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9
hours to make it work. And every year, I intend to get more productivity
out of every worker, and deliver more profit to myself. And I love it.'
Yes, of course such a man will create employment, will have a
healthy effect on local life. But none of this is the point. He is making
money through trade: that is virtuous.
Trade is the means by which man gets what he wants, freely and
without coercion. It is the free exercise of an individual's judgment in
pursuit of whatever he values.
What the begrudgers say is, 'He has plenty' never 'earns plenty'
as though the wealth just existed by chance, 'so we must redistribute
it'. That is greed. And the danger of the capitalists' ignorance of their
virtue lies just there: they do not understand that to capitulate to redis-
tribution is wrong.
A man's money is a man's liberty.
When the State controls a man's money, it controls the man. That
is why the liberty of citizens rests in many people having lots of money.
When private citizens have money, they must use it wisely, or lose it to
more clever citizens, in whose hands the stuff will be better used.
When the State has money, it is used for political purposes.
Money in their hands produces nothing. In private hands, it produces
goods, services, jobs, decent houses, healthy teeth, well-educated chil-
dren, safer cars, and all the other things that make life agreeable.
It also produces, around the fringes, blondes, Armani suits, and
Rolex watches. And while those may be irritating, they are never com-
pulsory.
The meat and potatoes are work, productivity, creativity, invest-
ment, and profit, Irishmen shaping their lives through their own work
with their own money. Why begrudge them a blonde and a Hermes tie?
COMPREHENSION
1. Are people who make money praised for it?
2. What is the ultimate aim of business?
3. Explain in your own words how the writer sees trade.
4. Why is money better in private hands?
5. Why should we not begrudge the rich their little luxuries?
DISCUSSION
1. How important is money in your society? What else does
your society value?
10
2. Do you agree with the way the writer sees trade? What kinds
of 'coercion' might there be in reality?
3. Can you think of any activity 'more virtuous' than making
money? If so, what is it, and why is it more virtuous?
4. Is money ever better used in public hands rather than private
hands?
5. Does having money improve life for individuals?
6. Does having money generally have a positive or negative ef-
fect on people's character? Justify your answer.
ACTIVITIES
A. Imagine you've been given £100,000 to spend in one
week. Working in groups, decide how you're going to use it. What
are you going to buy? Are you going to make any investments?
Will you give any to family/friends/charity? Come to a group
decision, then compare your ideas with those of other groups in
the class. Did you find your plans were very similar or quite dif-
ferent? What do you think your plans say about your character?
B. Write a letter to the newspaper that printed the article,
giving your own personal views.
or
Write an essay: How a million changed my life!
AMMUNITION BOX
Key words
investment the money put into an account or company in
order to make a profit
capital money or property
account where money is held at a bank
funds money available
money market banks and other institutions that buy, lend or
borrow money for profit
financial to do with money
affluence wealth
prosperous successful
Handy hints
• Ancient coins were probably first invented in China, and ap-
peared again in what is now modern-day Turkey in 700BC.
hours to make it work. And every year, I intend to get more productivity 2. Do you agree with the way the writer sees trade? What kinds
out of every worker, and deliver more profit to myself. And I love it.' of 'coercion' might there be in reality?
Yes, of course such a man will create employment, will have a 3. Can you think of any activity 'more virtuous' than making
healthy effect on local life. But none of this is the point. He is making money? If so, what is it, and why is it more virtuous?
money through trade: that is virtuous. 4. Is money ever better used in public hands rather than private
Trade is the means by which man gets what he wants, freely and hands?
without coercion. It is the free exercise of an individual's judgment in 5. Does having money improve life for individuals?
pursuit of whatever he values. 6. Does having money generally have a positive or negative ef-
What the begrudgers say is, 'He has plenty' never 'earns plenty' fect on people's character? Justify your answer.
as though the wealth just existed by chance, 'so we must redistribute
it'. That is greed. And the danger of the capitalists' ignorance of their ACTIVITIES
virtue lies just there: they do not understand that to capitulate to redis- A. Imagine you've been given £100,000 to spend in one
tribution is wrong. week. Working in groups, decide how you're going to use it. What
A man's money is a man's liberty. are you going to buy? Are you going to make any investments?
When the State controls a man's money, it controls the man. That Will you give any to family/friends/charity? Come to a group
is why the liberty of citizens rests in many people having lots of money. decision, then compare your ideas with those of other groups in
When private citizens have money, they must use it wisely, or lose it to the class. Did you find your plans were very similar or quite dif-
ferent? What do you think your plans say about your character?
more clever citizens, in whose hands the stuff will be better used.
B. Write a letter to the newspaper that printed the article,
When the State has money, it is used for political purposes.
giving your own personal views.
Money in their hands produces nothing. In private hands, it produces or
goods, services, jobs, decent houses, healthy teeth, well-educated chil- Write an essay: How a million changed my life!
dren, safer cars, and all the other things that make life agreeable.
It also produces, around the fringes, blondes, Armani suits, and AMMUNITION BOX
Rolex watches. And while those may be irritating, they are never com- Key words
pulsory. investment the money put into an account or company in
The meat and potatoes are work, productivity, creativity, invest- order to make a profit
ment, and profit, Irishmen shaping their lives through their own work capital money or property
with their own money. Why begrudge them a blonde and a Hermes tie? account where money is held at a bank
COMPREHENSION
funds money available
1. Are people who make money praised for it? money market banks and other institutions that buy, lend or
2. What is the ultimate aim of business? borrow money for profit
3. Explain in your own words how the writer sees trade. financial to do with money
4. Why is money better in private hands? affluence wealth
5. Why should we not begrudge the rich their little luxuries? prosperous successful
DISCUSSION Handy hints
1. How important is money in your society? What else does • Ancient coins were probably first invented in China, and ap-
your society value? peared again in what is now modern-day Turkey in 700BC.
9 10
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