第14章 競争, n.5 - 国家間の総力戦と階級間の権力闘争
競争の問題はこれよりも難しい(問題である)。競争の問題は,経済分野では大いに討論されてきたが,しかし、その重要性は少なくとも軍隊(国防軍)や政治的宣伝に関する問題と同様に大きい。自由主義的な見解は,実業(事業)と政治的宣伝においては自由競争がなければいけないが,国防軍においては自由競争があってはならないということであり,一方,イタリアのファシストやドイツのナチスは,それとは正反対の意見を主張しており,競争は国家総力戦(国民国家と国民国家との戦争)の形をとる場合以外は善くないものであり,国家総力戦の場合には競争は人間の活動の中で最も崇高な形をとると主張している。マルクス主義者は,敵対する階級間の権力闘争の形をとるとき以外善くないと非難する。プラトンは,私の記憶している限りでは,ただ一つの種類の競争,即ち,戦友の間における名誉のための競争,のみを讃美し、それは同性愛によって促進されると言っている。 |
Chapter 14: Competition, n.5There are, however, certain advantages in small areas. They involve less red tape, quicker decisions, and more possibility of adaption to local needs and customs. The obvious solution is a local government which is not sovereign, but has certain defined powers, and is controlled, on large issues, by the central authority, which should also give financial assistance whenever there is sufficient reason for doing so. This subject, however, would take us into questions of detail which I do not wish to discuss.The question of competition is more difficult. It has been much debated in the economic sphere, but its importance is at least as great in regard to armed force and propaganda. While the Liberal view was that there should be free competition in business and propaganda, but not in armed force, Italian Fascists and German Nazis have proclaimed the diametrically opposite opinion, that competition is always bad except where it takes the form of national war, in which case it is the noblest of human activities. Marxists decry competition except in the form of the struggle for power between antagonistic classes. Plato, so far as I remember, admires only one kind of competition, namely emulation for honour among comrades in arms, which, he says, is promoted by homosexual love. |