal University：Social Science Edition

摘　　要：美国经济学家理查德·伊利在20世纪初参与创办的《美国经济学评论》曾经是进步的社会科学学者的重要阵地。伊利本人曾经因为深入研究欧洲和美国的社会主义运动和支持社会改革遭受无理的迫害,不过他并未因此停止对社会公正的不懈追求,并未因此改变他对生产资料公有制审慎的肯定,并未因此改变他对不受约束的资本主义贪婪的厌恶和批判。在充满敌视社会主义氛围的美国,伊利坚守了他对社会主义思想和运动进行科学研究的学术取向,以温和同时又顽强坚韧的态度反驳了资本势力主导下的污名化社会主义的大众文化。他明确提出“作为一种社会理论,社会主义在道德上完全无可指摘”,而认为私企一定比公营企业优越的看法只是“一种民间传说”。在整个世界都面临重大挑战和转折关口的今天,人们不妨重新阅读和讨论伊利的经济学著述,感受一下他对社会进步和社会改革充满希望的乐观情绪。Richard T.Ely,the distinguished economist who was one of the prime movers behind the founding of the American Economic Association in 1886,made great efforts to protest against the system of laissez-faire prevalent in the late 19th century and in the 1920’s.Professor Ely conducted insightful researches in the history of European and American socialism,and published works on the labor movement in the United States.Suspected of promoting socialism on campus,he was once put on trial by an investigating committee in 1894 when he was teaching at the University of Wisconsin.This incident did not dampen his optimistic attitude in pursuing social reform and social justice,and his enthusiasm remained unscathed for public ownership in municipal services and certain key industries.For Ely,“socialism as a theory of society cannot,of course,be regarded as in any sense morally blameworthy.”And he considered it firmly as“a popular superstition”that private business was always and everywhere superior to public enterprise.As the present episode of the doctrines of laissez-faire and free trade in the United States goes into deeper chaos and failure,it is crucial to rekindle Richard T.Ely’s critique of capitalism.

关 键 词：资本主义批判 社会主义历史 美国研究 理查德·伊利 

分 类 号：C91-09[经济管理]