首页 >出版文学> The Theory of Business>第36章
  Butafterallqualificationshavebeenmade,thefactstillisapparentthattheeverydaylifeofthoseclasseswhichareengagedinbusinessdiffersmateriallyintherespectcitedfromthelifeoftheclassesengagedinindustryproper。Thereisanappreciableandwideningdifferencebetweenthehabitsoflifeofthetwoclasses;andthiscarrieswithitawideningdifferenceinthedisciplinetowhichthetwoclassesaresubjected。Itinducesadifferenceinthehabitsofthoughtandthehabitualgroundsandmethodsofreasoningresortedtobyeachclass。Thereresultsadifferenceinthepointofview,inthefactsdweltupon,inthemethodsofargument,inthegroundsofvalidityappealedto;andthisdifferencegainsinmagnitudeandconsistencyasthedifferentiationofoccupationsgoeson。Sothatthetwoclassescometohaveanincreasingdifficultyinunderstandingoneanotherandappreciatingoneanother’sconvictions,ideals,capacities,andshortcomings。
  Theultimategroundofvalidityforthethinkingofthebusinessclassesisthenatural-rightsgroundofproperty,-aconventional,anthropomorphicfacthavinganinstitutionalvalidity,ratherthanamatter-of-factvaliditysuchascanbeformulatedintermsofmaterialcauseandeffect;whiletheclassesengagedinthemachineindustryarehabituallyoccupiedwithmattersofcausalsequence,whichdonotlendthemselvestostatementinanthropomorphictermsofnaturalrightsandwhichaffordnoguidanceinquestionsofinstitutionalrightandwrong,orofconventionalreasonandconsequence。Argumentswhichproceedonmaterialcauseandeffectcannotbemetwithargumentsfromconventionalprecedentordialecticallysufficientreason,andconversely。
  Thethinkingrequiredbythepecuniaryoccupationsproceedsongroundsofconventionality,whereasthatinvolvedintheindustrialoccupationsruns,inthemain,ongroundsofmechanicalsequenceorcausation,totheneglectofconventionality。Theinstitutionhabitofthoughtofownershiporpropertyisaconventionalfact;andthelogicofpecuniarythinking-thatistosay,ofthinkingonmattersofownership-
  isaworkingoutoftheimplicationsofthispostulate,thisconceptofownershiporproperty。Thecharacteristichabitsofthoughtgivenbysuchworkarehabitsofrecoursetoconventionalgroundsoffinalityorvalidity,toanthropomorphism,toexplanationsofphenomenaintermsofhumanrelation,discretion,authenticity,andchoice。Thefinalgroundofcertaintyininquiriesonthisnatural-rightsplaneisalwaysagroundofauthenticity,ofprecedent,oraccepteddecision。Theargumentisanargumentdejure,notdefacto,andthetraininggivenlendsfacilityandcertaintyinthepursuitofdejuredistinctionsandgeneralizations,ratherthaninthepursuitortheassimilationofadefactoknowledgeofimpersonalphenomena。Theendofsuchreasoningistheinterpretationofnewfactsintermsofaccreditedprecedents,ratherthanarevisionoftheknowledgedrawnfrompastexperienceinthematter-of-factlightofnewphenomena。Theendeavoristomakefactsconformtolaw,nottomakethelaworgeneralruleconformtofacts。Thebentsogivenfavorstheacceptanceofthegeneral,abstract,custom-maderuleassomethingrealwitharealitysuperiortotherealityofimpersonal,non-conventionalfacts。Suchtraininggivesreachandsubtletyinmetaphysicalargumentandinwhatisknownasthe“practical“managementofaffairs;itgivesexecutiveoradministrativeefficiency,so-called,asdistinguishedfrommechanicalwork。“Practical“efficiencymeanstheabilitytoturnfactstoaccountforthepurposesoftheacceptedconventions,togivealargeeffecttothesituationintermsofthepecuniaryconventionsinforce。11*
  Thespiritualattitudegivenbythistraininginreasoningdejure,frompecuniarypremisestopecuniaryconclusions,isnecessarilyconservative。Thisspeciesofreasoningassumesthevalidityoftheconventionallyestablishedpostulates,andisconsequentlyunabletotakeascepticalattitudetowardthesepostulatesortowardtheinstitutionsinwhichthesepostulatesareembodied。Itmayleadtoscepticismtouchingother,older,institutionsthatareatvariancewithitsownnatural-rights
  postulates,butitsscepticismcannottouchthenatural-rightsgroundonwhichitrestsitsowncase。Inthesamemanner,ofcourse,thethinkingwhichrunsinmaterialcausalsequencecannottakeascepticalattitudetowarditsfundamentalpostulate,thelawofcauseandeffect;butsincereasoningonthismaterialisticbasisdoesnotvisiblygotoupholdthereceivedinstitutions,theattitudegivenbythedisciplineofthemachinetechnologycannot,forthepresent,becalledaconservativeattitude。
  Thebusinessclassesareconservative,onthewhole,butsuchaconservativebentis,ofcourse,notpeculiartothem。Theseoccupationsarenottheonlyoneswhosereasoningprevailinglymovesonaconventionalplane。Indeed,theintellectualactivityofotherclasses,suchassoldiers,politicians,theclergy,andmenoffashion,movesonaplaneofstillolderconventions;sothatifthetraininggivenbybusinessemploymentsistobecharacterizedasconservative,thatgivenbytheseother,morearchaicemploymentsshouldbecalledreactionary。12*Extremeconventionalizationmeansextremeconservatism。Conservatismmeansthemaintenanceofconventionsalreadyinforce。Onthishead,therefore,thedisciplineofmodernbusinesslifemaybesaidsimplytoretainsomethingofthecomplexionwhichmarksthelifeofthehigherbarbarianculture,atthesametimethatithasnotretainedthedisciplinaryforceofthebarbariancultureinsohighastateofpreservationassomeoftheotheroccupationsjustnamed。
  Thedisciplineofthemodernindustrialemploymentsisrelativelyfreefromthebiasofconventionality,butthedifferencebetweenthemechanicalandthebusinessoccupationsinthisrespectisadifferenceofdegree。Itisnotsimplythatconventionalstandardsofcertaintyfallintoabeyanceforlackofexercise,amongtheindustrialclasses。Thepositivedisciplineexercisedbytheirworkingoodpartrunscountertothehabitofthinkinginconventional,anthropomorphicterms,whethertheconventionalityisthatofnaturalrightsoranyother。Andinrespectofthispositivetrainingawayfromconventionalnorms,thereisalargedivergencebetweentheseverallinesofindustrialemployment。Inproportionasagivenlineofemploymenthasmoreofthecharacterofamachineprocessandlessofthecharacterofhandicraft,thematter-of-facttrainingwhichitgivesismorepronounced。Inasensemoreintimatethantheinventorsofthephraseseemtohaveappreciated,themachinehasbecomethemasterofthemanwhoworkswithitandanarbiterintheculturalfortunesofthecommunityintowhoselifeithasentered。
  Theintellectualandspiritualtrainingofthemachineinmodernlife,therefore,isveryfar-reaching。Itleavesbutasmallproportionofthecommunityuntouched;butwhileitsconstraintisramifiedthroughoutthebodyofthepopulation,andconstrainsvirtuallyallclassesatsomepointsintheirdailylife,itfallswiththemostdirect,intimate,andunmitigatedimpactupontheskilledmechanicalclasses,forthesehavenorespitefromitsmastery,whethertheyareatworkoratplay。
  Theubiquitouspresenceofthemachine,withitsspiritualconcomitant-workdayidealsandscepticismofwhatisonlyconventionallyvalidistheunequivocalmarkoftheWesterncultureofto-dayascontrastedwiththecultureofothertimesandplaces。Itpervadesallclassesandstratainavaryingdegree,butonanaverageinagreaterdegreethanatanytimeinthepast,andmostpotentlyintheadvancedindustrialcommunitiesandintheclassesimmediatelyincontactwiththemechanicaloccupations。13*Asthecomprehensivemechanicalorganizationofthematerialsideoflifehasgoneon,aheighteningofthisculturaleffectthroughoutthecommunityhasalsosupervened,andwithafartherandfastermovementinthesamedirectionafartheraccentuationofthis“modern“complexionofcultureisfairlytobelookedfor,unlesssomeremedybefound。Andastheconcomitantdifferentiationandspecializationofoccupationsgoeson,astillmoreunmitigateddisciplinefallsuponeverwideningclassesofthepopulation,resultinginaneverweakeningsenseofconviction,allegiance,orpietytowardthereceivedinstitutions。
  Itisamatterofcommonnotorietythatthemodernindustrialpopulationsareimprovidentinahighdegreeandareapparentlyincapableoftakingcareofthepecuniarydetailsoftheirownlife。Thisapplies,notonlytofactoryhands,butalsotothegeneralclassofhighlyskilledmechanics,inventors,technologicalexperts。Theruledoesnotholdinanyhardandfastway,butitholdswithsuchgeneralityasmayfairlybelookedfor。Thepresentfactorypopulationmaybecomparedinthisrespectwiththeclassofhandicraftsmenwhomtheyhavedisplaced,asalsowiththefarmingpopulationofthepresenttime,especiallytheclassofsmallproprietaryfarmers。Thefailureofthemodernindustrialclassesonthisheadisnotduetoscantieropportunitiesforsaving,whethertheyarecomparedwiththeearlierhandicraftsmenorwiththemodernfarmerorpeasant;norisitduetoalackofgeneralintelligence,foracomparisoninpointofintelligencefallsoutinfavorofthemodernindustrialworkmen。Thisimprovidenceiscommonlydiscussedintermsofdeprecation,andthereismuchpreachingofthriftandsteadyhabits。Butthepreachinghasnoappreciableeffect。Thetroubleseemstobeofthenatureofhabitratherthanofreasonedconviction。Othercausesmaypartiallyexplainthisimprovidence,buttheinquiryisatleastpertinenthowfartheabsenceofpropertyandthriftamongthemmaybetraceabletotherelativeabsenceofpecuniarytrainingandtothepresenceofadisciplinewhichisatvariancewithhabitsofthrift。
  Mereexemptionfrompecuniarytrainingisnotcompetentalonetoexplainthepatentthriftlessnessofmodernworkmen;themoresosincethisexemptionisbutpartialandrelative。Also,thethriftlessclassescommonlyhaveanenviousappreciationofpecuniaryadvantages。Itisratherthecompositeeffectofexemptionfrompecuniarytrainingandcertainpositiverequirementsofmodernlife。Amongthesepositiverequirementsiswhathasbeencalledthecanonofconspicuouswaste。Undermodernconditionsafreeexpenditureinconsumablegoodsisaconditionrequisitetogoodrepute。14*Thisconducestoimmediateconsumptionratherthantosaving。Whatisperhapsstillmoredecisiveagainstthriftonthepartofworkmenisthefactthatthemodernlargeorganizationofindustryrequiresahighdegreeofmobilityonthepartofemployees。Itrequires,infact,thatthelaborforceandthelaborunitsbemobile,interchangeable,distributable,afterthesameimpersonalfashionasthemechanicalcontrivancesengagedaremovableanddistributable。
  Theworkingpopulationisrequiredtobestandardized,movable,andinterchangeableinmuchthesameimpersonalmannerastheraworhalfwroughtmaterialsofindustry。Fromwhichitfollowsthatthemodernworkmancannotadvantageouslyownahome。Byforceofthislatterfeatureofthecaseheisdiscouragedfrominvestinghissavingsinrealproperty,or,indeed,inanyoftheimpedimentsofliving。Andthesavings-bankaccount,itmaybeadded,offersnoadequatesubstitute,asanincentivetothrift,intheplaceofsuchpropertyasadwelling-place,whichistangiblyandusefullyundertheowner’shandandpersistentlyrequiresmaintenanceandimprovement。
  Theconditionsoflifeimposedupontheworkingpopulationbythemachineindustrydiscouragethrift。Butafterallowancehasbeenmadeforthisalmostphysicalrestraintupontheaquisitionofpropertybytheworkingclasses,somethingisapparentlyleftover,tobeascribedtothemoraleffectofthemachinetechnology。Theindustrialclassesappeartobelosingtheinstinctofindividualownership。Theacquisitionofpropertyisceasingtoappealtothemasanatural,self-evidentsourceofcomfortandstrength。Thenaturalrightofpropertynolongermeanssomuchtothemasitoncedid。
  Alikeweakeningofthenatural-rightsanimusisvisibleatanotherpointinthecurrentframeofmindoftheseclasses。Thegrowthoftrade-unionismandofwhatiscalledthetrade-unionspiritisaconcomitantofindustryorganizedafterthemannerofamachineprocess。Historicallythisgrowthbegins,virtually,withtheindustrialrevolution,cominginsporadically,loosely,tentatively,withnopreciseassignabledate,verymuchastherevolutiondoes。Englandisthelandofitsgenesis,its“areaofcharacterization,“andtheplacewhereithasreacheditsfullestdegreeofspecificationanditslargestforce;justasEnglandisthecountryinwhichthemodernmachineindustrytookitsriseandinwhichithashadthelongestandmostconsistentlifeandgrowth。InthismatterothercountriesarefollowersoftheBritishleadandapparentlyborrowersofBritishprecedentsandworkingconcepts。Still,thehistoryofthetrade-unionmovementinothercountriesseemstosaythattheworkingclasseselsewherehavenotadvisedlyborrowedidealsandmethodsoforganizationfromtheirBritishcongenerssomuchastheyhavebeenpushedintothesamegeneralattitudeandlineofconductbythesamegenerallineofexigenciesandexperiences。