林巍·《市场不是万能的》英译

市场不是万能的

林巍

三十多年前，我们开始改革开放时，突然认识到，市场是个好东西，认为以前之所以没搞好，根本原因就是没有尊重市场调节。现在好了，有了这个法宝，似乎一切便可迎刃而解了。

的确，沿着这条路，中国的经济发生了天翻地覆的变化，取得了举世瞩目的成就。但是，随之也出现了严重的问题。其根本原因，抛开其他因素，恰恰是我们太相信市场了。

市场的核心是竞争，是调动个人积极性，是资源合理调配、优化组合，同时也是肉弱强食、铁面无情。市场会刺激生产、经营与创造，但同时也会带来两极分化、畸形结构、甚至是危机动荡。在这个意义上，市场具有多功能性（而并非万能性）。

事实证明，许多领域是不适宜完全引入市场机制的。例如：公众医疗部门、教育事业、公共交通系统、安居工程、某些科研项目等等。引入了，便破坏了其性质，扭曲了其功能，最后以失败告终。市场的确也会失败。

所以，改革前的“一切不相信市场”和改革后的“一切相信市场”都是片面的。一个健康的社会，不但需要市场这只“看不见的手”，同时更需要政府“看得见的手”。关键的是在了解客观规律的基础上“该出手时就出手”。

The Market Is Not Omnipotent

Lin Wei

In the initial stage of reform some thirty years ago, we seemed to have a sudden realization of the benefits of the market, believing it was a recipe to clear up all flaws from a past that did not follow market forces.

Indeed, China’s economic reform has had tremendous achievements from the market economy, and has stunned the world. However, serious problems have also occurred. The fundamental cause is, apart from anything else, precisely we have put too much trust in the market.

The core of market mechanism is competition, which motivates individuals to allocate resources rationally, optimize investment and so on, operating ruthlessly according to the law of the jungle. The market can stimulate production, entrepreneurship and innovation, and at the same time polarize society, distort structures or even cause crises. In a sense, the market is indeed multifunctional, if not omnipotent.

It has been proved that market forces are not applicable to every sector in our society, including public health, education, public transportation, public housing, as well as some research projects. The law of the jungle, if imported to these areas, will distort their nature and functions and inevitably result in complete failure. There is indeed such a thing as market failure.

Therefore, either no market at all or everything as market believed before or after the reform is only part of the truth. In a healthy society, both the invisible hands of market forces and the visible role of government are needed. The key question is how to let them function appropriately and effectively based on the objective laws.

（林巍 译）