摘要：With their economic principles wea-kened, interventionists have ceded somewhat to classical liberal doctrine and sought refuge in a moral trench. Today, criticism of the market economy no long-er revolves around efficiency. Instead, supporters of State intervention justify their position on ethical grounds. They claim that the model of a redistributive State is superior to any alternative be-cause it has more moral weight: typically, it displays more humanitarian benevo-lence. This interventionist claim has met with criticisms. Redistribution, for one, not only discourages investment and job creation, but introduces perverse incen-tives (individuals fighting over the redi-stributive booty instead of focusing on production; engaging in fraud instead of cooperation) and stifles values such as the dignity of personal effort. This essay maintains that interventionism is immor-al, and highlights the apparent paradox in the fact that the social State generates envy, which is the most anti-social of all passions.1
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