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

blows nobody good. Everybody must live, and what would become of the
glaziers if panes of glass were never broken?"

Now, this form of condolence contains an entire theory, which
it will be well to show up in this simple case, seeing that it is
precisely the same as that which, unhappily, regulates the greater
part of our economical institutions.

Suppose it cost six francs to repair the damage, and you say
that the accident brings six francs to the glazier's trade -that it
encourages that trade to the amount of six francs -I grant it; I
have not a word to say against it; you reason justly. The -lazier
comes, performs his task, receives his six francs, rubs Ms hands, and,
in his heart, blesses the careless child. All this is that which is
seen.

But if, on the other hand, you come to the conclusion, as is
too often the case, that it is a good thing to break windows, that
it causes money to circulate, and that the encouragement of industry
in general will be the result of it, you will oblige me to call out,
"Stop there! your theory is confined to that which is seen; it takes
no account of that which is not seen."

It is not seen that as our shopkeeper has spent six francs upon
one thing, he cannot spend them upon another. It is not seen that if
he had not had a window to replace, he would, perhaps, have replaced
his old shoes, or added another book to his library. In short, he
would have employed his six francs in some way, which this accident
has prevented.

Let us take a view of industry in general, as affected by
this circumstance. The window being broken, the glazier's trade is
encouraged to the amount of six francs; this is that which is seen. If
the window had not been broken, the shoemaker's trade (or some
other) would have been encouraged to the amount of six francs; this is
that which is not seen.

And if that which is -not seen is taken into consideration,
because it is a negative fact, as well as that which is seen,
because it is a positive fact, it will be understood that neither
industry in general, nor the sum total of national labour, is
affected, whether windows are broken or not.

Now let us consider James B. himself. In the former
supposition, that of the window being broken, he spends six francs,
and has neither more nor less than he had before, the enjoyment of a
window.

In the second, where we suppose the window not to have been
broken, he would have spent six francs on shoes, and would have had at