The Theory of Business

第34章

Itmayberemarkedbythewaythat,whilethechargeofpartialityorcorruption,oftenheardasagainstthesehighertribunals,mayinafewscatteringinstancesbefounded,thatisafterallnotmuchtothepointasregardspracticalconsequences。Thegreaternumberofthecourts,indeedvirtuallytheentirejudiciary,arenodoubtabovesubstantialsuspicioninthepremises。Andafterall,iftheywerenotincorruptible,-ifthecommonrunofthetribunalswerecorruptlyworkingintheinterestoftheemployersorowners,-thatneednotseriouslyaffecttheoutcomeasregardsthegeneraltenorofthedecisionshandeddown。Iftheyarecorruptorbiassed,theywilldecideinfavoroftheowners,whocanaffordtopay,andtheywillbeunderthenecessityoffindingplausiblereasonsinlawforsodoing。Suchreasoncanbefoundonlyinthemetaphysicalnaturalrightsbasisofthelaw;andifitcanbefoundbythehelpofsuchlegalratiocination,thenitisavalidgroundofdecision,thatbeingthepeculiarmeritofmetaphysicalgroundsofdecision。Ontheotherhand,ifthecourtisa“learned,uprightjudge,“hewilllookforthegroundsofdecisioninthesameplaceandfindtheminthesameshape。Necessarilyso,sincethepointindisputeisalmostinvariablyaquestionofthelegalrightsofpropertyasagainstthematerialrequirementsofcomfortoroflivelihood;andtherightsofpropertyarethefoundationofmodernlawandorder,whiletherequirementsofcomfortorlivelihoodpassedoutofthescopeofthelawontheabrogationoftheoutwornsystemofmandatoryprescriptionsgoverningindustrialandtraderelationsinearlymoderntimes。

Sincethedisputesinquestionrarelyifeverariseoutofabreachofcontractonthepartoftheemployer-owner,thedecisioncanordinarily,inthenatureofthecase,notgoagainsthim,inasmuchasthefoundationofeconomiclawandorderisthefreedomandinviolabilityofpecuniarycontracts。Itshould,infact,benearlyamatterofindifferencetothe“popular“sideofthisclassoflitigationwhetherthecourtsarecorruptornot。Thequestionhaslittleelsethanaspeculativeinterest。Inthenatureofthecasetheowneralonehas,ordinarily,anystandingincourt。Allofwhicharguesthatthereareprobablyveryfewcourtsthatareinanydegreecorruptorbiassed,sofarastoucheslitigationofthisclass。Effortstocorruptthemwouldbeaworkofsupererogation,besidesbeingimmoral。

ThisisnottrueinnearlythesamedegreeforthemercantilepoliciesofEngland,eveninearlymoderntimes。InEnglishpolicy,undertheinchoateconstitutionalsystemofthemercantilistera,theulterior(avowed)endisalwaysthe(business)advantageofthe“commonwealth。“Theprincecomesinratherassecondthanasfirstclaimantonthesolicitudeofthemercantiliststatesman。

11。Thelineofdescentofthepreconceptionofpatriotismorchauvinism,asitfindsexpressioninthislivelysenseofpecuniarysolidarity,maybeoutlinedasfollows:Undertheclan(gentileortribal)systemoutofwhichtheWest-EuropeanpeoplespassedintotheregimeoffeudalChristendom,agivengroupstoodtogetherinaunionofoffenceanddefence,warlikeandeconomic,onthebasisofaputativebloodrelationship。Whenthemanororthe(essentiallyservile)markcametoreplacetheclangroupastheeconomicandcivilunit,thebondofputativebloodrelationshippersistedinaslightlymodifiedformandforce,theincidenceofthesenseofsolidarity,the“consciousnessofkind,“thenshiftingtothenewgroupunit,withallegiancecentringonthefeudalheadofthegroup,insteadof,asformerly,ontheseniorlineofputativedescent。Whenthestatecameforwardinmedievalandearlymoderntimesandtookoverthepowersandprerogativesoftheheadofthemanororthefeudallord,ittookoveralsotheincidenceofthissenseofallegiance,andthesenseofsolidaritycametocoverthelargergroupofthenationwhichhadsucceededtotheautonomyofthemanor。Wherethelineofinstitutionaldescentrunsthroughtheindustrialtown,withguild,handicraft,andlocalgovernment,thetransientfeaturesofthegrowtharesuperficiallydifferentbutineffectmuchthesame。Thedisciplineofwarfare,whichkeptupthepracticeofjointactionandhadtheappearanceofjointenterprise,servedtokeepthesenseofpatrioticsolidarityfirmandvigorousandenabledittocoverotherinterestsaswellastheprincelyenterpriseofwarfareandstate-making。Whereverunbrokenpeaceprevailedforanappreciableperiod,soastoaffectthegrowthoftraditions,thesenseofnationa

后续内容为VIP可读请开通VIP,或购买此章节

这是VIP章节,可用辰豆购买本章或开通会员后阅读
开通VIP
字体大小
背景颜色