书名:《第一本经济学》
Title: First Economics
作 者:墨菲
author: Murphy
原版名称Lessons for the Young Economist
Original Lessons for the Young Economist
译 者:程晔
Translator:
ISBN:9787564212063
全书结构框架
full book structure
第一章:经济学的基础
Chapter I: Foundations of Economics
1.今日导言
Introduction today .
2.人的行动是有目的的
2. Man's actions are purposeful
3.只有个体才能做决策
3. Only individuals can make decisions
4.土地、劳动力和资本品
4. Land, labour and capital
5.一个人的经济学
5. A person's economics
6.收入、储蓄及投资
6. Income, savings and investment
7.选择的指导——效用
7. Selection guidance - utility
第二章:交换创造财富
Chapter II: Exchange for wealth creation
1.今日导言
Introduction today .
2.交换创造财富
2. Exchange for wealth creation
3.直接交换
3. Direct exchange
4.间接交换
4. Indirect exchange
5.分工提高劳动生产率
5. Division of labour increases labour productivity
第三章:需求与供给
Chapter III: Demand and supply
1.今日导读
1. Tutor today
2.物超所值才付钱
2. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >
3.有钱可赚就生产
3. Make money to make
4.资源配置的指示灯——价格
4. Directional light for resource allocation - Price
5.经济增长的引擎——企业家
5. Engine of economic growth - Entrepreneur
6.自利使社会进步
6. Self-help for social progress
第四章:没有价格，就只有浪费
Chapter IV: No price, only waste
1.今日导言
Introduction today .
2.计划经济为何失败
2. Why failed the planned economy
3.价格管制是一厢情愿
3. Price regulation is a willingness
4.税，你的名字真多
4. Taxes. How many names do you have?
5.国际贸易不特殊
5. International trade is not unique
第五章:都是金钱惹的祸
Chapter V: It's all money.
1.今日导言
Introduction today .
2.没钱花？那就印点吧！
2. No money to spend?
3.通货膨胀是隐蔽的抢劫
3. Inflation is a hidden robbery
4.萧条是不尊重规律的恶果
4. The consequences of a depression that has no respect for the rule
5.本书小结
5. Summing up of the book
第一章:经济学的基础
1.今日导言
Introduction today
2.人的行动是有目的的
2. The actions of human beings are purposeful.
3.只有个体才能做决策
3. Individual decision-making
4.土地、劳动力和资本品
4. Land, labour and capital goods
5.一个人的经济学
5. A person's economics
6.收入、储蓄及投资
6. Income, savings and investment
7.选择的指导——效用
Selection of guidance — effectiveness
一、今日导言
I. Introduction today /b>
人的行动是有目的的，目的就是使自己生活地更好、更幸福。但是很显然，只凭借上天的恩赐，我们过不上想要的生活。为了达到目的，人类就需要凭借自己聪明的大脑、勤劳的双手，利用自然资源，创造出能够更多、更好的产品，满足自己的目的。
The purpose of human action is to make a better and happier life for ourselves. But clearly, we cannot live the life we want with the grace of God alone. To achieve that, human beings need to use their own smart brains, hard-working hands, natural resources, and produce more and better products to meet their goals.
为了生产更多可以直接用来消费的产品，就需要借助一些“工具”，来帮助我们提高生产力。这些工具在经济学中就叫做资本品，比如我们生活中的各种机械。
In order to produce more products that can be used directly for consumption, we need to use “tools” to help us increase our productivity. These tools are called capital goods in economics, like machines in our lives.
资本品有生产周期，会在很长时间内没有产出，只有投入，比如生产一辆卡车。所以，需要有足够的储蓄才能支撑资本品的生产。
Capital products have a production cycle and are not produced for a long time, except for inputs, such as the production of a truck. Thus, sufficient savings are needed to support the production of capital goods.
人能通过生产获得的东西是有限的，但人的欲望却是无穷的，为了能让我们在限制条件下生活地更好，就需要学会更好地选择，更好地利用资源。边际效用是我们选择的依据。
The things that human beings can obtain through production are limited, but the desires of human beings are limitless. In order for us to live better under restrictive conditions, we need to learn better choices and better use of resources. Marginal utility is the basis of our choices.
二、只有个体才有能决策
b>ii. Only individuals can make decisions /i>
经济学假定，只有个体，也就是有血有肉、有灵魂、有意识的人，才有行动能力，才能决策。
The economic assumption is that only individuals, who are flesh and blood, soul and conscious, are capable of action and decision-making.
人要行动，就必须思考，就需要搜集信息，并进行分析判断，然后做出决策，而这些活动只有个体才能完成。
For people to act, they need to think, to gather information and to analyse and judge, and then to make decisions, which can only be done by individuals.
集体是不会思考的，它本身也不可能有行动。有一点需要提醒大家注意的是，我们常常使用群体、集体、政府、国家等概念，说它们做了某某事，这让我们以为集体似乎也是能行动的。但是这种说法有误导性。集体本身不可能行动，只有集体里面的人才能行动！一些人在分析问题时，习惯于把集体、国家作为一个独立的分析单位，并把它们想象为没有自身利益诉求、完全大公无私的。如果是这样，很多问题就很难被理解，例如为什么政府会有腐败，为什么所谓的集体决策经常没有效率等。
Collectives do not think, nor can they act. One thing to remind you is that we often use the concepts of groups, collectivities, governments, States, etc., to say that they have done something, which makes us think that the collectives are capable of acting. But this is misleading. Collectives themselves cannot act, and only people in the collectives can act. Some people, when analysing problems, are accustomed to treating the collectives, the State as an independent unit of analysis, and imagine them as selfless claims without self-interest.
而一旦我们摒弃了这种集体主义的分析角度，用方法论的个人主义来重新审视这些问题，那么一切困惑就自然迎刃而解了。
And once we abandon this collectiveist analytical perspective and re-examine these issues with methodological individualism, all confusion will naturally be solved.
举一个例子，2018年7月份的假疫苗问题引起了社会广泛的关注，很多人都觉得应该由政府加强监管。但是，负责监管的政府官员真的比商人更可靠吗？而且，假疫苗出现的根本原因，恰恰是因为管制太多。这些问题以后会有详细讲解。
By way of example, the issue of false vaccines in July 2018 attracted widespread social attention, and many felt that government oversight should be strengthened. But is it true that government officials in charge of supervision are more reliable than businessmen?
三、人的行动是有目的的:
Three, man's actions are purposeful:
在现实中，人的各种行动是为了达成某种目的，其实现目的的愿望就是行动的动机。因此，行动就是改变现状，而之所以要改变现状就是由于对现状不满。以学习为例，你之所以学习，就是想通过学习满足求知欲、用知识赚更多钱，总之学习是不满足改变现状，想改变。
In reality, human action is aimed at achieving a certain purpose, and the desire to achieve it is the motivation for the action. Thus, action is to change the status quo, and it is to change the status quo because of dissatisfaction with it. In the case of learning, you learn, for example, in order to satisfy the desire to know and to earn more from knowledge. In short, learning does not satisfy the need to change the status quo and want to change it.
经济学关注人的行动，不仅要关注人究竟采取了怎样的行动，而且更重要的是要关注他们为什么采取这样的行动。只有这样，我们对于整个经济现象才能有更为深刻的理解。
Economics is concerned with people’s actions, not only what they do, but, more importantly, why. Only then can we have a deeper understanding of the economic phenomenon as a whole.
记住两点，只有个人才能行动、人的行动是有目的的，这是我们分析、理解经济问题的基础。
Remember that only individuals can act, that human actions are purposeful and that is the basis on which we analyse and understand economic issues.
四、个人偏好
i>iv, personal preference/b>
这节我们讲解一个经济学的基本观点，价值是主观的，所谓价值是主观的，就是一段音乐、一颗钻石、一部手机，人们之所以觉得好，并不是由于它们客观的含有某种成分，而是人们主观的觉得它好，能够满足自己的某种需求，所以它才有价值。
In this section, we speak of the fundamental view of economics that values are subjective, that values are subjective, that they are a piece of music, a diamond, a cell phone, and that people feel good, not because they objectively contain a component, but because they feel subjectively that they are good enough to meet one of their own needs.
也正因为价值是主观的，所以为了最后让自己获得更多的满足，人们对同样的东西会有不同的偏好。所谓偏好，简单地说，就是个人对满足目的的服务、商品的评价，偏好因人而异。
It is precisely because values are subjective that people have different preferences for the same things in order to achieve greater satisfaction for themselves. So-called preferences, in short, are individual preferences for satisfying services and goods, which vary from one person to another.
例如，虽然大家最终的目的都是让自己过得更好，但是有人偏好钱，有人偏好权力。尽管两人都是让自己过得更好，但是对第一个人而言，金钱在满足他幸福方面的价值更高；而对另一个人来说，权力在满足他幸福方面的价值更高。
For example, while the ultimate goal is to make yourselves better, there are those who prefer money, and there are those who prefer power. Although both make themselves better, money is more valuable to one person in terms of satisfying his happiness, and to another in terms of power in terms of satisfying his happiness.
五、一个人的经济学
Five, one's economics /i>
一个现代人的行动是在社会中进行的，随着分工的细化，呈现在我们每个人面前的社会都显得错综复杂，大家都只懂自己的行业，以至于很多的经济规律因此被“隐藏”了起来，导致谬误大行其道。比如你生产东西是为了消费，而不是为了干活本身吧，这个我相信没人反对吧？但是，平时我们确实会以创造就业为名去生产一些没用的东西。
A modern-day human action takes place in society, where, as the division of labour becomes more complicated, each of us knows its own business so much that many economic norms are “hidden” and thus fall into fallacy. For example, you produce things for consumption, not for the work itself. I'm sure there is no objection to that. But we do produce useless things in the name of job creation.
好在整个社会运行的经济学规律，乃是由一个个人的决策组成的，因此我们可以通过对个人决策的经济学原理的理解，去理解整个社会运行的经济学原理。所以经济学家喜欢用鲁滨逊的故事来讲述经济学概念。
Economics laws that work well for society as a whole are made up of individual decision-making, so we can understand the economics of society as a whole by understanding the economics of individual decision-making. So economists like to use Robinson's story to tell economic concepts.
鲁滨逊来到荒无人烟、一无所有的岛上，他需要做的第一件事就是寻找生活所需要的物品。他需要采摘果子、需要打鱼、需要盖房子等等。
Robinson came to a deserted, empty island, and the first thing he had to do was find something to live with. He needed to pick fruit, fish, build a house, and so on.
鲁滨逊平日里生活所需要的物品，大致可以分为两类，一类是直接可以用来消费的，比如可以直接用来止渴的流水、直接食用的椰子等等，这些叫做消费品。
The items needed for life in Robinson's day are broadly divided into two categories that can be used directly for consumption, such as running water that can be used directly to combat thirst, coconuts for direct consumption, etc., which are called consumer goods.
另一类是不能直接用来消费，但是却可以间接的帮助鲁滨逊达到目的的物品。比如，鲁滨逊用来帮助自己采摘野果的杆子，不能直接吃，却可以帮助采摘果子，这类物品叫做资本品。
The other is something that cannot be used directly for consumption, but that can indirectly help Robinson achieve his goals. For example, Robinson’s pole, which helps him pick his own wild fruit, cannot eat it directly, but can help him pick his fruit, which is called capital.
在现实世界中，消费品和资本品是不能明确区分的，你比如自己家的轿车，既是用来消费的，比如让你有面子、可以载你去兜风等等，也是生产品，比如，你每天开着上班，不是为了享受开车的快乐，而是为了可以早点工作。
In the real world, there is no clear distinction between consumer goods and capital goods. You, for example, your own car, are used for consumption, for example, to make you look good, take you for a ride, and so forth, and for raw products, for example, you drive to work every day, not to enjoy the pleasure of driving, but to work early.
六、收入、储蓄与投资
i>vi, income, savings and investment/b>
在我们一个现代人的生活词典中，我们所说的收入就是赚来的钱、储蓄就是将钱存在银行或者其他的理财机构，投资就是讲钱用来购买股票、基金、数字货币等等。这本没有错，但是这样一来经济规律就被隐藏起来了，让我们不能看清这些这些行为是如何影响社会的发展的。
In one of our modern man’s life dictionaries, what we are talking about is the money that we earn, the savings that we put in banks or other financial institutions, and the investments that we talk about the money that we use to buy stocks, funds, digital money, etc. That's not wrong, but the economic rules are hidden so that we cannot see how these things affect the development of our societies.
以我们以鲁滨逊为例，看看这些概念的实质。假设鲁滨逊在荒岛上的主要食物是椰子，他工作一天可以采摘10个椰子，但是他只需要消费其中8个，剩下两个就变成了储蓄。这样他每天就可以有2个椰子的储蓄。
Let's take Robinson, for example, and look at the essence of these concepts. Assuming that Robinson's main food on a desert island is coconuts, he can pick 10 coconuts a day, but he only consumes eight of them, and two of them become savings. So he can save two coconuts a day.
现在，鲁滨逊有两个选择，他可以选择工作四天，第五天休息，休息的时候直接吃前四天的储蓄。也可以一直工作。鲁滨逊选择了一直工作，直到某一天，他决定暂时不采摘椰子了，而是抽出几天生产一根可以帮助自己每天采摘更多椰子的杆子，这几天就直接消费以前储蓄的椰子。这个将储蓄（椰子）变为资本品（杆子）的劳动过程，就是投资。投资的目的是为了提高生产率。
Now, Robinson has two options: he can work four days, rest on the fifth day, and eat the savings from the first four days. He can work all the time. Robinson chose to work until one day, he decided not to pick coconuts for a while, but to produce a pole that would help him pick more coconuts every day, and then to consume the coconuts that he saved before. The labor process of turning savings (coconuts) into capital goods (sticks) is investment. The investment is to increase productivity.
回到现实，看起来我们的收入是钱，其实是钱所能购买的商品。看起来我们储蓄的是钱，其实我们是将这些钱可以购买的商品储蓄起来了。不过，在现代社会，投资这个过程一般是别人来完成的，比如我们将钱通过众筹的方式投资给一个区块链创业公司，就相当于我们将自己储蓄的商品拿给区块链创业公司的人消费，然后这些创业者再生产出可以提高社会生产率的资本品，从而推动社会生产率的提升。
Back to reality, it seems that our income is money, actually goods that we can buy. It seems that we save money, and in fact we save the goods that we can buy. But, in modern society, investment is usually done by others, for example, by investing money in a block chain of start-ups, which is the same way that we spend our own savings on a chain of entrepreneurs, who then produce capital that can increase social productivity, thereby contributing to an increase in social productivity.
七、选择的指导——边际
>b>vii, Guidance of Selection - Marginal
可能很多人都听说过“水和钻石”的悖论。以前的经济学家都无法解释，为什么对人生命至关重要的水十分便宜，而与之相反，对人生活无关紧要的钻石却价值连城？
Perhaps many have heard of the paradox of “water and diamonds.” None of the former economists can explain why the water that is vital to human life is cheap, whereas, on the contrary, diamonds that are not important to human life are valuable.
19世纪70年代的时候，有3位经济学家各自独立的运用边际的思想解决了这个问题。
In the 1970s, three economists independently used marginal ideas to solve the problem.
其实，当我们讨论“水和钻石”悖论的时候，我们已经不自觉的将整体的水和整体的钻石来做比较。如果上帝给人类一个选择，在水和钻石之间必须选择一种，另外一种从地球上消失，我相信几乎所有人都会选择水。
In fact, when we talk about the paradox of “water and diamonds”, we have unwittingly compared the whole body of water with the whole of diamonds. If God gives humanity a choice, one must choose between water and diamonds, and the other one disappears from the face of the earth, and I am sure that almost everyone will choose water.
但是，在现实的世界里，不存在只能选择水或者只能选择钻石的情况，你可以在对水的需要完全满足的情况下，再去选择钻石。这就需要用到边际的思想。
But in the real world, there is no one who can choose between water and diamonds, and you can choose between diamonds when the need for water is fully met. This requires the use of marginal ideas.
你在购买水时，肯定是先想想，那一瓶矿泉水能带给你的效用（效用:偏好满足程度的度量，类似于日常用语中的满足感），和它的价格相比，你觉得值不值，如果觉得值，购买行为就会发生，不值就不买，就不会发生购买行为。这种每增加一单位的消费带来的效用增加值叫做边际效用。边际效用有递减的规律，比如你很渴的时候喝一瓶矿泉水，带给你的效用（满足感），一定会大于喝第二瓶时。
When you buy water, you must think about the utility that a bottle of mineral water can bring to you (utility: a measure of preference satisfaction similar to satisfaction in everyday language) and your price is not worth it, and if you feel value, the purchase will happen, and it will not be. This added value to every unit of consumption is called marginal utility. There are regressive patterns of marginal utility, such as drinking a bottle of mineral water when you are thirsty, and bringing you utility (satisfaction) more than when you drink a second bottle.
但是，由于我们的水资源丰富，到处都是，所以再多给你一桶水，给你带来不了多少效用，你也就不愿意出太多钱，所以水的价格就便宜。
But, because our water resources are abundant and everywhere, the price of water is cheap because you can get one more bucket of water that won't do much good for you, and you won't be willing to pay too much.
相反，由于钻石稀缺，数量有限，它可能给某些人带来很高的边际效用，所以就有人会出高价购买，价格就贵，这就是我们所说的物以稀为贵的原因。比如在历史上有一段时间，铝比黄金还要昂贵。如果在荒无人烟的沙漠里，一瓶矿泉水可能真会比一克拉钻石贵。
On the contrary, because diamonds are scarce and limited, and they may have a high marginal effect on some people, they are purchased at high prices, which are expensive, which is why what we call rare. For example, aluminium is more expensive than gold for some time in history. A bottle of mineral water might be more expensive than a carat of diamonds if it were in a desert that is empty.
今天就先到这里，今天只是开始，所以介绍的都是经济学的基础概念，显得有些枯燥。如果讨论话题是价格决定成本还是成本决定价格、商业是最大的慈善、向一人征税就是向全社会征税等等话题，大家的兴致或许会更高，但是如果不学习这些经济学的基础概念，我们的学习会很容易遇到天花板。因此，我们在学习时，应该经常去想这些基础才对。
Today, it is only the beginning, so it is a bit boring to talk about the basic concepts of economics. If the topic is price or cost, business is the biggest charity, taxing one person is taxing society as a whole, and so on, it may be even more exciting, but if we do not learn the basic concepts of economics, our learning can easily come up with ceilings.
第二章:交换创造财富
1.今日导言
Introduction today
2.交换创造财富
Exchange for wealth creation
3.直接交换
Direct exchange
4.间接交换
4. Indirect exchange
5.分工提高劳动生产率
5. The division of labour improves labour productivity
一、今日导言
I. Introduction today /b>
从上面的学习我们知道人的偏好有所不同，其实不得不承认人的天赋也是不同的，再加上地域、历史文化等因素，导致人和人之间、地区和地区之间具有了比较优势。
Learning from above, we know that people have different preferences, but we have to acknowledge that human talents are also different, and that factors such as geography, historical culture and so forth have given rise to comparative advantages among people, regions and regions.
比较优势不同，就导致人们有了交易的动力，因为自愿交易可以使交易双方都得到自己更喜欢的东西。
Differences in comparative advantages give people the incentive to trade, as voluntary transactions allow both parties to get what they prefer.
为了更大范围、更频繁的交易，就需要一般等价物的出现。由于黄金、白银等贵金属的天然优势，在社会的发展过程中自然而然成为货币。
For larger and more frequent transactions, generic equivalents are required. Because of the natural advantages of precious metals such as gold, silver, etc., society naturally becomes a currency in its development process.
而货币的出现，又进一步促进了分工、合作，使得社会生产力大大提升。接下来，我们详细看看这些都是如何发生的。
And the emergence of the currency, in turn, furthered the division of labour and cooperation that led to a significant increase in the productivity of society. And then we went on to see how that happened.
二、交换创造财富
b>ii, exchange wealth creation >/b>
在现实的世界中，在什么样的情况下，人和人之间，才会发生互相交换东西的行为呢？
In the real world, under what circumstances is it possible for people to exchange things with one another?
比如甲有一个苹果，乙有一个梨，那么这两个人要发生交换。一个必要条件就是，甲乙二人的偏好不同，甲认为吃梨的效用更高，乙认为吃苹果的效用更高，交易才能发生。那反过来说，交换之后，甲乙各自获得的效用都更高了，就像财富变多一样，也就是说交换创造了财富。这也是交换发生的根本动力。
For example, Ace has an apple, B has a pear, so there's a trade between the two. One of the necessary conditions is that AEs have a different preference, A believes that pear is more effective, B believes that apples are more effective, and B believes that transactions take place. Conversely, ABs are more effective each after the exchange, just as wealth becomes larger, that is, the exchange creates wealth. This is also the fundamental driving force behind the exchange.
所以，平日里，我们评价一些政策时，可以看看这项政策实施后会增加人们自由交换的可能还是减少自由交换的可能，增加则有助于创造更多财富，就是好政策。反之，减少就是坏政策。
So, when we evaluate policies on a day-to-day basis, we can see whether their implementation increases the possibility of free exchange, or reduces the possibility of free exchange, which helps to create more wealth, or good policies. On the other hand, reduction is bad policy.
三、直接交换
three, direct exchange /b>
所谓直接交换，就是以物易物。像上面的例子中甲乙二人之间的交换，就是直接交换。交换的比例就是某种物品用另一种物品衡量的相对价格。如一个人用3斤苹果换另一个人的1斤鸡蛋，我们就说1斤苹果的价格是1/3斤鸡蛋，或者说1斤鸡蛋的价格是3斤苹果。所谓价格，就是两种物品之间的交换比率。意味着你需要付出多少单位某物，以换回一单位另一单位某物。
A direct exchange is a trade-off. A trade-off is a trade-off between the A-B-II people, as in the example above. A trade-off is the relative price of one item measured by another. If a person trades a three-pound apple for another person's egg, we say a pound is a three-pound egg, or an egg is a three-pound apple. The price is a trade-off ratio between the two items.
四、间接交换及货币
>b>iv. Indirect exchange of currencies
间接交换是指以货币为媒介进行的交换。在间接交换中，出售一种商品得来的不是可以直接使用的另一种商品，而是货币；同样，购买一种商品需要支付的不是另一种商品，而是货币。当今社会，人与人之间的交换基本上都是间接交换。
Indirect exchange refers to exchange by currency. In indirect exchange, a commodity is sold not for another commodity that can be used directly, but for a currency; similarly, the purchase of a commodity is not for another commodity, but for a currency. In today’s society, exchanges between people are essentially indirect.
那为什么会有间接交换发生呢？这个问题大家反过来想，如果这个世界上没有货币了，大家的收入、积蓄都是实物。那交换起来就麻烦了，有面包的人需要衣服，但是有衣服的人需要自行车，有自行车的人需要读书、有书的人需要水果等等，这样的话，交换起来就很不方便。
So why is there an indirect exchange? The question, in turn, is that if there is no currency in the world, everyone's income and savings are in kind. The exchange is complicated, people with bread need clothes, but people with clothes need bicycles, people with bicycles need books, people with books need fruit, and so on, it's not easy.
但是，人是趋利避害、有创造力的生物，肯定不会任由这么明显的不方便存在。那聪明人就会动脑筋了，自己手里的商品换成什么东西，以后才可以方便的用它来换取想要的东西呢？思来想去，发现黄金这种商品具有可以用来打造器皿、首饰等用途，而且具有单位价值高、耐用、不易磨损、 质地均匀、易分割、容易识别、不易伪造等等特性，就将手里的商品换成了黄金。而黄金到手后，果然更有利于换到其他的商品。
But the human being is a profit-free, creative creature, and certainly not allowed to exist with such obvious inconveniences. The intelligent man is smart enough to change the goods into something that he has in his hand, so that he can easily use them in exchange for what he wants. Thinking about it, discovering that gold is a commodity that can be used to build instruments, jewellery, etc., and that has high unit value, durability, inflexibility, quality even, partitionability, identification, forgery, and so on, will replace the goods in hand with gold.
之后，更多的人发现了黄金的这种优势，就都先用手里的商品换黄金，然后再用黄金换他需要的其他商品。越多的人有了这样的“共识”，黄金就越容易交换到想要的商品。越容易换到其他商品时，人们在交换中就越容易接受黄金。
Then more people discover the advantage of gold, and then they trade gold for the goods in hand, and then for the other goods he needs. The more people have such a “consensus,” the easier it is to trade for the goods they want. The easier it is to trade for other goods, the easier it is to accept gold in the exchange.
伴随着时间的推移，人们就会忘记关注它的使用价值，而只是关注它可以换到多少其他东西，也就是它的交换价值。
With the passage of time, one forgets the value of its use, but only how much else it can be exchanged for, that is, its value in exchange.
如此正向循环促进，黄金就自然而然成了交易媒介，也就是现在所说的钱。大家只要用自己的商品换到黄金，就可以用黄金换到其他想要的商品，这大大提高了我们交易的便利性，使得大范围、大规模的交换成为了可能。
This is driving the cycle, and gold naturally becomes the medium of trade, which is now the money. If you trade gold for gold, you can trade gold for other goods that you want, which greatly enhances the ease with which we trade and makes it possible to trade on a wide scale and on a large scale.
总结一下，黄金本不是货币，只是一种普通的商品，只是相比于其他的商品，它具有单位价值高、耐用、不易磨损、 质地均匀、易分割、容易识别、不易伪造等特性，它就成为了货币。所以，马克思说过“黄金突然不是货币，但货币天然是黄金”。而一旦它开始由普通商品向货币过度时，人们会更倾向于关注它的交换价值（可以购买但是其他商品），而忘记它的使用价值，使得它的交换价值远远高于使用价值。这也就是那句“黄金也有泡沫，只是持续了千年”的来由吧！
To sum up, gold is not a currency, it is just a generic commodity, but it becomes a currency, as compared to other commodities, with high unit value, durability, non-floating, even texture, segregated, easy to identify, and not easily forged. So Max says, “Gold is not a currency, but it is natural gold.” And once it starts to overturn from ordinary goods, people tend to focus more on its value in exchange (which can be purchased but other goods) and forget its value in use, making it much higher than its value in exchange. That is, the phrase “gold also has bubbles, which only lasts the millennium.”
五、分工提高劳动生产率
i>v. Division of labour improves labour productivity /b>
我想，每个人都会承认一点，就是人的天赋不同。有的人擅长唱歌跳舞、有的人擅长科学研究。如果让擅长唱歌跳舞的人，专业唱歌跳舞，好听的歌曲会增多。让擅长科学研究的人，专业搞科学研究，科技的进步速度会加快。这样我们社会就会有更多好听的歌曲，科技会更快速的发展，这就是分工的好处。而倒过来，如果让擅长唱歌跳舞的去搞科学研究，可能只是浪费时间，减少好听的歌曲供给而已。
I think everyone will admit that there is a difference in talent. Some people are good at singing and dancing. Some people are good at scientific research. If people who are good at singing and dancing, sing and dance, sing and dance, they'll be more. If people who are good at scientific research, do scientific research, and advance in science and technology, there will be more good songs in our society, and technology will grow faster, which is the benefit of a division of labour.
另一方面，即使是一群天赋、资质差不多的人，如果让他们每个人都去选择一个行业长期练习，使其更专业。最后大家在各自行业的产出之和，也会比每个人要干所有行业的产出总和要多，也就是说分工会提高劳动生产率。这就是分工的好处。
On the other hand, even a group of talented and well-qualified people, if each of them chooses an industry for long-term practice, making it more professional. Finally, the sum of output in their respective industries is more than the sum of output that each person does in all industries, that is to say, the productivity of work in trade unions. This is the benefit of the division of labour.
第三章:需求与供给
1.今日导读
1. Introduction today
2.物超所值才付钱
2. Payment is paid for the value of the property.
3.有钱可赚就生产
3. Producing if you have money to make.
4.资源配置的指示灯——价格
Resource allocation beacons — price
5.经济增长的引擎——企业家
Engines of economic growth — entrepreneurs
6.自利使社会进步
6. Self-help for social progress
一、今日导读
I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I.
在鲁滨逊的一人模型中，对于每一样商品，鲁滨逊既是生产者也是消费者。
In Robinson's one-person model, Robinson is both a producer and a consumer for each commodity.
但是，在现实中，由于分工合作的原因，尽管我们每个人都是生产者和消费者，但是我们生产的东西和消费的东西却是不同的。
But in reality, because of the division of labour, we are all producers and consumers, but what we produce and consume is different.
那么人们到底是如何决定去生产什么、去消费什么的？这就是我们今天的主要内容。
So how do people decide what to produce, what to consume? That's what we're talking about today.
二、物超所值才付钱
I'll pay for it only if it's worth more than what it's worth.
作为消费者，我们每天都会去购买各种各样的消费品，那我们到底是根据什么决定到底买不买某件商品的呢？
As consumers, we buy a variety of consumer goods every day, and on what basis do we decide whether or not to buy a particular commodity?
每个人在购买商品的时候，都会在心里比较一下，看商品到底值不值它的价格，值了就购买，不值就不购买。
When buying goods, everyone compares in mind whether the goods are worth their price or not, and when they are, they are not.
在第一天，我们学习过一个规律，人是在边际上做选择的，而不是整体。而且我们消费某种商品、服务时，有边际效用递减的规律（边际效用就是每多消费一单位商品，消费者获得的效用增加值），比如你喝第一口水，带给你的效用大于喝第二口水带给你的效用。
On the first day, we learned a pattern in which people make choices on the margins, not on the whole. And when we consume certain goods and services, there are a pattern of diminishing marginal utility (the marginal effect is the value added to the consumer's utility for every extra unit of consumption), for example, when you drink the first water, which is more useful for you than the second water belt.
所以，对于某种商品，随着供给的增加，人们愿意出的价格会降低，因为商品增加，人们的边际收益会递减，边际收益递减，人们愿意付出的成本就降低。反之依然。
So, for a commodity, as supply increases, the prices that people are willing to pay will decrease, because the goods increase, the marginal gains will diminish, and the marginal gains will decrease the costs that people are willing to pay.
总之，你愿意付出的价格肯定等于最后一单位带给你的边际收益。这也就是，苹果丰收年会更便宜，而欠收年份，会更贵。所以，我们消费某种商品时，数量和价格之间的关系是，价格越低，消费的数量会越多。
In short, the price you are willing to pay must be equal to the marginal gain that the last unit brings to you. That is, apple harvests are cheaper at an annual rate, while the year of failure is more expensive. So, when we consume a certain commodity, the number and price relationship is that the lower the price, the more the consumption.
另一个规律，由于我们的工资是有限的，但是我们需要消费的东西可能各种各样。所以呢，我们需要权衡，一块钱到底是用来购买苹果还是购买猪肉呢？这得看哪个对你效用更高，哪个效用更高，就购买那个，而购买越多，边际效用越低，直到在两种产品上的边际效用相等。
Another rule, because our wages are limited, is that we may need to consume a variety of things. So, we need to weigh whether a dollar is used to buy apples or pork. Depending on which is more useful to you, which is more effective, and which is bought, the less marginal, until the marginal is equal in both products.
三、有钱可赚就生产
iii. If you have money to make /b>.
通过上面的分析，我们知道了人们在选择自己需要的东西时是如何选择的，那紧接着就有一个问题，他们需要的这些东西是怎么来的？
From the analysis above, we know how people choose what they need, and then there is the question, and how did they get what they need?
商品肯定是生产者生产得来的。那生产者是按照怎样的原则生产的呢？如果不是为了做慈善，那么他一定是为了赚钱才去生产的，他做决定时肯定要计算一下，每获得一单位的产品增加的收益（即边际收益），是不是比多生产一单位的产品，需要付出的成本（即边际成本）大。大，则说明有钱可赚，生产。反之则无钱可赚，不生产。
The commodity is certainly produced by the producer. What is the principle of production? If it is not for charity, then it must be for profit. When he makes his decision, he calculates whether the cost of producing one unit of product (i.e. marginal) is greater than the cost of producing one unit of product (i.e. marginal cost). Large, it means making money, producing it. On the other hand, there is no money, not producing it.
伴随着产品数量的增加，你要想把这些这些产品买出去，价格又要下降。直到利润和其他行业相等。
And with the increase in the number of products, if you're going to buy them, you're going to have to buy them at a lower price until the profits and other industries are equal.
四、价格的形成
i>iv. Price formation
五、价格——资源配置的指示灯
(b) V. Prices - Resource allocations /i> beacons /i>
可能很多人都听过一句话——人的欲望是无穷的，如何理解这句话呢？
Perhaps many people have heard a phrase — one that the human desire is infinite — how can it be understood?
我觉得欲望无穷的本质原因就是欲望会持续地“长”出来。如果说满足欲望的手段像一把镰刀的话，人的欲望就像一颗营养充足的韭菜，你怎么割都割不完，割完过一段时间又会长起来。比如在缺衣少穿的年代，就着土豆吃馒头，可能是让人羡慕嫉妒恨的日子。但是，在现代社会，如果谁要是天天就着土豆吃馒头，那可能是说起来都是泪了。
I think the essential reason for the inexhaustible desire is that it continues to grow. If the means to satisfy it are like a sickle, a man's desire is like a well-nourished pickle, you can't cut it off, you can grow it for a while. For example, when you're underdressed, you eat buns, which may be a day of envy and envy. But, in modern societies, if someone eats potatoes everyday, it may be tears.
当你吃不饱的时候，你觉得吃饱就是幸福生活。当你吃饱了，你会觉得吃好才行。当你吃好了，你可能会觉得要是能住上房子才是幸福的，住上100平米的房子了，你可能觉得住上别墅才是幸福的……
When you don't eat enough, you feel happy. When you eat enough, you feel happy. When you eat well, you may feel happy if you live in a house 100 square metres, you may feel happy in a villa.
但是，和欲望无穷相对应的，就是资源有限。同样的水泥、钢筋，你用来修建了住宅，满足了人们住房的需求，就不能拿来修桥铺路，满足人们出行的需求。
But what goes hand in hand with desire is limited resources. The same cement and steel bars that you use to build houses to meet people’s housing needs cannot be used to build bridges to meet people’s travel needs.
那我们不禁要问问，到底这些水泥钢筋用来干什么才合理？这时，价格的指示作用就派上用场了！
So we can't help but ask what these cement bars are for. And then the price instructions come in handy!
作为一个生产水泥的人，当然是谁出价最高卖给谁了！那为什么有的人会出价比较高啊！肯定是拿去生产的商品能卖更多的钱。那为何有的商品能买更多钱呢，肯定是因为这种商品更能满足人们的需求。
As a cement maker, of course, who sells the highest price? Then why does someone offer the highest price? It must be more money for the goods produced. Then why buy more money for the goods, surely because they are more responsive to people’s needs.
所以，价格就像一个指示灯一样，将资源调到人们最需要的地方。直到那个行业因为参与人数过多，导致和其他行业一样。
So, the price is like a light, diverting resources where people need them most, until that industry becomes as involved as any other industry.
在举一个例子说明一下，比如一个果农更应该生产苹果还是梨呢？对于果农来说，那当然是哪种水果赚钱种植哪个。而哪种水果赚钱，就说明对消费者更有用，消费者愿意出更高的价格。
To give one example, for example, is a fruit farmer more likely to produce apples or pears? Of course, for a fruit farmer, what kind of fruit makes money to grow. And what kind of fruit makes money is more useful to consumers, who are willing to pay higher prices.
五、企业家——经济增长的引擎
i>v. Entrepreneurs - engines of economic growth /b>
从上面的讲解我们可以看出，资源总是在价格的指引下，流向人们最需要的地方。但是，有一个问题，就是资源总是向着对人们最有利的方向走，那么随着时间推移，竞争加剧，所有行业都会成熟，行业知识都会变得透明，产品会趋向于同质化、利润会趋向于零。
As we can see from the above, resources always flow to where people need them most, guided by prices. But, one problem is that resources always move in the direction that is most beneficial to people, so that, over time, competition increases, all industries mature, industry knowledge becomes transparent, products tend to homogenize, and profits tend to be zero.
为何呢？因为如果某个行业利润不为零，就会有很多商人为了赚钱进入这个行业，然后由于大家的进入，通过竞争，使得各种原料的生产成本变高。而由于供给的增加，使得商品的出售价格降低，因为你不降价卖不出去啊，所以利润降低。
Why? Because if the profits of a particular industry are not zero, there will be a lot of businessmen entering the industry to make money, and then, as a result of everyone's entry and competition, the production costs of various raw materials will become higher. And because of the increase in supply, the sale price of goods will be lower, because you won't be able to sell it.
如果真是这样，那生活不就死气沉沉了吗？但是我们生活中的世界却并不是这样。
If that's the case, then life is dead. But it's not the world in which we live.
如果一个行业开始饱和，没钱可赚的时候，肯定会有人去研究能够降低成本的新技术、或者通过对市场的细分，去研究其他更有针对性的产品，或者直接去开辟新的行业。
If an industry starts to saturate, when there's no money to make, someone's got to look at new technologies that can reduce costs, or through market segmentation, at other more targeted products, or directly at new industries.
比如，大家都觉得通货膨胀不好，但是没有办法，中本聪的比特币出现了。大家都觉得被洗稿不好，但是没有办法，赞我出现了。
For example, everyone thinks inflation isn't good, but there's no way, and there's the smart bitcoin. Everybody thinks it's bad to be washed, but there's no way to cheer me up.
这些能够察觉到他人都没有发觉的蓝海市场，并成功赚取利润，推动社会进步的人就是企业家。企业家具有的这种打破常规、发现新市场的精神，叫做企业家精神。
These are the ones who can detect the blue sea markets that no one else knows, and who succeed in making profits, and who promote social progress are the entrepreneurs. The entrepreneurial spirit of breaking the rules and discovering new markets is called entrepreneurship.
福特曾经说过:当汽车出现之前，你问消费者需要怎样的出行工具时，他们会说需要的是一辆更快的马车，其实他们需要的是一辆汽车。乔布斯说过一句类似的话:消费者并不知道自己需要什么，直到我们拿出自己的产品，他们就发现，这是我要的东西。而正是由于他们的这种先见之明，才有新行业、新产品的出现，技术才能变成生活品，经济才能有持续增长的动力。
Ford once said, "When you ask consumers what tools they need to travel, they say they need a faster carriage, but they need a car." Jobes said a similar thing: consumers don't know what they need until we come up with our own product, and they find that it's what I want. And it's because of their foresight that new industries and new products emerge, technology becomes a living thing, and the economy has a motivation for sustained growth.
六.自利使社会进步
vi. Self-help for social progress > >/b> > > >br>
通过上面的分析大家有没有发现，在市场经济中，每个人都是为了自己，也就是我们常说的人都是自利的。但是，每个人为了让自己获得更多，使得经济增长，其他人的生活水平都得以提高，这正是市场经济的魅力。
From the above analysis, it is not clear that everyone in a market economy is self-serving for themselves, that is, for the people we often say. But it is the charm of a market economy that everyone has to improve their standard of living in order to get more for themselves and for economic growth.
我们用现代经济学之父亚当斯密的一段名言结束今天的讲解:
We end today's speech with a famous phrase from Adam Smith, the father of modern economics:
我们每天所需的食物和饮料，不是出自屠户、酿酒商或面包师的恩惠，而是出于他们自利的打算。
The food and drink we need every day, not from the butcher, the brewer or the baker, but from their own self-serving intentions.
每个使用资本和劳动的个人，既不打算促进公共利益，也不知道他自己是在什么程度上促进那种利益。
Every individual who uses capital and labour neither intends to promote the public interest nor knows to what extent he is promoting that interest.
他受一只看不见的手的指导，去尽力达到一个并非他本意想要达到的目的。通过追逐自己的利益，他经常促进了社会的福祉——亚当斯密《国富论》
He was guided by an invisible hand to do what he didn't intend to do. By pursuing his own interests, he often promoted the well-being of society — Adam Smith.
第四章:没有价格，就只有浪费
1.今日导言
Introduction today
2.计划经济为何失败
2. Why the planned economy failed
3.价格管制是一厢情愿
3. Price regulation is a matter of will
4.税，你的名字真多
That's a lot of names.
5.国际贸易不特殊
5. Not unique in international trade
一、今日导言
I. Introduction today
昨天的章节，着重讨论了价格的形成机制，以及价格的指导作用。价格像资源配置的指示灯一样，指引资源流向最需要的地方。
Yesterday’s chapter focused on price formation mechanisms and the guiding role of prices. Prices, like resource allocation beacons, guide the flow of resources to where they are most needed.
而企业家总是先人一步察觉到其他人没有注意的机会，促使技术变成商品，促进新产业的形成。
Entrepreneurs, on the other hand, are always aware of the opportunities that others are not paying attention to, and promote the transformation of technology into commodities and the formation of new industries.
但是，也有学者认为市场经济的这种运行方式是无效的。所以，就提出让政府控制所有的资源，然后按照计划组织大家生产、消费。
But there are also scholars who believe that this way of operating a market economy is ineffective. So the idea is to let the government control all resources and then organize production and consumption according to the plan.
不知读者朋友们持何种观点，今天我们就学习计划经济的实质与后果。
Ignoring the views of our readers' friends, today we are learning about the essence and consequences of the planned economy.
二、计划经济
i>ii, planning economy/b>
计划经济的本质就是一切资源都收归国有。由政府官员决定生产什么、生产多少，按照计划给每个人分配工作，再将产品都收归国有，然后再按照政府官员的意见分配给国民。
The essence of the planned economy is that all resources are nationalized. It is up to government officials to decide what to produce, how much to produce, to allocate jobs to everyone according to the plan, and then to nationalize the product, which is then distributed to nationals in accordance with the advice of government officials.
我们来看看这样做的后果，在现代社会，大多数人都换过工作，说明什么呢？说明你自己想干什么，喜欢干什么，擅长干什么，你自己都不一定完全知道。但是在计划经济下，你必须按照其他人的命令去工作，这样能达到人尽其才的效果吗？
Let us look at the consequences of this. In modern society, most people change jobs. What does that mean? What do you want, what you like, what you're good at? You don't always know.
平时大家在公司，应该都明白一个道理，如果一个公司不能做到工资和付出相当的话，那么大家工作的积极性就会降低。
It should be clear to everyone at the company level that if a company fails to pay its wages and pays the same, it will be less motivated to work.
而在计划经济下，不是某家企业如此，而是全社会都如此。你的收入不按照你的贡献分配，而是将你的所有收入都收归国有，再按照领导的命令进行分配。在这样的环境下，大家还有努力的积极性吗？
In a planned economy, this is not the case for an enterprise, but for society as a whole. Your income is not distributed according to your contribution, but rather is nationalized and distributed according to the orders of the leader.
就连我们推崇过的企业家精神，也因为得不到应有的回报、没有地方发挥而丧失，所以计划经济注定了就是死气沉沉。
Even the spirit of entrepreneurship that we have espoused has been lost because of the lack of reward and place to play, so the planned economy is doomed to death.
另一个方面，我们在昨天的课程讲过，价格是资源配置的指示灯，它指引生产者将资源配置到更高效的地方。但是，在计划经济下，价格被彻底消灭了！没有人能够知道一吨水泥应该用在哪里。是修桥对社会更有用，还是建房子对大家更有用，所以计划经济注定了低效。
On the other hand, as we said in yesterday’s course, prices are a guiding light for resource allocation, which guides producers to allocate resources to more efficient areas. But, under a planned economy, prices are completely eliminated. No one can know where a ton of cement should be used. Whether a bridge is more useful for society or a house is more useful for everyone, so the planned economy is doomed to be inefficient.
三.价格管制是一厢情愿
b>iii. Price regulation is a willingness to /i>
以上的部分，我们讲解了计划经济，但是大家都应该知道，完完全全的计划经济已经在很多年前退出了历史。而现在最多的是干预经济。所谓干预经济，就是既承认市场经济高效的一面，但却觉得市场经济存在缺陷，所以试图通过干预矫正市场的不完美。价格管制就是其中之一。
In these parts, we talk about the planned economy, but you should all know that a fully planned economy has been out of history many years ago. The most frequent intervention is intervention in the economy, which recognizes the efficient side of the market economy, but feels that it is flawed, and tries to correct the imperfections of the market by intervening. Price regulation is one of them.
每个人都希望自己平时消费的东西能便宜一些。所以，当大家觉得某种商品或者服务贵的时候，就会希望政府出面管一管。
Everyone wants what they usually consume to be cheaper. So, when people feel that some kind of good or service is expensive, they want the government to take care of it.
可是管，真的能起作用吗？通过前面的学习，我们知道价格是供给与需求两方面决定的。
But does it really work? By learning, we know that prices are determined by supply and demand.
如果我们人为的强制压低价格，必然打击生产者的积极性，降低商品的供给，供给的数量减少了。虽然我们表面上看起来价格降低了，但是由于供给数量的减少，所以导致消费者获得的难度增加。
If we impose artificially lower prices, it is inevitable to discourage producers, reduce the supply of goods, and reduce the quantity of supplies. Although we appear to have lower prices on the face of it, the reduction in the quantity of supplies increases the difficulty for consumers.
就以大家关注的看病难看病贵为例，医生的挂号费是医院按照政府的指示人为规定的，低于市场价格。这就导致了优秀的人才都不愿意进入这个行业，从而加剧了医疗服务的短缺。所以看上去挂号费很低，但是挂号难度却非常高，生病挂个号，少则等待三五天，长则一两周。
This has led to a reluctance on the part of good people to enter the industry, which has exacerbated the shortage of medical services. So it appears that the boarding fee is low, but it is very difficult, with the disease hanging, and less so waiting for three or five days, for a long period of one or two weeks.
四、税，你的名字真多
Four, tax. That's a lot of names.
在我们日常生活中，会有各种各样名目繁多的税，比如增值税、个人所得税、企业所得税、消费税等等。但是，其实所有税都只有一个结果，就是减少供给、扭曲生产结构。
In our daily lives, there are many and varied taxes, such as value added tax, personal income tax, corporate income tax, consumer tax, and so on. But, in fact, all taxes have only one result: a reduction in supply and a distortion of the structure of production.
我们可以假设一下，有一个没有税收的环境。在这样一个环境下，每个人为了生活的更好，都需要努力工作，要么直接生产自己需要的商品、要么生产别人需要的商品以交换自己需要的商品，总之每个人都需要创造价值才能生存下去。
We can assume that there is an environment without taxes. In such an environment, everyone needs to work hard for a better life, either to produce the goods they need directly, or to produce the goods others need in exchange for the goods they need, and in any case, everyone needs to create value to survive.
但是，突然有一天，这些人中有一部分不工作了，告诉大家，你们生产的一部分需要上交。这些上交的部分就是我们常说的税。
But one day, some of these people don't work, telling you that part of your production needs to be paid. These are the taxes that we used to say.
大家，从这个例子可以看出，由于需要交税，原本需要工作的一部分人，变成现在只需要收取别人劳动成果的一部分人。那对于辛辛苦苦工作的人来说，无疑只有一个后果，就是由于工作的人数的减少，你能获得的商品减少，获取成本就会变得更高！
As you can see from this example, because of the tax, it is necessary to work as a part of a job and now only to collect the fruits of other people’s work. There is no doubt that for those who work hard and hard, there is only one consequence: a reduction in the number of people who work, and a reduction in the number of goods you can get, the cost of acquiring is even higher!
税收的一部分被用来供养这些不事生产的人。剩下的一部分，会由政府作为生产者，提供一些消费者需要的商品或者服务。前面我们分析过计划经济失败的原因，1.不能有效发挥的市场的激励机制，阻止企业家精神的发挥，大家工作的积极性降低2.丧失价格对资源配置的指示作用，资源不能用在大家需要的地方。
Some of the tax revenues are used to feed those who do not produce at all. The rest are made available to the government as producers to provide some of the goods or services needed by consumers. We have previously analysed the reasons for planned economic failures, 1. Market incentives that cannot be effectively used, preventing entrepreneurship, reducing motivation to work by 2. Loss of price to guide resource allocation, and resources cannot be used where you need them.
由政府主导的工程，也会在“局部”形成这种缺点。因为官员花的不是自己的钱，而赚的钱又不能成为自己的，所以肯定不像私人企业一样有效。提供的服务、商品又会以免费、或者补贴的形式发给人民，根本不能像私人企业一样，通过盈亏计算是不是合理运用了资源。
Government-led projects also create such disadvantages in “local” terms. Because officials do not spend their own money, and the money they earn does not become their own, they certainly do not work as effectively as private firms.
当然，有人可能说，政府确实必须收税，因为有安保、司法等等服务必须由政府提供。但即使这样，也需尽可能减少税收，轻徭薄赋是每一个朝代兴盛的必要条件，而横征暴敛是衰败的前兆。
Of course, one might say that governments do have to collect taxes, because there are security, justice, etc. services that they must provide. But even so, tax revenues need to be kept as low as possible.
五、国际贸易不特殊
i>v. International trade is not special/b>
前面的部分我们讲解过，交易创造财富，因为一笔交易，在没有人被强迫的情况下，只有对交易双方都有利才可能发生。交易有助于发挥交易双方的比较优势，而且有助于促进分工，分工有助于促进专业化分工，从而推动生产力的发展。
As we explained earlier, transactions create wealth, because a transaction, when no one is forced to do so, can only take place in the interests of both parties to the transaction. The transaction helps to exploit the comparative advantages of both parties to the transaction and helps to promote a division of labour, which helps to promote specialization and thus productivity.
前面我们举的例子是两个人之间的交换。但是，在现实世界有很多的交易双方是很难通过面对面交易完成的，比如如果一个东北人需要海南的香蕉，而另一个海南人需要东北的大米，这种交易就很难完成。不过他们有交易的意愿，这样的人多了，跨地区的贸易就会出现。很容易看出，夸地区贸易和面对面交易一样，对交易双方都是有利的。
But, in the real world, there are many transactions that are difficult to make through face-to-face transactions, for example, if one Northeaster needs a banana from the Northeast, and another South China needs a rice from the North East, that is difficult to do. But they have the will to trade, and cross-regional trade emerges. It is easy to see that, like regional trade and face-to-face transactions, it is beneficial for both sides of the deal.
在所有的跨地区的贸易，因为国际贸易是在两个国度发生，所以很多人就会觉得这种贸易有特殊性。
In all cross-regional trade, because international trade takes place in two countries, many people find it special.
比如重商主义者认为，出口大于进口有利于一国经济的发展，为了达到这一点，就给予出口商一定的补贴。但是我们想想，如果出口大于进口真的有利于本国经济的发展的话，那我们是不是应该把商品直接送给外国才好啊！
For example, mercantilists argue that exports are larger than imports for the development of a country's economy, and in order to achieve this, exporters are given a certain subsidy. But let's think, if exports are more than imports for the development of their own economy, should we send goods directly to foreign countries!
比如关税，一国如果对国外商品征收征税的话，外国商人就会减少进口，减少进口就会减少供给，就需要更高的价格才能获取商品，这和向本国消费者征收消费税一个后果！
Tariffs, for example, when a country imposes taxes on foreign goods, foreign traders reduce imports, lower imports reduce supply, and require higher prices to obtain goods, a consequence of which is a consumption tax imposed on domestic consumers!
其实国际贸易和一个国家两个省份之间的贸易没有任何区别，都是基于交易有利于双方这样一个前提才能完成的。不能人为的行政划分，就有不同。
In fact, international trade and trade between two provinces of a country can only be achieved on the premise that trade is beneficial to both parties. There is a difference between not being artificially divided administratively.
第五章:都是金钱惹的祸
1.今日导言
Introduction today
2.没钱花？那就印点吧！
You don't have any money to spend? Let's print it!
3.通货膨胀是隐蔽的抢劫
Inflation is a covert robbery.
4.萧条是不尊重规律的恶果
The consequences of a depression that has no respect for the rule.
5.本书小结
5. Summary of the book
一、今日导言
I. Introduction today
前面的章节分析过，黄金之所以能够成为，是因为它首先具备了可以打造器皿、首饰等使用价值，然后又由于运输、分割、储藏等等易于流通的特性，经过“自由市场”的选择，最后成为了一般等价物，即货币。最后交换价值远高于使用价值。
As analysed in the preceding chapter, gold is made possible by the fact that it first has a value for use, such as tools, jewellery, etc., which can be built, and then, through the choice of the “free market”, it becomes a general equivalent, that is, money. The value of the final exchange is much higher than the value of the use.
现代社会，我们所用的货币，其实说白了就是一张纸而已，根本没有什么使用价值。只是由于政府的背书，使得所有人都相信，用这张纸可以交换（购买）到自己需要的东西，所以才有了货币的功能。
In modern societies, the currency that we use is, in fact, a piece of paper, with no value at all. It is only by endorsement by the government that everyone believes that this piece of paper can be exchanged for what they need.
所以，大家可以看出，一样东西要成为货币，不管是通过市场竞争还是由于政府背书，最终只要所有人都相信可以用它交换到想要的商品即可。
So it can be seen that one thing is to become a currency, whether through competition in the market or through endorsement by the Government, and eventually as long as everyone believes that it can be exchanged for the goods they want.
但是，纸币却有一个特性，就是可以不受限制的增加。这就带来了一个后果:由于制造一张货币的成本，和他可以购买的东西相比，实在是太低了，所以有权利制造货币的人就有强烈的动机制造货币！今天，我们就来看看，无节制地印钱这种行为会对经济带来怎样的影响？
But there is one characteristic of banknotes, which is that they can increase without restrictions. This has one consequence: because the cost of creating a currency is too low as compared to what he can buy, there is a strong motivation on the part of those who have the right to make it. Today, let's see what the impact on the economy of this unbridled printing of money is.
二、没钱花？那就印点呗！
Two, no money to spend? Then print it!
通货膨胀应该是一个大家耳熟能详的经济学概念，原本它的意义指的是经济体中货币数量的增加。但是，随着时间的推移，这个词的意思发生了变化，演变成指经济体中商品和服务价格的普遍上涨。
Inflation should be a well-known concept of economics, which originally meant an increase in the number of currencies in an economy. But, over time, the meaning of the term has changed to refer to a general rise in the prices of goods and services in an economy.
这里说明一点，我们在以后的课程讨论中，所说的通货膨胀，指的就是由于经济体中纸币数量的增加导致的商品、服务价格上涨，因为这种通货膨胀是有害的。
It is clear here that, in our subsequent course discussions, what we refer to as inflation is the rise in the prices of goods and services as a result of the increase in the number of banknotes in the economy, which is harmful.
而如果在没有增加货币供给的情况下，服务、商品的价格上涨，那只是对市场真实情况的反应，对人们及早应对变化是有利的。一个概念不能将一个有害的属性和一个有益的属性放在一起。所以，再次强调，我们以后学习中所说的通货膨胀，单指货币供给的增加。
And if the price of services and goods rises without an increase in the money supply, it is simply a response to the real situation in the market, and it is in the interest of people to respond to change at an early stage. A concept cannot combine a harmful attribute with a beneficial attribute. So, again, what we have learned in the future is inflation, which means only an increase in the money supply.
本书作者以美国为例，认为美国通货膨胀的本质就是美联储过度印刷叫做钱的纸片，投放到市场，从而导致物价、服务价格的普遍上涨。
The author of this book, citing the United States as an example, argues that the essence of inflation in the United States is the excessive printing by the Fed of paper called money, which is placed on the market, leading to a general increase in prices of goods and services.
为何美联储会有动力制造通货膨胀呢？主要是美国政府有花钱的冲动，但是又不能明目张胆收太多的税，所以就会导致财政赤字，也就是政府的开支大于收入。政府会通过国债的方式从民间集资，只是国债不仅需要偿还，而且还有高额的利息。这样岂不是赤字越滚越大了？
Why would the Fed have the incentive to create inflation? The US government has the main incentive to spend money, but it can’t simply charge too much tax, so it causes a fiscal deficit – that is, government spending is larger than revenue.
但是如果美联储按照政府（官员）的意思，向经济体中持续注入货币，导致商品、服务价格上涨，那么工人的工资、企业的利润等等，都会名义上上涨，这样就能收到更多的税，从而解决财政压力。
But if the Fed continues to inject money into the economy, as the government (officials) suggests, leading to higher prices for goods, services, workers’ wages, profits from businesses, etc., will increase in nominal terms, so that more taxes will be collected to address the fiscal pressures.
三、通货膨胀是隐蔽的抢劫
i>iii. Inflation is a hidden robbery /b>
通货膨胀的概念大家都知道了，就是由于向市场注入货币，导致商品、服务价格普遍上涨。
The concept of inflation is well known as the general rise in the prices of goods and services as a result of currency injections into the market.
但是这个上涨不是一刹那完成的，而是需要一个过程扩散。这个扩散地过程中，有利于那些可以提前拿到新印钞票的人。
But this rise is not done at once, but it takes a process to spread. In the process of spreading it, it helps those who can get the new money in advance.
假如有甲乙二人，甲由于和美联储某人是朋友，提前获得了美联储即将向市场注入货币的消息，而且可以在货币刚刚流入市场时，就能从银行获得贷款。当他用从银行借贷来的这些钱在市场消费的时候，其他人还没有意识到商品、服务价格即将上涨，所以他可以用原来的价格买入商品或者服务。比如他可以用100块钱让乙为他打工一天。
If there are AB2s, A, who is a friend of the Fed, who gets early news of the Fed’s impending injection of money into the market, and who can get a loan from the bank when the money has just entered the market. When he spends the money on the market with the money he borrows from the bank, others are not aware that the prices of goods and services are about to rise, so he can buy goods or services at the same price. For example, he can use 100 bucks to get B to work for him for a day.
而乙呢，没有消费这100块钱，等到过了很久，所有注入市场的货币已经在市场流通，那么只有一个结果，物价的普遍上涨。乙再拿出从乙手里获得的100块钱想花的时候，可能只能从甲手里买到物价没有上涨之前80块钱的东西。这无形中就相当于，通货膨胀帮助甲抢劫了乙。
And B, without spending the $100, after a long time, all the money that was injected into the market was in circulation, with only one result, a general increase in prices. B, when it comes to spending the $100 he gets from B, may buy from A only 80 before the price rises. Invisiblely, inflation helps A rob B.
四、经济周期是不尊重经济规律的后果
i>iv. Consequences of economic cycles not respecting economic norms /b>
经济周期也叫做商业周期或者繁荣与萧条交替的周期。指的是经济从股市飙升、企业大量招人、物价上涨的乐观状态下，由于某些不可控的因素，转变为工人大量失业、企业倒闭、股市下跌等萧条状态。这到底是为何呢？很多经济学家及民众认为这是市场经济的固有属性，所以他们赞成政府在萧条时干预经济。但是本书作者认为，经济周期性的萧条，恰恰是政府造成的。
The economic cycle is also called the business cycle or the cycle of boom-bust.
在鲁滨逊的单人经济模型中，我们知道了，一个人的投资必然来自于储蓄，对于社会而言，这个规律依然成立。一个社会，不可能在减少储蓄的同时，增加投资。就像鲁滨逊一样，他如果每天多吃一点椰子、多享受一份闲暇，他就没有足够储蓄支撑他去生产杆子，从而以后采摘更多的果子。
In Robinson’s single-man economic model, we know that a person’s investment must come from savings, a rule that is still in place for society. A society cannot increase investment while reducing savings. Like Robinson, if he eats more coconuts and enjoys more leisure every day, he does not have enough savings to support him in producing poles and pick more fruit later.
而经济周期的原因，就是由于美联储人为的压低货币货币利息，向市场注入货币，导致消费者增加消费、投资者加大投资，在刚开始的阶段看起来一片繁荣，但是由于种方式的不可持续性，最终导致企业倒逼、工人失业，一片萧条。下面我们详细分析一下这个过程。
The reason for the economic cycle, on the other hand, is that the Fed’s artificially depressed currency interest and the injection of money into the market led to increased consumer consumption and investment by investors, which seemed to be booming in the early stages, but the unsustainable nature of the approach eventually led to the collapse of businesses, the unemployment of workers, and a depression. Let us look at this process in detail.
对于鲁滨逊的一人世界，鲁滨逊的收入、储蓄、投资、消费都是实物，所以很容易理解。而对于我们的现代社会，收入、储蓄、消费、投资都用钱代替，这给人产生一个幻觉，只要钱多，我们就可以享受更多的东西。其实你享受的是金钱锚定的商品、服务，如果全社会大家的钱都变多，而锚定的商品、服务都没有增加，你的享受怎么可能增加呢？
For Robinson’s one-person world, Robinson’s income, savings, investment, and consumption are in kind, so it is easy to understand. And for our modern society, income, savings, consumption, investment are replaced by money, which creates the illusion that we can enjoy more if we have more.
由于储蓄、投资都是用钱来代替，而且储蓄的人和投资的人并不是同一个人。那大家怎么判断社会上储蓄的资源有多少，从而去决定应该投资多少了？
Since savings and investments are replaced by money, and the savers and investors are not the same. How do you judge how much resources are saved in society, and how much should be invested?
还是得回到钱上，如果一个社会上的人偏向于储蓄，把本来用来休息的时间用来挣钱，而消费的时候偏向于节约，那么全社会的“储蓄”就会变多。如果投资人、企业家不能发现赚钱的行业，那么社会的投资就会减少。反映到钱上就是利息降低，贷款变得容易。
There is still a need to return to the money. If a society prefers to save and spends the rest of its time to earn money, and consumes it in favour of saving, then the whole society will become more “savings.” If investors and entrepreneurs do not find a profitable business, then the investment in society will decrease. This is reflected in lower interest rates and easier lending.
倒过来，在一个没有受到干预的市场，如果资金的利息降低，那么给市场上的消费者传递的信号是社会的人倾向于储蓄、积累的资源很多，可以投资那些长时间没有产出的行业，比如修建一座工期四五年的桥、组织大量科技人员攻克难题等等，也鼓励消费者去消费。然后经过几年的努力，大桥建成，难题攻克，投资成功，生产力提升，社会更富裕，全社会生活水准提升。
On the contrary, in a non-intrusive market, if the interest on money is reduced, the signal to consumers in the market is that people in society tend to save, accumulate a lot of resources, invest in industries that have been unproductive for a long time, build a four-to-five-year bridge, organize a large number of technologists to deal with problems, and so on, and encourage consumers to consume. After several years of efforts, the bridge has been built, the challenge has been overcome, investment has been successful, productivity has been raised, society has become richer, and the standard of living of society as a whole has been raised.
不过，某些美国的政府官员基于政治利益的考量，或者由于经济知识的欠缺，不会这样。而是通过人为的降低利息，然后通过美联储向社会注入货币。这就给市场的各个参与者释放了错误信号，让所有人误以为社会有很多的积蓄可以拿来使用，消费者觉得可以消费更多，投资者、企业家觉得可以做更多投资、投资长时间没有产出的行业。所以s在向社会注入货币的初期，看起来一片欣欣向荣的景象，企业需要招收大量员工，消费者有更多的商品可以消费。
Some US government officials, however, are based on considerations of political interest, or because of lack of economic knowledge, that is not the case. Rather, it is the artificial reduction of interest, and then the injection of money into society through the Federal Reserve.
但是，大家不要忘了，由于这个低利率是人为制造的。其实社会的储蓄根本没有这么多，不足以支撑增加的投资、消费，所以随着时间的推移。大家都会发现不对了，市场上的资源越来越少，价格越来越高，资金利息也变高。所以开始有企业资金断裂，工厂倒逼，工人失业，市场恐慌，经济陷入萧条。这就是经济周期的简单解释。
But let's not forget that this low interest rate is artificially made. Social savings are not enough to support increased investment and consumption, so over time. Everyone will find it wrong. Markets are becoming less and less resourceful, prices are getting higher, and interest on money is getting higher. So there's starting to be a break in business funds, factories are falling, workers are losing jobs, markets are panicking, and economies are falling into recession. This is a simple explanation of the economic cycle.
好了，全书到此结束，这本书虽然名字叫做《第一本经济学》，但其实内容综合地利学派、芝加哥两大学派，内容全面，通过一周的学习，相信大家已经具备了经济学的思维方式。
Well, that's the end of the book, which is called The First Economics, but it's a comprehensive, comprehensive, one-week-long study of economics thinking.
本书重点回顾
1.只有个人才能行动，集体不能行动。我们经常说政府、国家如何如何，会潜移默化的将这种集体当做一个行动主体，这将阻碍我们分析问题。政府、国家的行为，其实是某一个人或者某一些人基于各自利益的行为，应该通过分析他们的行为理解现象背后的本质。
Only individuals can act, and collectively cannot act. We often say how Governments, States, are capable of subserviently treating such collectives as subjects of action, which would prevent us from analysing the problem. The actions of Governments, States, are in fact acts of an individual or a group of individuals based on their own interests and should be understood by analysing the nature of the phenomenon.
2.人的行动是有目的的，为了达到目的，人会选择各种手段。对目的分析，会帮助我们更好的理解现象背后的原因及规律。
Human action is purposeful, and in order to achieve it, humans choose every means. An analysis of purpose will help us better understand the causes and patterns behind the phenomenon.
3.储蓄是投资的前提条件，而投资才会有更多的资本品出现，从而提高生产力，使人类更富裕。
Savings are a prerequisite for investment, which will result in more capital, thereby increasing productivity and increasing human wealth.
4.人通过边际收益、边际成本的对比决定是否选择某物品，而不是通过整体对比决定取舍，这就是钻石比水贵的原因。
4. This is why diamonds are more expensive than water when people decide whether to choose an item by comparison of marginal gains and marginal costs, rather than by overall comparisons.
5.自愿交换对交易双方都有利，所以我们判断一项政策的好坏的一个标准是否增加了自愿交换，增加则说明是好政策，反之则是恶政策。
5. A voluntary exchange is beneficial to both parties to the transaction, so we judge whether a criterion for a policy has increased the voluntary exchange, which suggests good policy, and vice policy.
6.因为交易的互利性，人们有动力寻找更大范围的交易，所以货币被创造出来了。由于金、银等贵金属的特性，他们长期成为了货币。
6. Money is created because of the mutual benefits of transactions and the incentive to look for a wider range of transactions. Because of the characteristics of precious metals such as gold and silver, they become a currency for a long time.
7.由于分工可以利用比较优势，而且可以促进专业化，所以可以提高生产力。
7. Since the division of labour could draw on comparative advantages and promote specialization, it could increase productivity.
8.价格是资源配置的指示灯，它指导着人们将资源配置到最需要的地方。
Prices are the guiding light for resource allocation, which guides people to allocate resources where they are most needed.
9.企业家能先于普通人发现新机会、看到新趋势，从而推动新行业发展，企业家是经济增长的引擎。
9. Entrepreneurs, as engines of economic growth, can contribute to the development of new industries by identifying new opportunities and trends before ordinary people.
10.市场中的每个人都是为了让自己生活的更幸福，但恰恰是这种自利让别人也生活的更好，这就是市场的逻辑。
It is the logic of the market that everyone in the market is trying to make their lives happier, but it is precisely this self-interest that allows others to live better.
11.由于财产的公有，导致计划经济不可能产生有效的激励措施。而且计划经济不可能有“真实”的价格，不能有效指导资源的利用，所以计划经济注定低效。
The public ownership of property makes it impossible for the planned economy to generate effective incentives. Moreover, the planned economy cannot have a “real” price that effectively guides the use of resources, and the planned economy is bound to be inefficient.
12.干预经济是局部的计划经济，所以注定是无效的。
12. Intervention in the economy was a partial planned economy and was therefore bound to be ineffective.
13.价格管制只能降低名义价格，但是人们的获得难度了，因为价格管制会减少供给。
13. Price control can only reduce nominal prices, but access is difficult because price regulation reduces supply.
14.任何税收对经济都是有害的，不管它的名字叫什么，效果都一样，对一人征税，就是向全这会征税，减税是繁荣的基础。
14. Any tax is harmful to the economy, and whatever its name may be, it has the same effect. A tax on one person is a tax on the whole, and tax cuts are the basis for prosperity.
16.通货膨胀是先拿到钱的人对后拿到钱的人的抢劫。
Inflation is the robbery of those who receive the money first against those who receive it later.
17.经济周期是人为地干预利息、制造通货膨胀，扭曲的利息使得市场中的参与者对社会储蓄产生系统性误判的恶果。
17. The economic cycle is artificial interference with interest and the creation of inflation, and the distortion of interest results in systemic miscalculation of social savings by market participants.
全书到此结束。
This is the end of the book.
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