在任何民族中,如果该民族是新生的,思想便是她一生所能获得的最大财富;如果该民族深深扎根于开明的思想之中,思想又是任何一代人从前一代人那里所能继承的最大馈赠。

Thoughts, in any nation, are the greatest fortune the nation gains in her life if the nation is newly born; and they are the greatest gift that any generation can receive from the preceding generation, provided the nation is deep-rooted in the enlightened thought.

就物质财富、科学发现、工业发明之类而言，它们的重要性都远低于思想。事实上，获得这些东西有赖于思想，而保存这些东西同样有赖于思想。

With regard to material wealth, scientific discoveries, industrial inventions and the like, all of these are of much lower importance than thoughts. In fact, to gain such matters depends on the thoughts, and preservation of these matters depends on the thoughts as well.

如果一个民族的物质财富遭到毁坏，只要该民族保存着它的智力财富，它就有可能迅速恢复。然而，如果智力财富崩溃，而民族仅保留其物质财富，这些财富很快就会萎缩，民族将陷入贫困。该民族曾经取得的大多数科学成就，只要它不丧失其思维方式，都是可以重新获得的。反之，如果它失去了富有成效的思维方式，它很快就会倒退，并失去其发现与发明。因此，必须首先关注思想。在这些思想的基础上，依据富有成效的思维方式，才能获得物质财富，并追求科学发现、工业发明及类似的成就。

If the material wealth of a nation is destroyed, it is possible for it to be restored quickly as long as the nation preserves its intellectual wealth. However, if the intellectual wealth collapses and the nation retains only its materialistic wealth, this wealth will soon shrink and the nation will fall down into poverty. Most of the scientific achievements which the nation once made can be regained, provided it does not lose its way of thinking. Whereas, if it lost the productive way of thinking, it would soon regress and lose its discoveries and inventions. Therefore, it is necessary to take care of the thoughts first. Based upon these thoughts, and according to the productive way of thinking, material wealth is gained, and the achievement of scientific discoveries, industrial inventions and the like is sought.

所谓思想，是指一个民族在其生活事务中存在思考的过程，使其中大多数个体在面对事件时运用自己所掌握的信息来对其作出判断。这意味着他们拥有可以用于生活的思想，并且通过频繁而成功地运用这些思想，便形成了一种富有成效的思维方式。当今伊斯兰乌玛缺乏思想，因而自然地丧失了富有成效的思维方式。当代一代人既没有从前一代继承任何观念，无论是伊斯兰的还是非伊斯兰的，自然也就没有继承到富有成效的思维方式；他们也没有靠自身获得任何思想或富有成效的思维方式。因此，这一代人陷于贫困便是自然的事，尽管其土地上物质资源丰富。同样，尽管他们研习这些科学发现和工业发明的理论，并了解它们，却没有科学发现和工业发明，这也是自然的。这是因为，除非拥有富有成效的思维方式，即除非拥有思想，并且能够创造性地在生活中运用这些思想，否则不可能迅速以富有成效的方式获得这些成果。因此，穆斯林必须为自己确立思想和富有成效的思维方式。此后，他们才能在此基础上继续前进，去获取物质财富、作出科学发现和工业发明。若不如此，他们将寸步难行，只会继续在恶性循环中打转，耗尽自己的脑力与体力，最终仍回到原地。

What is meant by thoughts is the existence, within the nation, of the process of thinking in it’s life affairs, such that the majority of its individuals use the information that they have when facing events, so as to judge on them. This means that they have thoughts which they contrive to use in life, and by using these thoughts frequently and successfully, a productive way of thinking results. Today, the Islamic Ummah is lacking in thoughts, so it is naturally deprived of the productive way of thinking. The present generation did not receive from its preceding generation any ideas, be they Islamic or non-Islamic and naturally; it did not receive a productive way of thinking. Nor did it attain by itself any thoughts or a productive way of thinking. As a result, it is natural for this generation to be seen in poverty, despite the abundance of material resources in its lands. Likewise, it is natural to have no scientific discoveries and industrial inventions even though it studies the theories of these discoveries and inventions and is aware of them. This is because it is impossible to rush to gain them in a productive way, unless it possesses a productive way of thinking i.e. unless it has thoughts and it is creative in using their thoughts in life. Therefore, it is inevitable for the Muslims to establish for themselves thoughts and a productive way of thinking. Thereafter, they will be able to proceed, based on that, to acquire material wealth, make scientific discoveries, and industrial inventions. Unless they do this, they will not proceed a single step; rather they will continue to go around in a vicious circle, exhausting their mental and physical efforts, only to end up exactly where they began.

当今一代的穆斯林甚至没有接纳任何与我们希望在他们之中确立的伊斯兰理念相抵触的基本思想。如果他们接纳了，就能充分理解所赋予他们的伊斯兰理念，因为这种理解将源于伊斯兰理念与这一代人所持思想之间的冲突，从而使乌玛认识到伊斯兰理念的正确性。事实上，当今的伊斯兰一代空无任何思想，也缺乏任何富有成效的思维方式。他们继承伊斯兰思想，是把它当作一种学术哲学，正如希腊人继承亚里士多德和柏拉图的哲学一样。他们也把伊斯兰继承为仪式和宗教教条，正如基督徒继承基督教一样。与此同时，他们在目睹资本主义的成功之后对其着迷，但这种着迷并非源于理解其思想的正确性，而是出于对其规则的服从，并非源于理解这些解决方案如何源自资本主义的人生观。因此，乌玛在理智上缺乏资本主义的思想，尽管其生活方式却遵循着资本主义。乌玛在实践中也丧失了伊斯兰的思想，尽管它仍在履行某些仪式并研习其思想。

The present generation of Muslims has not even adopted a basic thought which contradicts their ideology of Islam, which we aim to establish amongst them. If it had done so, it would have been able to fully comprehend the Islamic ideology given to it, because this comprehension would have resulted from a clash between the Islamic ideology and the one carried by this generation, making the Ummah realise the correctness of the Islamic ideology. Rather, the current Islamic generation is empty of any thought and of any productive way of thinking. Instead, it inherited the Islamic thoughts as an academic philosophy, in the same way that the Greeks inherited the philosophies of Aristotle and Plato. It also inherited Islam as rituals and religious dogma, in the same way the Christians inherited Christianity. At the same time, it became fascinated with Capitalism after witnessing its successes, and not through comprehending the validity of its thoughts; and from its submission to its rules, and not from comprehending how these solutions emanate from the Capitalist viewpoint of life. Therefore, the Ummah is devoid of the Capitalist thoughts intellectually, although it lives according to the Capitalist way of life. The Ummah also became devoid of the Islamic thoughts in practice, although it conducts some of its rituals and studies its thoughts.

这一代人对资本主义思想的倾向,已远远超出了仅仅调和伊斯兰与资本主义法律和解决方案的程度。如今已到了这样的地步:人们觉得伊斯兰无力解决当代生活的问题,并且急于照搬西方法律,甚至不去尝试与伊斯兰相调和。乌玛(穆斯林共同体)认为放弃伊斯兰的律法、采纳其他制度并无大碍,只为跟上文明世界的步伐,赶上资本主义和社会主义国家,把它们视为先进民族。至于那些坚守伊斯兰的人,他们同样倾向于资本主义思想,但仍试图使其与伊斯兰相调和。然而,那些试图使伊斯兰与其他思想相调和的人,在生活中没有影响力,在社会中也没有存在感,即在人与人之间实际发生的各种关系中毫无作用。

The tendency of this generation towards the Capitalist ideas went far beyond just reconciling Islam with the Capitalist laws and solutions. It has now reached such an extent that there is a feeling of Islam being incapable of solving contemporary problems of life, and there is an urge to take Western laws as they are, without even reconciling them with Islam. The Ummah came to see no harm in giving up Islamic rules and adopting others, in order to progress with the civilised world, and catch up with the Capitalist and Socialist nations, considering them as progressed peoples. As for those who adhere to Islam, they have the same tendency towards the Capitalist thoughts, but they still try to reconcile them with Islam. However, those who try to reconcile Islam with other thoughts have no influence in life, nor do they have any presence in society, i.e. in the actual relationships that go on between the people.

因此,伊斯兰思想与解决生活问题的规则的传递,所面对的并非空白的头脑和没有思维方式的心智,而是与人们对资本主义和社会主义思想的倾向相冲突,也与当前由资本主义所支配的生活方式相冲突。因此,除非所提出的思想强大到足以在人们的心灵和头脑中引起震动,否则不可能推动民众,甚至无法吸引他们的注意。这一思想必须促使那些迟钝、浅薄的头脑深入思考,并且必须摆脱偏离的倾向和病态的喜好,从而确立对伊斯兰思想和规则的健康倾向。

Therefore, the delivery of the Islamic thoughts and rules which solve problems of life, collides with minds, empty of thought and a way of thinking. Instead it clashes with inclinations, from all the people, towards the Capitalist and Socialist thoughts, and with the way of life currently governed by Capitalism. So unless the given thought is strong enough to cause a shake-up in the hearts and minds, it will be impossible to move the people, nor even attract their attention to it. This thought has to push the dull shallow minds to think deeply, and it has to shake off the deviated inclinations and the sick tastes, so as to establish the sound inclination towards the Islamic thoughts and rules.

因此,伊斯兰宣教的承载者必须揭示资本主义解决方案所建立的基础,阐明其谬误,并在思想上摧毁它们。他必须回应生活中出现的各种新问题,并将伊斯兰的解决方案作为必须遵守的神圣律法来阐述,因为这些律法源自《古兰经》和圣训,或源自这两项依据所指引的内容,而不是从它们是否适合当今时代的角度来看待。这意味着必须依据信仰(Aqeedah)来接受这些律法,而不是依据其所认为的利益。因此,每一条律法都必须连同其所据以推导出的神圣依据一并给出,或通过解释律法或经文所蕴含的神圣意图(Illah)来阐明。

Consequently, it is necessary for the carrier of the Islamic Da’wah to expose the foundation upon which the Capitalist solutions are established, illustrate their falsehood and destroy them intellectually. He has to address the various new issues of life and show the Islamic solutions to these issues as divine rules which must be followed, because they are rules derived from the Qur’an and Sunnah, or from what these two evidences have directed to, and not from the perspective of whether or not they are suitable for this time. That means they have to be taken based on the Aqeedah and not based on their perceived benefit. So each rule has to be given along with the divine evidence from which it was derived, or by explaining the divine reason (Illah) which the rule or the text brought.

与统治制度和经济相关的思想，是最令穆斯林着迷的思想，也使他们在生活中承受了最严重的考验。穆斯林普遍推崇这些思想，而西方则试图将这些思想付诸实践，并坚持不懈地推行它们。尽管乌玛在理论上被民主制度统治，这是不信道的殖民者刻意为之，以保护西方制度和殖民统治，但在生活的各个经济层面，乌玛实际上是被资本主义经济制度所统治。因此，伊斯兰的经济思想将对伊斯兰世界的经济生活产生最大的影响，甚至足以使其天翻地覆；而它也将遭到不信道的殖民者的代理人、那些迷恋西方的人、那些甘愿生活在黑暗中的人、失败主义者以及统治者的最强烈反对。

The thoughts related to the ruling system and economics are the thoughts which most fascinated the Muslims, and made them suffer the severest tribulations in their lives. The Muslims generally admired these thoughts, and the West tries to practically apply these thoughts, and persists in its endeavours to implement them. Although the Ummah is theoretically governed by democracy on purpose by the infidel colonialists, in order to protect the Western system and colonisation, she is governed practically by the Capitalist economic system in all the economic aspects of life. Therefore, the Islamic economic thoughts are those which will have the greatest influence in the economic life of the Islamic world, so much so that they will turn it upside down and they will be most opposed by the agents of the infidel colonialist, and those who are fascinated by the West, namely those who are pleased to live in the darkness, the defeatists and the rulers.

因此，有必要清楚地描绘资本主义经济制度，阐明西方政治经济学所建立的基本思想，以便那些对西方经济制度着迷的人能够看清这一制度的腐败，以及它与伊斯兰教的矛盾。随后，他们便会审视以正确方式解决经济生活问题的伊斯兰经济思想，并将其呈现为一种独特的生活方式，它在总体原则和具体细节上都与资本主义生活相对立。

Therefore, it is necessary to give a clear picture of the Capitalist economic system, which classifies the basic thoughts upon which the political economy in the West is established, so that those who have become fascinated with the Western economic system can come to see the corruption of this system and its contradiction with Islam. They will then examine the Islamic economic thoughts which address the problems of economic life in the correct manner, and present them as a unique way of life which contradicts the Capitalist life in both its general principles and in its details.

资本主义经济制度 如果我们审视资本主义经济制度,会发现在它们看来,该制度处理的是人的需求以及满足这些需求的手段。它只关注人生活中的物质层面,并且建立在三项原则之上:

The Capitalist Economic System If we examine the Capitalist economic system we find that, in their view, it deals with man’s needs and the means of satisfying those needs. It only addresses the materialistic side of man’s life and it is established on three principles:

1. 相对于人们的需求而言，商品和服务存在相对稀缺的情况。这意味着商品和服务不足以满足人类日益增长的需求。从社会的角度看，这就是社会的经济问题。

1. There is a relative scarcity of commodities and services in relation to needs. This means the insufficiency of commodities and services to meet the ever-increasing needs of man. This is the society’s economic problem from their viewpoint.

2. 作为大多数经济研究与探讨基础的产品价值。

2. The value of a product which is the basis of most economic research and study.

3. 价格，及其在生产、消费与分配中的作用。价格是资本主义经济制度的基石。

3. The price, and its role in production, consumption, and distribution. The price is the cornerstone of the Capitalist economic system.

关于商品和服务的相对稀缺性，这种情况之所以存在，是因为商品和服务是用来满足人类需求的手段。人们说，人有需要满足的需求，因此必定存在满足这些需求的手段。这些需求纯属物质层面：它们要么是有形的，例如对食物和衣物的需求；要么是人能够感知却无形的，例如对医生和教师等服务的需求。至于道德上的需求，如自尊和荣誉，或精神上的需求，如对造物主的崇敬，它们在经济学上并不被承认，因此被忽视，也不在经济学研究之列。

With regard to the relative scarcity of commodities and services, this situation exists because the commodities and services are the means which are used to satisfy man’s needs. They say man has needs that require satisfaction, so there must exist the means to satisfy them. These needs are purely materialistic; they are either tangible, such as the need for food and clothing, or they are needs which are sensed by man but are intangible, such as the need for the services of, for example, doctors and teachers. As for the moral needs such as pride and honour, or spiritual needs such as the sanctification of the Creator, they are not recognised economically, and are therefore disregarded and have no place in economic studies.

满足需要的手段被称为商品与服务。商品是满足有形需要的手段,而服务是满足无形需要的手段。在他们看来,使商品与服务能够满足需要的,是这些商品与服务中所具有的效用。这种效用是一种属性,使事物成为满足某种需要的可欲之物。由于需要指的是经济上的欲望,因此在经济上有益的事物,便是一切被人所欲求的东西,无论其是否必需,即便有人认为它有益而另一些人认为它有害。只要有人觉得它可欲,它便被视为经济上有益。因此,即使公众舆论认为某些事物毫无益处或有害,经济学家仍会把它们视为有益之物。于是,在经济学家看来,酒和大麻也是有益之物,因为总有人想要它们。

The means of satisfaction are called commodities and services. Commodities are the means of satisfying the tangible needs, whereas services are the means of satisfying the intangible needs. What makes commodities and services satisfy the needs, in their viewpoint, is the benefit in these commodities and services. This benefit is an attribute which renders the thing desirable for satisfying a need. Since the need means the economic desire, then the economically beneficial thing is everything desired, whether it is essential or not, and even if some consider it beneficial and others consider it harmful. It is considered economically beneficial as long as there is someone who finds it desirable. This makes them consider things as beneficial from an economic viewpoint even if the public opinion considers them of no benefit, or harmful. Thus wine and hashish are beneficial things to the economists since there are people who want them.

经济学家看待满足欲望的手段，即商品和服务，只从它们满足某种需要这一角度出发，而不考虑其他任何因素。因此，他看待需要和利益，是看它们实际是什么，而不是看它们应当是什么，也就是说，他只把利益看作满足需要，而不考虑其他任何事情。于是，他会把酒视为具有经济价值的东西，因为它满足了某些人的需要；他也会把酿酒者视为提供服务的人，并认为这种服务具有经济价值，因为它满足了某些个人的需要。

The economist looks upon the means of satisfaction, that is, the commodities and services, from the viewpoint that they satisfy a need, without taking any other factor into consideration. Thus, He looks at the needs and the benefits as they are, not as they should be i.e. He looks at benefit as satisfying a need, without taking anything else into consideration. So He would look at wine in its capacity of having an economic value because it satisfies the needs of some people, and He perceives the wine maker as a person who provides a service, considering this service as having an economic value, because it satisfies the need of some individuals.

这就是资本主义中需求的本质,以及满足这些需求的手段的本质。因此,经济学家并不关心社会的本质,而只关心能够满足需求的经济物质资源(经济商品)。所以,经济学家的职能是提供商品和服务,即提供满足人类需求的手段,而不考虑任何其他因素。据此,经济学家努力使满足需求的手段得以供应。由于作为满足手段的商品和服务是有限的,它们不足以满足人类的全部需求,因为在他们看来,这些需求是无限的并且在不断增长。这是因为,既有人作为人必须满足的基本需求,也有随着人迈向更高程度的城市化而数量不断增加的需求。这些需求不断繁衍、增长,而且都需要得到完全满足,无论商品和服务如何增加,这种状况都无法实现。由此产生了经济问题的根源,即需求过剩与满足需求的手段匮乏,也就是说,缺乏足以完全满足人类全部需求的商品和服务。

This is the nature of needs in Capitalism and the nature of the means of satisfying these needs. Hence, the economist does not care about the nature of society, but cares about the economic material resources (economic commodities), since they satisfy a need. Therefore, the function of the economist is to supply commodities and services i.e. to provide the means of satisfying man’s needs, irrespective of any other consideration. Accordingly, the economist strives to make available the means of satisfaction. Since the commodities and services, which are the means of satisfaction are limited, they are not sufficient to meet all of man’s needs, because these needs in their view are unlimited and constantly growing. This is because there are basic needs which man as a human must satisfy, and there are needs which increase in number as man proceeds to a higher level of urbanisation. These needs multiply and increase and they all need complete satisfaction, a situation which cannot be fulfilled no matter how much commodities and services increase. From here the basis of the economic problem emerged, which is an overabundance of needs and the shortage of the means of their satisfaction i.e. the lack of commodities and services to completely satisfy all of man’s needs.

从这一视角看，社会面临一个经济问题，即商品和服务的相对短缺。这种短缺的必然结果是，某些需求只能得到部分满足，甚至完全得不到满足。既然情况如此，社会成员就有必要就规则达成一致，以决定哪些需求必须得到满足，哪些需求将被剥夺。换言之，有必要确立一项规则，决定如何将有限的资源分配到无限的需求上。因此，在他们看来，需要解决的问题是需求与资源，而不是人。于是，问题在于如何提供资源以满足需求，但未必是每个人的需求。因此，所制定的规则必须保证实现尽可能高的生产水平，从而获得尽可能多的资源供给，即向整个国家提供商品和服务，但未必向每个个体提供。所以，商品和服务的分配问题与生产问题密切相关，经济学研究的目标就是增加社会所消费的商品和服务。由此不难理解，研究影响国民生产规模（GDP和GNP）的因素，在所有经济学研究中居于首位。因为增加国民生产，是解决经济问题即商品和服务相对于需求而言短缺的最重要的研究之一。他们认为，贫困和匮乏只有通过增加生产才能解决。因此，解决社会所面临的经济问题，只能依靠增加生产。

From this perspective, the society faces an economic problem, which is the relative shortage of commodities and services. The inevitable result of this shortage is that some needs are either partially satisfied or not satisfied at all. Since this is the situation, it is necessary that the members of society agree on rules that decide which needs have to be satisfied and which needs are to be deprived. In other words, it is necessary to set a rule that decides the manner of distributing the limited resources over the unlimited needs. So the problem to address in their view is the needs and resources and not the man. Thus, the problem is to make available the resources so as to satisfy the needs, but not necessarily the needs of every individual. Therefore, it is necessary that the rules which are laid down, be rules which guarantee the achievement of the highest possible level of production, so as to achieve the highest supply of resources i.e. to supply the goods and services to the nation as a whole, but not necessarily to each individual. Therefore, the problem of distributing the goods and services is closely connected to the problem of production, and the objective of economic studies and research is to increase the goods and services which are consumed by the society. It is not surprising therefore, that the study of the factors which affect the size of the national production (GDP and GNP) takes precedence over all economic studies. Because the study of increasing the national production is one of the most important studies to solve the economic problem, that is the scarcity of the commodities and services in relation to the needs. For they believe that poverty and deprivation cannot be solved except by increasing production. Therefore, solving the economic problem facing society is only by increasing production.

产品的价值指其重要程度,这种重要程度可以相对于某个特定的人而言,也可以相对于另一件事物而言。前一种情况称为"使用价值"(benefit value),后一种情况称为"交换价值"(exchange value)。 一件事物的使用价值可以概括为:任何一个单位的该事物的使用价值,是以其边际效用来衡量的,即以满足最弱需求的那一单位所带来的效用来衡量。他们把这称为"边际效用理论"(The Theory of Marginal Utility)。这意味着,使用价值不能仅从生产者的角度来衡量,即仅以生产成本来衡量,因为这将意味着只考虑供给而不考虑需求。也不能仅从消费者的角度来衡量,即仅以其效用和可欲性,以及其相对稀缺性来衡量,因为这将意味着只考虑需求而不考虑供给。事实上,他们主张应当同时从供给与需求两方面来考察效用。因此,一件事物的使用价值是在满足需求的最后一个点,即满足的最低点上进行评估的。所以,一条面包的价值应当以饥饿的最低点来评估,而不是以其最高点来评估;并且应当以市场上面包充足的时候来评估,而不是以面包短缺的时候来评估。

The value of the product means its degree of importance, whether relative to a particular person or relative to another thing. In the first case, it is called ‘the value of the benefit’. In the second case, it is called the ‘value of exchange’. The value of the benefit of a thing can be summarised as: the value of benefit of any unit of a thing is evaluated by its marginal benefit i.e. by the benefit of the unit that satisfies the weakest need. They called this ‘The Theory of Marginal Utility’. This means that the benefit is not evaluated according to the viewpoint of the producer alone i.e. evaluated by the costs of its production, since this would mean consideration of supply without demand. Nor is it evaluated from the viewpoint of the consumer alone i.e. evaluated by its benefit and desirability, as well as looking at its relative shortage, because this would mean the consideration of demand without supply. In fact, they claim that benefit should be observed from the viewpoint of supply and demand together. Thus the benefit of a thing is assessed at the last point that satisfies the need i.e. at the minimum point of satisfaction. Therefore, the value of a loaf of bread is assessed at the minimum point of hunger not at its maximum, and at a time when there is an availability of bread in the market, not at a time when there is a shortage.

至于交换价值，它是使一物适合用于交换的属性。一物的交换强度是相对于另一物而衡量的，因此小麦相对于玉米的交换价值，是以为获得一单位小麦所需让出的玉米单位数来估算的。他们用"利益"一词专指使用价值，只用"价值"一词专指交换价值。

As for the value of exchange, it is an attribute which makes a thing suitable for exchange. The strength of exchange of a thing is measured relative to another, so the value of exchange of wheat relative to corn is estimated by the units of corn which should be conceded to obtain a unit of wheat. They refer to the value of the benefit using the term ‘benefit’ only, and refer to the value of exchange using the term ‘value’ only.

交换发生在两种价值相同或相近的商品或服务之间。因此，经济学家必须研究价值，因为价值是交换的基础，它是一种可以衡量的效用；它是衡量商品和服务的尺度，也是据以判断行为是否具有生产性的标准。

Exchange occurs between two commodities or services which are similar or close in their values. Hence, the study of value was necessary for economists; because it is the basis of exchange, and it is a utility which can be measured; it is a scale with which the commodities and services are measured and by which actions are judged as productive or not.

在他们看来,生产就是创造利益或增加利益,而这是通过劳动实现的。因此,要判定某项工作是否具有生产性,要知道哪些工作的生产性更高,就必须有一个关于各种产品和服务的精确尺度。这个尺度就是各种产品和服务的社会价值。换言之,它是对所耗费的劳动和所提供的服务的集体评价。这种评价之所以变得必要,是因为在现代,为交换而生产已经取代了为消费而生产。如今几乎每个人都在用自己的产品与他人的产品进行交换。交换之所以能够实现,是因为商品或服务有相应的报偿,因此必须对商品的价值进行估算,才能进行交换。由此可见,了解价值的实际所是,是生产和消费中的一个基本要素,也就是利用这些手段满足人的需要的一个基本要素。

Production, in their view, is creating a benefit or increasing it, which is accomplished by work. So, to identify works as being productive or not, and to know which are of greater productivity, there must be an accurate scale for the various products and services. This scale is the societal value of the various products and services. In other words, it is the collective evaluation of the work spent and the service provided. Such an evaluation became necessary, because in the modern time, production for the purpose of exchange has replaced production for consumption. The situation now arises whereby virtually every person exchanges his production with other people’s production. The exchange is achieved by the existence of compensation for the commodity or service, so there must be an estimation of the value of the commodity in order that it can be exchanged. Hence, knowledge of the value in terms of what it is, is an essential factor in production and consumption i.e. an essential factor towards satisfying man’s needs, by using these means.

在现代历史中,这种交换价值通过其中的一种价值被确定,而这类价值已成为主导。在发达的社会里,商品的价值彼此之间并无直接关联,而是与一种称为货币的特定商品相关联。一件商品或一项服务与货币的交换比率,被称为其价格。因此,价格就是一件商品或一项服务相对于货币的交换数量。由此可见,交换价值与价格的区别在于:交换价值是一物与另一物交换的比率,无论那另一物是货币、商品还是服务;而价格则是一物与货币的交换价值。这意味着,有可能所有商品的价格在同一时间全部上涨,或全部下跌;但不可能所有商品彼此之间的交换价值在同一时间全部上升或下降。商品的价格也有可能发生变化,而其交换价值并未随之改变。因此,商品的价格是其价值之一;换言之,它只是商品相对于货币的价值。既然价格是价值之一,那么很自然地,人们便以价格作为衡量一物是否有益以及其益处大小的尺度。因此,一件商品或一项服务是否被视为有生产力或有益,取决于社会是否以某一特定价格来评估它。这件商品或服务的益处程度,由大多数消费者愿意支付以拥有或使用它的价格来衡量,无论该商品是农产品还是工业产品,也无论该服务来自商人、运输公司、医生还是工程师。

In modern history, this value of exchange has been identified by one of its values, and this type of value has become predominant. In developed communities, the values of commodities are not related to each other but are related to a certain commodity called money. The exchange ratio of a commodity or a service with money is called its price. The price therefore, is the amount of exchange of a commodity or a service relative to money. Hence, the difference between the value of exchange and the price is that the value of exchange is the ratio of an exchange of one thing with another, whether that thing is money, commodities, or services; while the price is the exchange value of a thing with money. This means that it is possible that the prices of all goods rise at any one time, and all fall at any one time, whilst it is impossible that the exchange values of all commodities relative to each other rise or drop at any one time. It is also possible for prices of commodities to change without resulting in a change in their value of exchange. Therefore, the price of a commodity is one of its values; in other words it is the value of a commodity relative to money only. Since the price is one of the values, it is natural for price to be taken as a scale for deciding whether a thing is beneficial or not, and the degree of benefit of that thing. Therefore, the commodity or the service is considered as productive or beneficial if the society evaluates this particular commodity or service by a particular price. The degree of benefit of this commodity or service is measured by the price which the majority of the consumers agree to pay for possessing or utilising it, whether this commodity is an agricultural or industrial product, and whether the service is that of a trader, transportation company, doctor, or engineer.

至于价格在生产、消费和分配中所起的作用,正是价格机制决定哪些生产者能够进入生产竞争,哪些生产者会被排除在外。同样,价格决定哪些消费者能够满足其需求,哪些消费者则无法做到。商品的生产成本是决定其市场供给的主要因素,而商品的效用则是决定其市场需求的主要因素,二者都以价格来衡量。因此,供求关系的研究是资本主义经济中的根本问题。 所谓供给,指的是市场的供给;所谓需求,指的是市场的需求。需求离不开价格就无法界定,供给若不考虑价格也无法评估。然而,需求的变化与价格的变化成反比,即价格上涨,需求下降;价格下跌,需求上升。这与供给恰恰相反,供给的变化与价格成正比,即价格上涨,供给量增加;价格下跌,供给量减少。在这两种情况下,价格对供给和需求的影响都是最大的,也就是说,它对生产和消费的影响是最大的。

As for the role which the price plays in production, consumption, and distribution, it is the price mechanism that decides which of the producers will enter the production race and which will be excluded. In the same manner, price decides which of the consumers will satisfy their needs and which consumers will not be able to do so. The production cost of a commodity is the principal factor which governs its supply in the market, while the benefit of the commodity is the principal factor which governs the demand in the market for it, and both are measured by the price. Therefore, the study of supply and demand is the fundamental issue in the Capitalist economy.What is meant by the supply is the supply of the market, and what is meant by demand is the demand of the market. As demand cannot be defined without mentioning the price, supply too cannot be evaluated without the price. However, demand changes inversely proportional to the change in price i.e. if price increases, demand decreases, and if price decreases then demand increases. This is contrary to supply which changes directly proportional to the price i.e. the level of supply increases as the price increases and it drops as price decreases. In both cases, price has the greatest effect upon supply and demand, that is, it has the greatest effect upon production and consumption.

在资本主义者看来,价格机制是社会中个人之间分配商品和服务的理想方式,因为收益是人所付出努力的结果。因此,除非报酬与付出的努力相当,否则毫无疑问生产水平将会下降。所以,在社会中分配商品和服务的理想方式,是能够保证最高可能生产水平的方式。这种方式就是价格方式,也称为价格制度或价格机制。他们认为,价格机制会自动产生经济均衡,因为它让消费者自行决定社会所拥有的资源如何分配到各种经济活动中:消费者通过对某些商品的需求以及对其他商品的放弃来做出选择。因此,他们用自己的收入购买所需要的或所喜欢的东西。例如,不喜欢葡萄酒的消费者会不买它,而把收入花在其他东西上。如果不喜欢葡萄酒的消费者人数增加,或者所有人都不再喜欢它,那么由于需求下降,葡萄酒的生产就变得无利可图。这样,葡萄酒的生产就会自然停止,其他商品和服务也遵循同样的规律。消费者在自由决定购买什么、放弃什么的过程中,自己决定了生产的水平和种类。商品和服务的分配正是通过价格本身实现的,无论价格是否为生产者所掌握,也无论消费者是否将其交给生产者。

The price mechanism in the view of the Capitalists is the ideal method of distribution of commodities and services amongst individuals in society, since the benefits are the result of the efforts which man expends. So, unless the compensation is equal to the effort, then, no doubt, the level of production will drop. Therefore, the ideal method to distribute commodities and services in a society is that which guarantees the highest possible level of production. This method is the price method which is also called the price system or the price mechanism. They consider that the price mechanism produces economic equilibrium automatically, since it gives the consumers the choice to decide for themselves the distribution of the resources owned by the society over the various economic activities, through the consumers demand for some commodities and their turning away from others. Hence they spend their income by buying what they need or what they like. Thus, the consumer who dislikes wine will abstain from buying it and spends his income on other things. If the number of consumers who dislike wine increased, or if all came to dislike it, then the production of wine becomes unprofitable due to decreasing demand. Thus, production of wine would stop naturally, and the same rule applies to other commodities and services. The consumers themselves define the level and kind of production by being left free to decide what to buy and what to leave. Via the price itself, the distribution of commodities and services occurs whether or not the price is available to the producers, and whether or not they give it to the producers.

价格机制是生产的激励因素,是分配的调节器,也是生产者与消费者之间的纽带,即实现生产与消费之间均衡的手段。 价格机制是生产的激励因素,因为人从事任何生产性努力或付出牺牲,其首要动机是物质回报。资本主义经济学家排除了人为道德或精神动机而付出努力的可能性。即便他们承认道德动机的存在,也将其归因于物质上的补偿。他们认为,人付出努力只是为了满足其物质需求和欲望。这种满足要么通过消费他自己直接生产的商品实现,要么通过获得货币报酬来实现,而货币报酬使他能够获得他人生产的商品和服务。 由于人满足大部分需求(如果不是全部需求)都依赖于与他人交换自己的努力,那么需求的满足便集中于为其努力获得货币报酬。这一货币报酬使他能够获得商品和服务,因此他关注的并非他所生产的商品本身。所以,作为货币报酬的价格,就是促使人从事生产的动机。由此可见,价格是激励生产者提供其努力的手段,因而价格是生产的激励因素。

The price mechanism is the incentive for production, it is the regulator of distribution, and the link between the producer and the consumer i.e. it is the means which achieves equilibrium between production and consumption. The price mechanism is the incentive for production, because the principal motive for man to undertake any productive effort or sacrifice is his material reward. The Capitalist economists exclude the possibility that man expends effort for a moral or spiritual motive. The moral motive, when they do recognise it, is attributed to a materialist compensation. They consider that man expends his efforts to satisfy his materialistic needs and wishes only. This satisfaction is either through the consumption of commodities which He produces directly, or through receiving a monetary reward that enables Him to obtain the commodities and services produced by others. Since man depends in satisfying most of his needs, if not all of them, on exchanging his efforts with others, then the satisfaction of needs is focused on obtaining a monetary reward for his efforts. This monetary reward allows Him to obtain commodities and services, and accordingly He is not focused on obtaining the commodities which He produces. Therefore, the monetary reward, which is the price, is the motive for man to produce. Hence, the price is the means which motivates the producers to offer their efforts. Thus the price is the incentive for production.

价格是调节分配的手段，因为人喜欢完全满足自己的所有需求，并努力获取能够满足这些需求的商品和服务。如果每个人都可以自由地满足自己的需求，那么他就不会停止占有和消费他喜欢的任何商品。由于每个人都追求这同一目标，每个人在满足自己需求时都必须止步于他能够用自己的努力与他人的努力进行交换的界限，也就是他因付出努力而获得的货币报酬的界限，即价格的界限。因此，价格是一种自然发挥作用的约束，它把人的占有和消费限制在与其收入成比例的水平上。所以，价格的存在使人思考、评估并区分其相互竞争、需要满足的各种需求，他会取其认为必要的，舍其认为不那么重要的。由此，价格迫使个人只能部分地满足某些需求，以便能够满足他同样认为不亚于此的其他需求。

The price is the means which regulates distribution, because man likes to satisfy all of his needs completely and He strives to obtain the commodities and services which satisfy these needs. Had every human being been left free to satisfy his needs He would not stop short of possessing and consuming whatever commodity He likes. Since every man strives for this same aim, everybody has to stop in satisfying his needs at the limit at which He can afford to exchange his efforts with others efforts, that is at the limit of the monetary compensation which He receives for expending his effort i.e. at the limit of the price. Therefore, the price is the constraint which acts naturally to restrict man in his possession and consumption to a level which is proportional to his income. So the existence of the price makes man think, evaluate, and differentiate between his competing needs which require satisfaction, and He takes what He finds necessary, and leaves what He finds of less importance. Thus, the price forces the individual to settle for partial satisfaction of some of his needs, so as to be able to satisfy the other needs which He considers no less important.

因此,价格是调节个人所需效用分配的工具。价格也调节有限效用在有需求的消费者之间的分配。消费者之间收入的差距,使每个人的消费都局限于其收入所允许的范围。这使得某些商品只为那些能够负担得起的人所享有,而另一些商品的消费则会在能够负担较低价格的人群中普遍起来。因此,价格将成为分配效用的调节者:对某些商品和服务定高价,对另一些定低价,并且价格对某些消费者比对其他消费者更为适合。

So, the price is the tool which regulates the distribution of utilities required by individuals. The price also regulates the distribution of limited utilities amongst the consumers who demand these utilities. The disparity in income of the consumers makes the consumption of each individual confined to that which his income allows. This makes some commodities confined to only those who can afford them, while the consumption of other commodities would become common amongst people who can afford the lower prices. Therefore, the price will become the regulator in distributing utilities amongst consumers by setting a high price for some commodities and services and a low price for others, and also by the suitability of the price to some consumers more than others.

价格在生产与消费之间实现了均衡,它是生产者与消费者之间的纽带:满足消费者需求的生产者通过利润获得回报;而产品不被消费者接受的生产者则会遭受亏损。生产者能够探知消费者需求的途径就是价格。如果消费者对某种特定商品有需求,其价格就会上涨,该商品的产量也会随之增加,以满足消费者的需求。如果消费者不再购买某种特定商品,其在市场上的价格就会下跌,该商品的产量也会随之减少。因此,分配给生产的资源会随着价格上涨而增加,随着价格下跌而减少。这样,价格就成为实现生产与消费之间均衡的工具,也是生产者与消费者之间的纽带,而且这一过程是自动发生的。因此,在资本主义者看来,价格是经济得以建立的基础,是他们心目中经济的基石。

The price achieves equilibrium between production and consumption, and it is the link between the producer and the consumer, because the producer who fulfils the desires of the consumers is rewarded through profits. On the other hand, the producer whose products are not accepted by the consumers, would end up with losses. The method through which the producer can detect the desires of the consumers is the price. If the consumers demand any particular commodity its price will increase, and the production of that commodity will increase, in fulfilment of the consumer’s desires. If consumers turn away from buying a particular commodity, its price will drop in the market, and so production of this commodity will decrease. So, the resources assigned to production increase as the price increases, and decrease as the price decreases. In this way the price is the tool which achieves equilibrium between production and consumption, and it is the link between the producer and the consumer, and this process occurs automatically. Therefore, the price is the basis on which the economy is established in the view of the Capitalists, and it is the cornerstone of the economy to them.

这是对资本主义经济体系的一个概述，它被称为政治经济学。通过对其进行深入研究，可以从多个方面揭示资本主义经济体系的谬误：

This is a summary of the economic system in Capitalism, which is called the political economy. By studying it thoroughly, the falsehood of the Capitalist economic system can be shown from many aspects:

1. 需求与满足手段的混淆 资本主义中的经济，是指解决人的需求及满足这些需求的手段。因此，在它们看来，用来满足需求的手段——商品与服务的生产，以及这些商品与服务的分配，被视为同一个主题。需求与满足需求的手段被认为相互关联，以至于它们构成一个主题，彼此不可分割，仿佛其中一方被包含在另一方之内。于是，商品与服务的分配被纳入这些商品与服务的生产这一主题之中。 基于此，他们从一个角度看待经济，这一角度涵盖经济商品及其占有方式，二者之间没有分隔，也不对其中之一与另一者加以区分。因此，他们对经济科学与经济制度持同一种看法，并不加以区别。然而，经济制度与经济科学之间是有区别的。

1. Mixing the Needs and the Means of Satisfaction Economy in Capitalism means to address man’s needs and the means of their satisfaction. Hence the production of commodities and services, which are the means of satisfying the needs, together with the distribution of these commodities and services are considered in their view, one subject. The needs and the means of their satisfaction are considered to be interrelated such that they are one subject, inseparable from each other, as if one of them is included within the other. So, the distribution of commodities and services is included in the subject of the production of these commodities and services. Thereupon, they look at the economy from one angle which includes the economic commodities and the method of their possession, without separation between them and without differentiating one of them from the other. Thus, they hold one view towards the economic science and the economic system without differentiating between them. However, there is a difference between the economic system and economic science.