"Frederick Bastiat - That Which Is Seen-That Which Is Not" - читать интересную книгу автора (Bastiat Frederick)

1850
THAT WHICH IS SEEN, AND THAT WHICH IS NOT SEEN
Frederic Bastiat
THAT WHICH IS SEEN THAT WHICH IS NOT SEEN

In the department of economy, an act, a habit, an
institution, a law, gives birth not only to an effect, but to a series
of effects. Of these effects, the first only is immediate; it
manifests itself simultaneously with its cause -it is seen. The others
unfold in succession -they are not seen: it is well for us, if they
are foreseen. Between a good and a bad economist this constitutes
the whole difference -the one takes account of the visible effect; the
other takes account both of the effects which are seen, and also of
those which it is necessary to foresee. Now this difference is
enormous, for it almost always happens that when the immediate
consequence is favourable, the ultimate consequences are fatal, and
the converse. Hence it follows that the bad economist pursues a
small present good, which will be followed by a great evil to come,
while the true economist pursues a great good to come, -at the risk of
a small present evil.

In fact, it is the same in the science of health, arts, and
in that of morals. It often happens, that the sweeter the first
fruit of a habit is, the more bitter are the consequences. Take, for
example, debauchery, idleness, prodigality. When, therefore, a man
absorbed in the effect which is seen has not yet learned to discern
those which are not seen, he gives way to fatal habits, not only by
inclination, but by calculation.

This explains the fatally grievous condition of mankind.
Ignorance surrounds its cradle: then its actions are determined by
their first consequences, the only ones which, in its first stage,
it can see. It is only in the long run that it learns to take
account of the others. It has to learn this lesson from two very
different masters-experience and foresight. Experience teaches
effectually, but brutally. It makes us acquainted with all the effects
of an action, by causing us to feel them; and we cannot fail to finish
by knowing that fire burns, if we have burned ourselves. For this
rough teacher, I should like, if possible, to substitute a more gentle
one. I mean Foresight. For this purpose I shall examine the
consequences of certain economical phenomena, by placing in opposition
to each other those which are seen, and those which are not seen.
I. -THE BROKEN WINDOW

Have you ever witnessed the anger of the good shopkeeper, James
B., when his careless son happened to break a square of glass? If
you have been present at such a scene, you will most assuredly bear
witness to the fact, that every one of the spectators, were there even
thirty of them, by common consent apparently, offered the
unfortunate owner this invariable consolation -"It is an ill wind that