"托馬斯•潘恩(Thomas Paine, 1737-1809)的北美經驗及其政治經濟學"

Abstract

在托馬斯•潘恩的著述中，經常可見他對各種經濟課題的討論，但潘恩並未建構出一套脫離其共和政治理念而獨立的經濟論述體系。其政治思想之核心在於文明社會中實現人人平等之天賦權利，此與他解釋社會之形成及人與生俱來之合群性密切相關。嚴格說來，潘恩的經濟思想實為政治經濟學，且混雜在他對關於政府是否介入市場經濟進行稅政改革、銀行對共同體之利弊，以及如何消除文明狀態中之貧窮等經濟課題的意見中。分析潘恩的經濟論述，便會發現他的政治經濟學論述隨其政治生涯發展而變化。政治上，潘恩為一位激進的共和主義者已是學界共識，然研究者對其經濟觀念的分析和界定卻相當分歧。在本文所探討之潘恩的三段政治生涯內，其經濟論述亦為因應不同政治環境而有不同的偏重。首先，在北美獨立戰爭前期，潘恩看好殖民地的土地、人口與商業潛力，並強力支持殖民地獨立，期待一強盛的北美共和國之建立，並與費城的激進分子一同為制定民主的1776年賓州州憲努力。至1780年代，潘恩轉而與銀行家Robert Morris（1734-1806）合作，包括：反對大陸會議（Congress）發行沒有金、銀為擔保的紙幣；支持合眾國應有一強而有力、具向各州徵稅權力的中央政府；寫作為北美銀行（the Bank of North America）辯護的小冊。至1790年代，潘恩致力於文明社會的革命，主張政府應進行稅制改革、實施福利計畫，以消除文明社會之弊病。

In Thomas Paine’s (1737-1809) writings, it can be observed that he discourses on economic issues; however, he does not formulate an economic system independently of his conceptions of republican politics. The crux of his politics is that people are born equal in a civilized society, an inherent right that should be realized. Such idea is closely intertwined with his account of social formation and the gregarious nature of people. Technically speaking, Paine’s economic notions are those of political economy, which involve his perspectives on whether the government should intervene in the market economy to launch tax reforms, on the pros and cons of the banking system in a community, and how to resolve such economic issues as poverty in a civilization. An analysis of Paine’s discourse on economy can lead to a discovery of a trajectory of changes in his discourse on political economics along his political career path. Politically, that Paine is a radical republican is a consensus in the academic community, but divided opinions persist as for his analysis and delimitation of economic conceptions. In my thesis, three stages of Paine’s political career are foregrounded where his economic discourses carry corresponding significances. First of all, during the first half of The American Revolutionary War, Paine had a promising view on the colonial land, demographics, and commercial potentials, and thus espouses its independence, looking forward to the establishment of the North American Republic and striving to institute the Pennsylvania Constitution of 1776 in a conjunction with the radicals in the state. In the 1780s, Paine joined forces with the banker, Robert Morris(1734-1806), for the following causes: opposing the Congress; supporting a powerful central government that levies taxes on the states; penning a pamphlet that defends for the Bank of North America. In the 1790s, Paine committed himself to revolutionizing the society by advocating tax reforms by the government and welfare programs, in order to eradicate the inadequacies of the civilized society.