140 POLITICAL ECONOMY 



IS ONE MAN' 8 GAIN ANOTHER MAN'S LOSS?* 



TRUTH can take good care of herself in most sciences, for in 

 these no human longing for the impossible disturbs our vision. 

 But in political economy the most natural and universal desire 

 is always combating the truth. Not one man or woman or 

 child is free from the wish to obtain what he wants without 

 paying for it. Political economy proclaims that this shall not 

 be. Its sayings are intended to make clear how we can best 

 obtain what we want by paying for it. Other modes of acqui- 

 sition may have more artistic charm and be morally preferable, 

 but of these we will not speak to-day. We only propose to up- 

 hold the thesis that under some circumstances a man may become 

 rich without incurring any moral stain. We have been moved 

 to this daring attempt by some words which Mrs. Oliphant has 

 put into the mouth of a clever lad who has been reading poli- 

 tical economy. 



We fancy that a large number of people share Jack's opinion 

 and think that what is one man's gain must be another man's 

 loss, but in this matter political economy for once sends a gracious 

 message of peace. Buying and selling are simply modes of 

 barter ; coin or cheques are merely pieces of machinery facili- 

 tating the exchange of what we have for what we want. After 

 each exchange freely and honestly conducted, each party is richer 

 than before. Both have made a profit, no man a loss. If I 

 have a dog and you have a cat, but I want the cat and you 

 want the dog we shall both be richer for swopping. It may be 

 horribly selfish to swop, though even that seems doubtful since 

 I please the other man as well as myself, but we are clearly both 

 richer after the bargain is concluded. I prefer the cat to the 

 dog which I had, therefore I would not sell her for the sum 

 1 From unpublished MS., 1884. 



