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60 Second Adventures in Economics—Number 2:The Paradox of Thrift
《60秒经济学探奇》第二节：节约悖论
Much like a child getting his pocket money, one of the biggest economic questions is still whether it's better to save or spend.
就像小孩拿到零花钱一样，经济中最大的一个问题仍然是：存还是花。
Free-marketeers like Hayek and Milton Friedman say that, even in difficult times, it's best to be thrifty and save.
自由市场学者如哈耶克·米尔顿·弗里德曼认为哪怕在最艰难的时期，也应该节约，存钱。
Banks then channel the savings into investment, in new plants, skills and techniques that let us produce more.
银行将这些储蓄引入到投资领域，建立新工厂，培训新技能，研发新技术，让产品生产更多。
And even if this new technology destroys jobs, wages will drop,
哪怕新技术会减少人的工作机会，工资会下降，
and businesses hire more people—so unemployment falls again.
生意人会招募更多人，这样失业率又会降低。
Simple. At least in the long run... But then a "live-fast-die-young" kinda chap called John Maynard Keynes
很简单 至少长期来看……但后来 一个崇尚“过得快活，死了也值”的伙计，约翰·梅纳德·凯恩斯，
cheerfully pointed out that "in the long run we're all dead".
欢快地指出，“长期来看，我们都死了”。
So, to avoid the misery of unemployment, the government should instead spend money to create jobs.
为了避免失业的痛苦，政府需要花钱来创造工作。
Whereas if the government tightens its belt when people and businesses are doing the same,
如果政府勒紧裤腰带，生意人也是如此，
less is spent, so unemployment gets even worse. That is the paradox of thrift.
花得更少，失业率会更糟。这就是节约悖论。
So instead they should spend now and tax later when everyone's happy to pay
所以政府应该先花钱 之后每个人高兴后再征税，
Though making people happy to pay tax was something even Keynes didn't solve.
虽然如何让人乐于交税，连凯因斯也无法解决。
