But apart from this contemporary mood, the ideas of economists and political philosophers, both when they are right or when they are wrong, are more powerful than is commonly understood. Indeed the world is ruled by little else. Practical men, who believe themselves to be quite exempt from any intellectual influences, are usually the slaves of some defunct economist. Madmen in authority, who hear voices in the air, are distilling their frenzy from some academic scribbler of a few years back. I am sure that the power of vested interests is vastly exaggerated compared with the gradual encroachment of ideas.
经济学家以及政治哲学家之思想，其力量之大，往往出乎常人意料。事实上统治世界者，就只是这些思想而已。许多实行者自以为不受任何学理之影响，却往往当了某个已故经济学家之奴隶。狂人执政，自以为得天启示，实则其狂想之来，乃得自若干年以前的某个学人。我很确信，既得利益之势力，往往被人过分夸大，实则远不如思想潜移默化的作用。——凯恩斯
这句话很有感触，人类走到今天有四五十万年，其中有文字记载的历史有五千年。在这期间，有多少问题被重复思考和回答过，我们当前遇到的许多难题，疑问，抑或灵光一闪的idea，历史上早有人提出，经历过。我们自以为的创新、伟大，其实是对人类力量的轻视，渺小如我们又是在重复经历着历史上哪个已故的人的一生？
附：《通论》原文链接分享:
The General Theory of Employment, Interest and Money
