论文标题:价值观与经济发展
Value Judgement and Economic Development
论文作者
论文导师 夏振坤,论文学位 博士,论文专业 西方经济学
论文单位 华中科技大学,点击次数 119,论文页数 173页File Size2314K
2006-05-01论文网 http://www.lw23.com/lunwen_404944512/
Values;;Economic development;;Nationalism;;Racialism ;; Communitarians ;;Social justice ;;Community’s function
经济学家们曾经对探讨经济发展进程中的价值观问题显得不以为然,主要是因为他们持这样的信念:只要相应的经济政策得到有效实施,就会产生相同效果,而不管价值观如何。然而,当考察世界各国经济发展时,我们很容易发现:发展初始条件相似的两个国家,如韩国和加纳,经历几十年的发展之后,人民生活水平的差距变得如此之大,一国已基本实现现代化,而另一国却仍然处于低发展水平。同样,虽然一个国家内部的各个民族群体都是按照相同的经济信号行动,可有些群体却比另一些群体做得更好,例如泰国和马来西亚的华人。什么原因导致局面如此不同? 当殖民地理论、依附理论用来解释发展中国家落后的经济状况变得越来越不可信时,越来越多的学者、新闻工作者、政治家以及从事发展工作的人,都越来越把注意力集中到价值观在促进或阻碍经济发展中所起的重要作用。在20世纪40年代和50年代,研究文化与价值观问题曾是社会科学界的主流。后来,这方面的兴趣降低了。对于经济发展进程中的价值观研究,在过去的20年中有明显复兴的迹象。特别是哈佛大学国际与地区问题学会所倡导的探讨文化与政治、经济、社会发展之间的联系,以及美国艺术科学学会举行的“文化价值观与人类进步”的研讨会,在西方掀起了研究价值观与经济发展之间关系的热潮。 事实上,价值观潜伏在人们意识底层,对人们的社会行为发挥着潜在影响。价值观与经济发展之间的联系如此广泛而深刻,以至于离开价值观而单独去讨论经济发展问题,只能得出肤浅的结论。作者把突破“经济人”工具理性假定作为切入点,着重立足于价值理性的角度从经济发展的动力系统、经济发展目标系统和经济发展的路径选择方面去讨论了经济发展的价值问题。这样做的重要意义,一方面在于当我们衡量经济发展成就时,除了考察经济发展是否有效率之外,还把诸如经济发展的结果是否能使大多数社会成员满意这类价值因素纳入评价准则。从而,无论对于发展过程,还是对于发展结果,都兼顾了经济发展的效率标准与价值观标准之间的平衡。另一方面,我们也可从影响世界各国经济发展的价值观之比较研究中,去分析哪些因素有利于经济发展、哪些因素不利于经济发展?如何培育与促进那些有利于经济发展的价值观因素,以及如何消除或者减弱那些不利于经济发展的价值观因素的影响? 作为当前最大的政治问题,中国经济的现代化如何走?最终走向何方?这,很难一语贯之。不过,可以肯定的是,经济现代化必须符合中国人的价值观和思维习惯。中国在几千年的文明发展进程中,所形成自给自足的自然经济、高度成熟的农业文明、发展到极至而僵化的君主专制以及由此而形成的思维和行为定势,对中国经济现代化影响极为深远,必将构成我们考虑影响中国经济现代化路径和目标的重要变量。我认为,尽管中国人的价值观因强调礼治、秩序和安于现状等,可能不利于经济现代化的启动,但当中国经济现代化进程由于某种外力因素启动后,某些价值观念,如吃苦耐劳、相互帮助的邻里关系等可能更有利于促进经济低成本地持续发展。实际上,以儒家文化底蕴为基础的东亚现代化所取得的巨大成绩便是例证。因此,从世界各国影响经济发展的价值观因素的比较研究和探讨中国传统文化对于经济发展的影响中,去寻找有利于促进经济发展的价值观因素,消除和削弱阻碍经济发展的价值观因素,从而促进中国经济的现代化,就具有重要的现实意义。 中国经济现代化需要强调价值观的重要作用,更重要的原因是由中国启动改革的背景和性质决定的。作为中国经济现代化的主要途径,改革是自上而下发动的,社会对此尚未准备好,所以需要在坚持科学发展观、和谐发展观和社会主义价值观的前提下,赋予它们以新的内容,这样就可以改变经济机制去促进现代化而又不背离社会主义的基本价值取向,并使其作为中国现代化主要价值前提的地位合理化。 强调价值观对于经济发展所起重要作用的一条现实路径就是,在中国经济发展体制的构架中更加突出社区的功能,以把存在于社区水平上一些有利于提高经济运行效率的道德情操,如互助友爱、同舟共济等扩展为能普遍应用于整个中国式现代化进程中的道德情操,这对于解决我们当前普通中国人普遍缺乏信仰、信任与责任意识,消除可能出现的发展瓶颈,促进经济发展、建构社会主义和谐社会和全面建设小康社会意义重大。
Economists don’t pay more attention to the values in the process of economic development, because they believe that homologous economic policies bring the same consequences into effect, whatever the values is. However, when investigating various conditions, we easily find the fact that after two countries, which have analogically incipient conditions, like South Korea and Ghana, come through development during dozens of years, people’s living level of the two countries shows enormous gap. South Korea basically realizes modernization, while Ghana still lies in low level. Similarly, although various nation groups, for example, Malaysia and Thailand, act according to the same economic commands, some groups act better than the others. What causes such different results? When ways and means, which can explain the backward economic condition in developing countries, become more doubtful, more and more scholars, news reporters, statesmen and people living by developmental career highly appreciate how values accelerates or hinders the development of economy. In the 40th and 50th era of the 20th century, culture and values were the mainstream theme of social science. Afterwards, this interest declined. This trend was reversed during the last 20 years. The institute discussing international and regional problems in Harvard University advocates researching relations among political, economical and social development. American Arts academy also convokes symposiums to discuss the topics“between values and human progress”. Later, the western countries experienced high tide of discussing relations between values and economic development. In fact, values, which always lie in people’s deep-seated consciousness, have potentially directed people’s action. Relations between values and economic development are so profound that our conclusions on economic development are superficial if there is no discussion about values. Based on assuming implemental, rational“economic humanity”, the author supposes human merit and discusses economic development from three aspects: dynamic system, developmental goal, the choice of developmental road. When estimating economic achievements, we not only analyze whether the economic development is effective or not, but also discuss some value standards, for example, whether most people are satisfied with the economic outcome. In this way, we can balance the standard of efficiency and the standard of values during the outcome of economic development. On the other hand, by comparing various values in different countries, we may analyze which factors which can stimulate economic development and which can not; how can we cultivate or stimulate those values to be in favor of economic development and how can we get rid of or attenuate those factors hindering economic development. Modernization is the most obvious political issue in China. How do Chinese people realize it? What is the right road for its realization? These questions still demand answers. However, we can affirm that our economic modernization corresponds with Chinese values and thinking customs. During thousands of years of cultural progress, many affairs, such as conventional economy, highly mature agricultural culture, the system of monarchical government as well as its thinking and action, are deeply affected by values. These values and affairs, having far-reaching influence on Chinese economic modernization, become important factors when we consider Chinese modern roads and goals. In my opinion, such factors like emphasis decorum on government, order and satisfaction with current conditions aren’t in favor of motivating economic modernization. However, when the progress is stimulated by outside factors like a tough attitude and good neighborly relationships which are formed by helping each other may actively stimulate constant development with very low economic cost. In fact, the brilliant modern achievements made by countries in East Asia are closely related to Confucian culture. As a result, by comparing those cases that how economic development may be directed by various values and Chinese traditional culture, we may find those factors which are favorable in stimulating economic development, may getting rid of the declining situation of the economic development. It is significant to stimulate economic modernization in China. The more important reason why I emphasize the important role of values in Chinese economic modernization is decided by the background and character of stimulating the reforms in China. As the uppermost road of economic modernization, Chinese reform has been carried out upside down, while the society is not well prepared for this progress. As a result, we need not only adhere to scientifically development values、harmonious values and socialist values, but also attach new contents to socialist values. Through this method, we can transform economic mechanism so as to accelerate modernization with according to the basic values of socialism. At the same time, we may legitimatize the appointment that socialist values are the uppermost hypothesis of China’s modernization . The actual road that we emphasize values’role on economic development is extending community function to building Chinese system of economic development. We improve economic efficiency when community merits (such as helping one another and living together) are widely exercised in the whole progress of Chinese consciousness. It is significant to strengthen Chinese consciousness of briefs, conviction and duty, to remove developmental bottleneck, to stimulate economic development, to build socialist harmonious society and overall affluent society.
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