胡佛与新政

Herbert Hoover and the New Deal

在我国学者的心目中,美国总统赫伯特·胡佛是放任主义的忠实信徒,这似乎已经是盖棺论定了的。然而,在不少美国学者的眼中,胡佛总统却与新政结下了不解之缘。他们认为,尽管胡佛本人极力反对新政,但实际上,他正是新政的先驱。 早在1936年,威廉·迈尔斯和胡佛总统的负责与国会联络的秘书沃特·牛顿在编著的一本文件纪事中就提出:“在动员人民的经济力量以及吁请具有创造性的个人担负有限的责任以对付危机方面,胡佛总统是我国历史上对此提供联邦领导的第一位总统。”

In the eyes of the Chinese scholars, president Herbert Hoover was an adherentwho believed in the principles of Laissez-faire. As a matter of fact, however, in histerm of presidentship, Hoover indeed adopted some anti-depression measures in thefields of industry, agriculture and finance. That was why some American scholarsthought that Herbert Hoover was the pioneer of the New Deal. But in practicewhile the Roosevelt's New Deal succeeded by and largce, the Hoover's anti-depressionpolicy absolutely failed. After comparing the New Deal with the Hoover's anti-depression measures conscientiously, we found that the two policies were completelydifferent. Adhering to the 'rugged individualism' and 'American system', Herbert Hooverstuck to the 'voluntary cooperation' in his anti-depression policy. His interventionin economic affairs was still in an old fashion, which did not break away fromrules of Laissez-faire. Actually, Hoover's intervention was an interference which wasin the sphere of Laissez-faire, its essentials were the Laissez-faire in the interven-tion. In his words and actions, Hoover elegized the old Laissez-faire. At the sametime, he was going to revive the spirit of Laissez-faire in a new body (consistingof 'rugged individualism', 'voluntary cooperation' and 'American system' ). InAmerican economic history, Herbert Hoover was the last president in the age ofLaissez-faire, not the first president in the age of inventionism.