“经济人”与经济学家

Economic Man and Economists

自18世纪以来,经济学界一直依靠“经济人”假设来分析以各种方式参与市场的人们的行为,并由此对自由交易制度的有效性进行了缜密的推论。半个多世纪以来,现代经济学秉承新古典学术传统,创立了一大批新兴学科,不断扩大自己的解释半径,而它所取得的每一个进展,从某种意义上说都来自对经济理性和“经济人”假设更全面、更深刻的认识。经济理性与“经济人”假设不但是经济学解释外部世界的工具,而且也是经济学自身发展并取得成功的秘诀。

The modern economics has inherited the tradition of new classic academy and established a great number of new and developing doctrines so as to expand its explanation radius. Each progress it has made resulted from the more comprehensive and profound understanding about economic ration and the assumption of economic person to some extent. Economic ration and the assumption of economic person are not only the means of explaining the external world but also the key to the development and success of economics. As we have noticed, since the 18th century, the economic circle has been relying on the assumption of economic man to analyze the activities of people participating in the markets and make a merticulous conclusion to the effectiveness of free trade institution.