Economic Characterization

Abstract

If we are thinking of man and his character, should we concern ourselves with economic matters at all? What have these external things to do with him essentially? On some externals of course, such as air, food, and water, his very physical existence depends, and we must define or delineate him in part in terms of them. But he also makes himself utterly dependent on inessential physical commodities and on types and varieties of goods, which he then fancies he cannot do without. This would be of little interest to us but for the fact of the scarcity of desired goods, with a consequent scheme of competition for them. Various traits of character are evoked in him when his wants in relation to goods and services go far beyond what might be regarded as his needs. Dependency on material goods or services, whether it be real or fancied, is the basis for considering economic characterisms in the framework of the appraisal of man.