"Vicios privados, beneficios públicos" o la diestra administración del legislador utilitarista

Abstract

Este artículo explora la conexión entre Bernard Mandeville y Jeremy entham. La complementariedad entre ellos se evidencia en dos puntos: primero, el sentido enunciativo del principio de la utilidad, axioma fundamental del utilitarismo de Bentham, reposa sobre una concepción antropológica implícita que puede ser comprendida gracias a Mandeville. Segundo, la lección de Mandeville es que “los vicios privados a través de la diestra administración de un político capaz pueden ser transformados en beneficios públicos”. El arte de la legislación de Bentham permite entender en qué consiste esta “diestra administración” y quién es el “político capaz”. Además, Mandeville explica en detalle el surgimiento del legislador, figura central tanto en su análisis como en el de Bentham pues garantiza la cohesión social. Palabras clave: Bernard Mandeville, Jeremy Bentham, legislador, naturaleza humana, cohesión social. Clasificación JEL: B11, B12, B31 Abstract: This article explores the connection between Bernard Mandeville and Jeremy Bentham. Their analyses are complementary on two points: first, the descriptivesense of the utility principle, main axiom of Bentham's utilitarianism, relies on an implicit anthropological conception which Mandeville explains in detail. Second, the latter's great lesson is that “private vices by the dextrous management of a skillful politician may be turned into public benefits”. Bentham's art of legislation allows understanding of “the dextrous management and knowing” “who the skillful politician is”. Furthermore, Mandeville accounts for the emergence of the legislator, central figure in his theory as well as in Bentham's because it guarantees social cohesion. Keywords: Bernard Mandeville, Jeremy Bentham, legislator, human nature, social cohesion. JEL: B11, B12, B31 Résumé: Cet article est une analyse de la connection entre Bernard Mandeville et Jeremy Bentham. Ces auteurs sont complémentaires en deux points: D'abord, le sens énonciative du principe de l'utilité, principal axiome de l'utilitarisme benthamien, repose sur une conception anthropologique implicite qui peut être comprise à travers la théorie de Mandeville. Ensuite, la grande leçon de cet auteur est que “les vices privés a travers la gestion adroite d'un politicien habile peuvent être transformés en bénéfices publics”. L'art de la législation de Bentham permet de donner un contenu à “la gestion adroite” et de déterminer qui est-ce “le politicien habile”. Par ailleurs, Mandeville explique en détail l'émergence du législateur, figure centrale aussi bien dans sa propre théorie que dans celle de Bentham car elle assure la cohésion sociale. Mots clés: Bernard Mandeville, Jeremy Bentham, législateur, nature humaine, cohésion sociale.

Bernard Mandeville: Wealth beyond Vice and Virtue

“…These institutions do not result from the discovery of natural laws or of a pre-established order. The figure of the legislator takes center stage (Hurtado 2004a); positive law (Fable ii.269), as its oeuvre, consolidates society through artificial harmony: a Body Politick, in which Man either subdued by Superior Force, or by Persuasion drawn from his Savage State, is become a Disciplin'd Creature that can find his own Ends in Labouring for others, and where under one Head or other Form of Government each Member is render'd Subservient to the Whole, and all of them by cunning Management are made to Act as one (Fable i.347).…”