Economics

Still we held that, even if a man happens to have no wealth, there is such a thing as a science of household management. Then what reason is there why you should not know it?Exactly the same reason, of course, that a man would have for not knowing how to play on the flute if he had never possessed one himself and had never borrowed one to learn on.

That is just my case with regard to estate management; for never having possessed wealth myself, I have not had an opportunity of learning on an instrument of my own, and nobody has ever let me handle his, until you made your offer. Beginners, I fancy, are apt to spoil the lyres they learn on; and if I attempted to learn to manage estates by practising on yours, possibly I might spoil it entirely for you.

Ah, Socrates! rejoined Critobulus, I see you are eager to avoid giving me any help towards lightening the weight of my troublesome duties. Not at all, not at all, said Socrates, I am all eagerness to tell you all I know.

Suppose that you had come to me for fire, and I, having none by me, had taken you to some place where you could get it; you would not, I think, have found fault with me: or, if you had asked for water, and I, having none myself, had brought you to some other place for it, I feel sure that you would not have found fault with me for that either: or, suppose you wanted to learn music with me and I directed you to persons far more skilled in music than I am, who would be grateful to you for taking lessons with them, what fault could you find with me for doing so?

None, if I were fair, Socrates.Well then, Critobulus, I will direct you to others far more skilled than I in the things you now seek to learn from me. I confess that I have made a point of finding out who are the greatest masters of various sciences to be found in Athens.

For observing once that the same pursuits lead in one case to great poverty and in another to great riches, I was filled with amazement, and thought it worth while to consider what this could mean. And on consideration I found that these things happen quite naturally.

For I saw that those who follow these pursuits carelessly suffer loss, and I discovered that those who devote themselves earnestly to them accomplish them more quickly, more easily and with more profit. I think that if you would elect to learn from these, you too with God’s favour would turn out a clever man of business.

Socrates, exclaimed Critobulus on hearing this, I don’t intend to let you go now, until you have proved to my satisfaction what you have promised in the presence of our friends here to prove. Well then, said Socrates, what if I prove to your satisfaction, Critobulus, to begin with, that some men spend large sums in building houses that are useless, while others build houses perfect in all respects for much less? Will you think that I am putting before you one of the operations that constitute estate management? Yes, certainly.

And what if I show you next the companion to this—that some possess many costly belongings and cannot use them at need, and do not even know whether they are safe and sound, and so are continually worried themselves and worrying their servants, whereas others, though they possess not more, but even less, have whatever they want ready for use?What is the reason of this, then, Socrates?

Is it not simply this, that the former stow their things away anywhere and the latter have everything neatly arranged in some place?Yes, of course, arranged carefully in the proper place, not just anywhere.Your point, I take it, is that this too is an element in estate management.

Then what if I show you besides that in some households nearly all the servants are in fetters and yet continually try to run away, whereas in others they are under no restraint and are willing to work and to stay at their posts? Won’t you think that here too I am pointing out to you a notable effect of estate management?Yes, of course; very much so.

And that when men farm the same kind of land, some are poverty-stricken and declare that they are ruined by farming, and others do well with the farm and have all they want in abundance?Yes, of course; for maybe some spend money not on necessary purposes only but on what brings harm to the owner and the estate.Perhaps there are such people.

But I am referring rather to those who haven’t the money to meet even the necessary expenses, though professing to be farmers.Now what can be the reason of that, Socrates?I will take you to these too; and when you watch them, you will find out, I fancy.Of course; that is, if I can.

Then you must watch, and try by experiment whether you are capable of understanding. At present I observe that when a comedy is to be seen, you get up very early and walk a very long way and press me eagerly to go to the play with you. But you have never yet invited me to see a drama of real life like this.You think me ridiculous, don’t you, Socrates?You think yourself far more so, I am sure.

And suppose I show you that some have been brought to penury by keeping horses, while others prosper by doing so, and moreover glory in their gain?Well, I too see and know instances of both; I am not one of the gainers for all that.

The fact is you watch them just as you watch the actors in tragedy or comedy, not, I suppose, to become a playwright, but for the pleasure of seeing and hearing something. And perhaps there is no harm in that, because you don’t want to write plays; but seeing that you are forced to meddle with horses, don’t you think that common-sense requires you to see that you are not ignorant of the business, the more so as the self-same horses are both good to use and profitable to sell?

Would you have me break in colts, Socrates?Of course not, no more than I would have you buy children to train as agricultural labourers; but horses and human beings alike, I think, on reaching a certain age forthwith become useful and go on improving. I can also show you that husbands differ widely in their treatment of their wives, and some succeed in winning their co-operation and thereby increase their estates, while others bring utter ruin on their houses by their behaviour to them.