The dirty secret of capitalism -- and a new way forward | Nick Hanauer

譯者: Lilian Chiu 審譯者: 易帆 余

I am a capitalist,

我是資本主義者，

and after a 30-year career in capitalism

在三十年橫跨三十多間公司的

spanning three dozen companies,

資本主義職涯中，

generating tens of billions of dollars in market value,

創造了數百億美元的市場價值，

I'm not just in the top one percent, I'm in the top .01 percent of all earners.

我的收入不只是在前 1%， 還是在前 0.01%。

Today, I have come to share the secrets of our success,

今天，我來分享我們成功的秘密，

because rich capitalists like me have never been richer.

因為像我這樣的資本主義者 以前從來沒有這麼富有過。

So the question is, how do we do it?

問題是：我們是怎麼辦到的？

How do we manage to grab

我們這一群人，是如何掌握

an ever-increasing share of the economic pie every year?

每年都不斷增長的經濟大餅？

Is it that rich people are smarter than we were 30 years ago?

是因為有錢人比三十年前更聰明嗎？

Is it that we're working harder than we once did?

還是我們現在更努力了？

Are we taller, better looking?

我們有比較高、比較好看嗎？

Sadly, no.

很不幸的，沒有。

It all comes down to just one thing:

總結起來只有一點：

economics.

經濟學。

Because, here's the dirty secret.

因為，骯髒的秘密如下。

There was a time in which the economics profession

曾經有段時間，經濟學專業人士 是為了公眾利益努力的，

worked in the public interest,

but in the neoliberal era,

但在新自由時代，

today,

如今，

they work only for big corporations

他們只為大公司和億萬富翁工作，

and billionaires,

and that is creating a little bit of a problem.

那會造成一些問題。

We could choose to enact economic policies

我們可以選擇制定經濟政策、

that raise taxes on the rich,

向富人收更高的稅、

regulate powerful corporations or raise wages for workers.

規範強大的企業 或者提高員工的薪資。

We have done it before.

這我們以前都做過。

But neoliberal economists would warn

但新自由主義經濟學家會警告說，

that all of these policies would be a terrible mistake,

這些政策都會是可怕的錯誤，

because raising taxes always kills economic growth,

因為提高稅率會扼殺經濟成長，

and any form of government regulation

而任何形式的政策規範

is inefficient,

都沒有效率，

and raising wages always kills jobs.

提高薪資則會扼殺工作機會。

Well, as a consequence of that thinking,

用這種想法做事的後果就是，

over the last 30 years, in the USA alone,

在過去三十年，光是在美國，

the top one percent has grown 21 trillion dollars richer

金字塔頂端 1% 的富人財富多了 二十一兆美金，

while the bottom 50 percent have grown 900 billion dollars poorer,

底部 50% 的窮人財富 則少了九千億美金，

a pattern of widening inequality that has largely repeated itself

貧富不均的擴大現象

在世界各地不斷地上演。

across the world.

And yet, as middle class families struggle to get by

還有，

就在中產階級這四十年來，

on wages that have not budged in about 40 years,

掙扎著餬口的的同時，

neoliberal economists continue to warn that the only reasonable response

新自由經濟學家仍不斷警告，

面對緊縮和全球化的痛苦，

to the painful dislocations of austerity and globalization

唯一合理的因應方式 竟是更緊縮與更全球化。

is even more austerity and globalization.

So, what is a society to do?

所以，社會該如何是好？

Well, it's super clear to me what we need to do.

我非常清楚該怎麼做。

We need a new economics.

我們需要一種新的經濟學。

So, economics has been described as the dismal science,

經濟學一直被描述成 一門沉悶的科學，

and for good reason, because as much as it is taught today,

雖然學校教這麼多了， 有很好的理由可以說明，

it isn't a science at all,

它其實根本不是科學， 儘管用了一堆很玄的數學。

in spite of all of the dazzling mathematics.

In fact, a growing number of academics and practitioners

事實上，越來越多學者和業者

have concluded that neoliberal economic theory is dangerously wrong

得出結論認為，新自由經濟理論

錯的離譜，

and that today's growing crises of rising inequality

現今，不平等越來越嚴重，

and growing political instability

政策越來越不穩定，

are the direct result of decades of bad economic theory.

這些危機都是數十年採用了不好的 經濟理論而直接造成的結果。

What we now know is that the economics that made me so rich isn't just wrong,

現在我們知道， 讓我如此富有的經濟學

不僅是錯的，

it's backwards,

還開倒車，

because it turns out

因為，我們發現，

it isn't capital that creates economic growth,

經濟成長並不是資本創造的，

it's people;

是人創造出來的；

and it isn't self-interest that promotes the public good,

公眾利益並不是靠自利來推動的，

it's reciprocity;

而是靠互惠互利來的；

and it isn't competition that produces our prosperity,

我們的繁榮並不是競爭造成的，

it's cooperation.

而是合作。

What we can now see is that an economics that is neither just nor inclusive

現在我們能夠了解， 不公正又不包容的經濟

can never sustain the high levels of social cooperation

永遠不可能維持高度的社會合作，

necessary to enable a modern society to thrive.

但現代社會要繁榮 就少不了社會合作。

So where did we go wrong?

所以，我們是哪裡做錯了？

Well, it turns out that it's become painfully obvious

結果發現，這個事實 明顯到讓人感到痛苦：

that the fundamental assumptions that undergird neoliberal economic theory

支撐新自由經濟理論的

那些基礎假設

are just objectively false,

客觀來說，根本是錯的，

and so today first I want to take you through some of those mistaken assumptions

所以，今天，我首先想 跟大家談一些錯誤的假設，

and then after describe where the science suggests prosperity actually comes from.

之後再說明，如何從科學的角度 創造繁榮。

So, neoliberal economic assumption number one is

所以，新自由經濟的第一個假設是

that the market is an efficient equilibrium system,

市場是一個有效的平衡系統，

which basically means that if one thing in the economy, like wages, goes up,

基本上，意思就是，

當經濟體中有一個元素提升， 如薪水，

another thing in the economy, like jobs, must go down.

經濟體中的另一個元素 就會下降，如工作機會。

So for example, in Seattle, where I live,

比如，在我居住的西雅圖，

when in 2014 we passed our nation's first 15 dollar minimum wage,

2014 年我們通過了全國 前所未有的十五美金最低薪資，

the neoliberals freaked out over their precious equilibrium.

新自由主義者們對即將失去的 寶貴平衡而驚慌失措。

"If you raise the price of labor," they warned,

他們警告： 「如果你們提高勞動力的價格，」

"businesses will purchase less of it.

「企業購買的勞動力就會減少。

Thousands of low-wage workers will lose their jobs.

數以千計的低薪員工 就會失去工作。

The restaurants will close."

餐廳會關門。」不過……

Except ...

they didn't.

並沒有發生。

The unemployment rate fell dramatically.

失業率大大下降。

The restaurant business in Seattle boomed.

西雅圖的餐廳業 突然好轉。為什麼？

Why?

Because there is no equilibrium.

因為根本沒有什麼平衡。

Because raising wages doesn't kill jobs, it creates them;

因為提高薪水不會扼殺而會創造 工作機會；因為，比如，

because, for instance,

when restaurant owners are suddenly required to pay restaurant workers enough

當餐廳老闆突然被要求 支付餐廳員工更多錢，

so that now even they can afford to eat in restaurants,

讓他們都能夠負擔得起 在餐廳用餐，

it doesn't shrink the restaurant business,

這就不會讓餐廳的業績萎縮，

it grows it, obviously.

很顯然，反而會成長。

(Applause)

（掌聲）

Thank you.

謝謝。

The second assumption is

第二個假設是，

that the price of something is always equal to its value,

任何東西的價格 總是等同於它的價值，

which basically means that if you earn 50,000 dollars a year

基本上，意思就是， 如果你一年賺五萬美金，

and I earn 50 million dollars a year,

而我一年賺五千萬美金，

that's because I produce a thousand times as much value as you.

那是因為我產出的 價值比你高一千倍。

Now,

現在，

it will not surprise you to learn

對這樣的假設

that this is a very comforting assumption

如果你不會感到太驚訝， 就只有一種可能 :

if you're a CEO paying yourself 50 million dollars a year

你是一位會付給自己 五千萬美金年薪，

but paying your workers poverty wages.

但付給員工的薪水 卻少的可憐的執行長。

But please, take it from somebody who has run dozens of businesses:

但，拜託，聽聽經營過 數十間企業的人怎麼說：

this is nonsense.

這很不合理。

People are not paid what they are worth.

人們的工資與他們的價值無關。

They are paid what they have the power to negotiate,

他們的薪水取決於 薪資協調的權利，

and wages' falling share of GDP

薪水佔國內生產總值的 比例一直下降，

is not because workers have become less productive

並非因為勞工的生產力下降，

but because employers have become more powerful.

而是因為僱主的權利變大了。

And --

且——

(Applause)

（掌聲）

And by pretending that the giant imbalance in power between capital and labor

把資方和勞方之間 權利嚴重不平衡的情況

doesn't exist,

裝作沒看到，

neoliberal economic theory became essentially

新自由經濟理論在根本上

a protection racket for the rich.

就是富人的保護傘。

The third assumption, and by far the most pernicious,

第三個假設，目前為止 最有害的一個，就是

is a behavioral model

that describes human beings as something called "homo economicus,"

將人類描述成某種 「經濟智人」的行為模型，

which basically means that we are all perfectly selfish,

基本上，意思就是， 我們都是非常自私、

perfectly rational and relentlessly self-maximizing.

非常理性無情， 只會不斷膨脹自我的人類。

But just ask yourselves,

但，問問你自己，

is it plausible that every single time for your entire life,

真的嗎？你這生當中

when you did something nice for somebody else,

每次出手幫忙別人，

all you were doing was maximizing your own utility?

都是為了把你的個人利益最大化嗎？

Is it plausible that when a soldier jumps on a grenade to defend fellow soldiers,

一個士兵撲向手榴彈 以保護他的夥伴，

they're just promoting their narrow self-interest?

目的只是心胸狹窄地 想促進自我利益？這說法對嗎？

If you think that's nuts,

如果你會認為他們都是笨蛋，

contrary to any reasonable moral intuition,

這與任何合理的精神直覺相反，

that's because it is

那是因為根據最新的科學，

and, according to the latest science,

它告訴你，

not true.

這是假的。

But it is this behavioral model

這是因為，以冷酷為核心的 新自由經濟行為模式，

which is at the cold, cruel heart of neoliberal economics,

and it is as morally corrosive

不僅腐蝕了我們的人性道德，

從科學的角度而言，也大錯特錯，

as it is scientifically wrong

because, if we accept at face value

因為，

如果我們接受了錯誤的想法——

that humans are fundamentally selfish,

人類基本上是自私的這個想法，

and then we look around the world

然後轉頭看看這個世界，

at all of the unambiguous prosperity in it,

看看世界上所有 明確的繁榮昌盛，

then it follows logically,

從邏輯上，

then it must be true by definition,

從定義上來看， 是因為數十億個自私的行為

that billions of individual acts of selfishness

造就了這個繁榮及

magically transubstantiate into prosperity and the common good.

符合大眾利益的社會。

If we humans are merely selfish maximizers,

如果我們人類只是自私的膨脹者，

then selfishness is the cause of our prosperity.

那麼，自私就是我們繁榮的成因。

Under this economic logic,

在這個經濟邏輯下，

greed is good,

貪婪變成是好的，

widening inequality is efficient,

將不平等擴散出去變成 是對人類有效益的，

and the only purpose of the corporation

而企業的唯一目的

can be to enrich shareholders,

就是讓股東更富裕，

because to do otherwise would be to slow economic growth

因為若不這麼做， 就會讓經濟成長慢下來，

and harm the economy overall.

並傷害到整體經濟。

And it is this gospel of selfishness

正是這些自私的信條，

which forms the ideological cornerstone of neoliberal economics,

型塑出新自由經濟主義 意識形態的基石，

a way of thinking which has produced economic policies

這種思考方式所 產生出來的經濟政策

which have enabled me and my rich buddies in the top one percent

讓我和其他在前 1% 的富有夥伴們

to grab virtually all of the benefits of growth over the last 40 years.

能取得過去四十年成長 所帶來的所有利益。

But,

但，

if instead

如果我們摒棄這些信條，

we accept the latest empirical research,

改接納最新的實證研究、

real science, which correctly describes human beings

真正的科學，正確地描述人類

as highly cooperative,

是高度合作的、

reciprocal

互惠的，

and intuitively moral creatures,

且在直覺上具有道德的動物，

then it follows logically

根據這樣的邏輯，

that it must be cooperation

人類是合作的

and not selfishness

而非自私的，

that is the cause of our prosperity,

造就我們繁榮昌盛的

and it isn't our self-interest

不是我們的自我利益

but rather our inherent reciprocity

而是人類天生的互惠能力 造就了人類的繁榮昌盛。

that is humanity's economic superpower.

So at the heart of this new economics

所以，

在這新經濟學的核心，

is a story about ourselves that grants us permission to be our best selves,

是一個關於我們自己的故事， 讓我們可以成為最好的自己，

and, unlike the old economics,

不像以前的舊經濟學，

this is a story that is virtuous

這個故事是良善的，

and also has the virtue of being true.

也具有真實的美德。

Now,

現在，

I want to emphasize that this new economics

我想要強調這種新經濟學

is not something I have personally imagined or invented.

並非我個人想像或發明出來的。

Its theories and models are being developed and refined

它的理論和模型

in universities around the world

正在世界各地的大學裡 發展和完善，

building on some of the best new research in economics,

建構的基礎是一些 最好的經濟相關新研究、

complexity theory, evolutionary theory,

複雜理論、演化理論、

psychology, anthropology and other disciplines.

心理學、人類學，及其它行為準則。

And although this new economics does not yet have its own textbook

雖然這種新經濟學還沒有 它自己的教科書，

or even a commonly agreed upon name,

甚至沒有一個大家都同意的名稱，

in broad strokes

廣義來說，

its explanation of where prosperity comes from goes something like this.

它對於繁榮從何而來的 解釋是像這樣的。

So, market capitalism is an evolutionary system

市場資本主義是一個演化系統，

in which prosperity emerges

在這個系統中，繁榮的出現，

through a positive feedback loop

是因為透過不斷增長的 創新與消費需求

between increasing amounts of innovation and increasing amounts of consumer demand.

之間的正向回饋，循環而成的。

Innovation is the process by which we solve human problems,

創新就是我們用來 解決人類問題的過程，

consumer demand is the mechanism through which the market selects

消費者需求是一種機制， 市場透過它來選擇

for useful innovations,

哪些創新是有用的，

and as we solve more problems, we become more prosperous.

隨著我們解決更多問題， 我們就變得更繁榮。

But as we become more prosperous,

但，隨著我們變得更繁榮，

our problems and solutions

我們的問題和解決方案

become more complex,

會變得更複雜，

and this increasing technical complexity

技術的複雜度一直上升，

requires ever higher levels of social and economic cooperation

就會需要更高程度的 社會和經濟合作，

in order to produce the more highly specialized products

才能產生出更專業的產品，

that define a modern economy.

來定義現代經濟。

Now, the old economics is correct, of course,

當然，舊的經濟學也沒錯，

that competition plays a crucial role in how markets work,

在市場的運作方式中， 競爭扮演了關鍵的角色，

but what it fails to see

但你在這裡面看不到

is that it is largely a competition between highly cooperative groups --

高度合作團體之間的競爭——

competition between firms, competition between networks of firms,

公司之間的競爭、 公司網路協作的競爭、

competition between nations --

國家之間的競爭——

and anyone who has ever run a successful business knows

曾經經營過成功企業的人都知道，

that building a cooperative team by including the talents of everyone

用大家的才華來打造 團結的團隊幾乎一定是

is almost always a better strategy than just a bunch of selfish jerks.

比用一堆自私渾蛋更好的策略。

So how do we leave neoliberalism behind

所以，我們要如何把 新自由主義拋諸腦後，

and build a more sustainable, more prosperous

建立一個更永續、更繁榮，

and more equitable society?

且更平等的社會？

The new economics suggests just five rules of thumb.

新經濟學提出了五條法則。

First is that successful economies are not jungles, they're gardens,

第一，成功的經濟不是叢林，

是花園，

which is to say that markets,

也就是說，

市場像花園一樣需要照顧，

like gardens, must be tended,

that the market is the greatest social technology ever invented

這個市場是有史以來 可以解決人類問題的

最偉大的社會技術。

for solving human problems,

but unconstrained by social norms or democratic regulation,

而不是靠社會規範或 民主監管來約束，

markets inevitably create more problems than they solve.

這樣的市場只會創造出 更多無法避免的問題，

Climate change,

像氣候變遷、2008 年的金融危機

the great financial crisis of 2008

are two easy examples.

是兩個很容易想到的例子。

The second rule is

第二條法則，

that inclusion creates economic growth.

包容力能創造經濟成長。

So the neoliberal idea

新自由主義者認為

that inclusion is this fancy luxury

包容力只有在經濟成長時 才會出現的的高檔奢侈品，

to be afforded if and when we have growth is both wrong and backwards.

這樣的想法是大錯特錯 且是開倒車的。

The economy is people.

經濟談的是人。

Including more people in more ways

用更多方法讓更多人參與

is what causes economic growth in market economies.

才會造就市場經濟的成長。

The third principle

第三條，

is the purpose of the corporation is not merely to enrich shareholders.

企業的目的不能只是 讓股東賺更多錢。

The greatest grift in contemporary economic life

現代經濟最大的騙局，

is the neoliberal idea that the only purpose of the corporation

就是新自由主義的這個想法：

and the only responsibility of executives

企業唯一目的及主管的唯一責任

is to enrich themselves and shareholders.

就是讓他們自己及股東赚更多錢。

The new economics must and can insist

新經濟學必須能夠堅持

that the purpose of the corporation

企業的目的是要改變 所有利害關係人的福祉：

is to improve the welfare of all stakeholders:

customers, workers,

客戶、員工、

community and shareholders alike.

社區，和股東等。

Rule four:

第四條，

greed is not good.

貪婪是不好的。

Being rapacious doesn't make you a capitalist,

貪心並不會讓你成為資本主義者，

it makes you a sociopath.

會讓你成為人人討厭的反社會者。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

(Applause)

（掌聲）

And in an economy as dependent upon cooperation at scale as ours,

在像我們這種仰賴 規模合作的經濟中，

sociopathy is as bad for business as it is for society.

反社會者對商業和對社會都不好。

And fifth and finally,

最後，第五條，

unlike the laws of physics,

不像物理定律，

the laws of economics are a choice.

經濟的定律是種選擇。

Now, neoliberal economic theory

新自由經濟理論

has sold itself to you as unchangeable natural law,

把自己當作不變的 自然法則來說服你，

when in fact it's social norms and constructed narratives

事實上，它是以偽科學為基礎

建構出來的社會規範。

based on pseudoscience.

If we truly want a more equitable,

如果我們真心想要更平等、

more prosperous and more sustainable economy,

更繁榮、更永續的經濟，

if we want high-functioning democracies

如果我們想要運作良好的民主

and civil society,

和公民社會，

we must have a new economics.

我們就必須要有一種新經濟學。

And here's the good news:

好消息來了：

if we want a new economics,

如果我們想要一種新的經濟學，

all we have to do is choose to have it.

我們只需要做一件事： 選擇擁有它。

Thank you.

謝謝。

(Applause)

（掌聲）

Moderator: So Nick, I'm sure you get this question a lot.

主持人：尼克，我相信 你常被問到這個問題。

If you're so unhappy with the economic system,

如果你對於經濟系統如此不滿，

why not just give all your money away and join the 99 percent?

為什麼不甘脆就把你的錢 都送掉，加入 99% 的人？

Nick Hanauer: Yeah, no, yes, right.

尼克哈諾爾：好，不，是，對。

You get that a lot. You get that a lot.

常會有人這樣問。常會有。

"If you care so much about taxes, why don't you pay more,

「如果你這麼在乎稅收， 為什麼不多繳點稅？

and if you care so much about wages, why don't you pay more?"

如果你這麼在乎薪水， 為什麼不多支付點？」

And I could do that.

我是可以那麼做。

The problem is,

問題是，

it doesn't make that much difference,

不會造成什麼不同，

and I have discovered a strategy

我發現了一項策略，

that works literally a hundred thousand times better --

效果高了十萬倍——

Moderator: OK.

主：好。

NH: which is to use my money to build narratives and to pass laws

尼：那就是，用我的錢 來建構成功模式並透過法律，

that will require all the other rich people

讓所有其他富人

to pay taxes and pay their workers better.

都有繳稅和給員工更好的待遇。

(Applause)

（掌聲）

And so, for example,

所以，比如，

the 15-dollar minimum wage that we cooked up

我們推出來的十五 美金的最低薪資，

has now affected 30 million workers.

現在影響到三千萬名工作者。

So that works better.

那比較有用。

Moderator: That's great.

主：那很棒。

If you change your mind, we'll find some takers for you.

如果你改變心意， 我們會幫你找一些接受人。

NH: OK. Thank you. Moderator: Thank you very much.

尼：好，謝謝。 主：非常謝謝。