Political Economy Research, Volume 1

Author: Sismondi
Publisher:
Publish Date: 1997-04-01
Features: In this century, people who have gathered into society have turned their thoughts toward the theories and conditions of their union, a situation perhaps more pronounced than any other century. They no longer continue to follow what they believe to be conclusions, for those conclusions are merely conclusions; what they seek to understand is the truth of each thing. They demand that the government prove its right to exist; in the name of humanity, they demand the happiness, security, and rights that the Creator once bestowed upon humans. In their view, labor is like a human's wet nurse; however, they wish to understand how the fruits of this labor are distributed, according to what principles wealth is generated and accumulated. They also subject their own beliefs to the same scrutiny; they judge their religion from the perspectives of philosophy and morality. Finally, they consult historical records to illuminate the theories they seek with the experience of humanity. Thus, they seek their rights in politics, their happiness in the creation of wealth, their obligations in moral philosophy, and their experience in history. This is the scope of the social sciences that humans have explored with great curiosity in the last sixty years.