GUIDE TO THE PHILOSOPHY 1938 - 1947.pdf - Rare Books at ...

CRITICISM O* IDEALIST THSOJtY 743
My criticism, is then, that the idealist theory of the State
develops its conclusions, as though the nature of the State
could be considered in vacua, without reference to the
innumerable voluntary associations within which an in-
creasing number of the individual's activities take place,
and with which his interests are increasingly bound up,
CHARACTERISTICS OF ECONOMIC ACTION.
Let us examine a little more closely the nature of these
associations. Among the most important are economic
associations for the production of wealth. Between the aims
and activities of economic and political associations there
is an important difference. Economic action is dictated
by individual ends; political action by ends which are
the concern of society as a whole, even when these ends
are pursued for selfish reasons.
It is not intended to suggest, as economic theory has
frequently suggested, that man is a creature motivated
purely by economic interests. If this were true, if, in fact,
everybody were selfish, appeals to the good of society at
large would fall on deaf ears, whereas, if no other instance
were forthcoming, the self-sacrificing patriotism that marked
the opening of the War proves that individuals can on
occasion be influenced by altruistic considerations touching
the good of society as a whole. The doctrine that men
acknowledge only self-interested motives is, moreover, a
special case of ethical Egoism whose limitations have al-
1
ready been pointed out on a previous page. It may, however,
be conceded that all men do on certain occasions and
in certain connections behave in the way which the presuppositions
of orthodox economic theory postulate as
their invariable way of behaviour; it may, that is to say,
be conceded that all men behave selfishly on occasions.
They behave selfishly in their own interests and a fact
which, from the point of view of society, has the same
implications they behave selfishly in the interests of those
for whom they care. The fact that a man cares for some
1 Sec Chapter IX, pp. 34 343 ** Chapter XI, pp. 39'. 39*-