ABSTRACT

Flourishing life being the objective, John Ruskin’s Unto This Last (1866) posits that the implementation of virtue in political economy also reduces inequality and power-over structures of single individuals over multitudes, generates superior product quality and nurtures the ecological system. This essay re-introduces the primary directive of Unto This Last: to design an economics based in virtue. Adopting the virtues of higher order justice, affection, integrity, and ‘sense and firmness,’ this essay replaces Ruskin’s penchant for authoritarian paternalism with responsiveness to individual conscience and respect for self determination. Practical insight into a virtuous political economy includes explicit descriptions of virtuous economic behavior. This virtuous political economy makes explicit assumptions, adopts key definitions, expands on institutions, and reiterates implications.

摘要

John Ruskin 的Unto This Last （1866 年）以丰富的生活为目标，认为在政治经济学中实施美德还可以减少不平等和个人对多数人的权力结构，产生卓越的产品质量并培育生态系统。这篇文章重新介绍了Unto This Last的主要指令：设计基于美德的经济学。采用更高层次的正义、情感、正直和“理智和坚定”的美德，这篇文章用对个人良知的回应和对自我决定的尊重取代了拉斯金对独裁家长式作风的嗜好。对良性政治经济学的实践洞察包括对良性经济行为的明确描述。这种良性政治经济学做出了明确的假设，采用了关键定义，扩展了制度，并重申了影响。