The generational bargain

This paper builds on the notion of a bargain or contract across the generations. It argues that the idea of a generational bargain is helpful when thinking about a range of problems in economic and social policy, from pension reform to the extended family. The standard bargain (usually implicit) is that the working generation makes transfers of human capital to the young and consumption to the old on the understanding that other generations will behave in a similar way. Thus there are at least three generations involved in the process. The paper examines the roles of altruism and of self-interest in generational transfers and the stability of the bargain against "bad" behaviour by particular generations and against fractures in the generational cluster.     

《西游记》神魔叙述的“食货”结构形态

《西游记》在充分凸现神魔人欲的过程中,还别具匠心地让他们的各种经济诉求参与叙事,并使包含着丰富的世俗经济寓意的"食货"成为故事的构架。首先,在小说的叙事运动中,许多故事围绕"财货"的贪取而展开,上至佛祖,下至妖魔,几乎无不见财眼开,拨弄是非,制造麻烦,将取经故事搞得曲曲折折。其次,小说注意围绕"嘴巴"做文章,取经人要解决斋饭问题,孙悟空每一次化斋常常是妖怪攫取唐僧的最佳时机;而妖怪每一次邀请长辈来吃唐僧肉又都为孙悟空搭救师父赢得了战机。孙悟空、猪八戒也往往分别因为一时贪嘴而引出祸端。再次,在历次降妖除魔过程中,孙悟空的"买卖经"也引发了很多话题,小说据此推出了精于算计而又包赚不亏之类的基本叙述模式和构架。