Gavin R. Putland, BE PhD
| Monday, August 20, 2012 | (Comment) |
The Parable of the Talents (Neoclassical Version)
For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his servants and delivered unto them his goods. And to one he gave five talents, and to another two, and to another one, to every man according to his ability; and straightway he took his journey.
After a long time the lord of those servants returned, and did reckon with them.
And so he that had received five talents came and said, “Lord, with the talents that thou gavest me, I bought fields on the edge of the city. And as I ate and drank and was merry, Caesar decreed that the fields should be divided for dwelling-places. So my fields increased greatly in value; yea, and also other fields increased in value, as other men strove to be imitators of me. Then I sold my fields for much gain. Thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained five talents more.”
His lord said unto him, “Well done, good and faithful servant. Because thou hast been faithful over small things, I will make thee ruler over great things.”
He also that had received two talents came and said, “Lord, with the talents that thou gavest me, I bought dwelling places in the midst of the city and let them out to tenants. And as I ate and drank and was merry, I received the rent thereof. Moreover, as the midst of the city became a place to be desired, those dwelling-places increased greatly in value, and increased yet the more as other men strove to be imitators of me. Then I sold the same for much gain beside the rent. Thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two talents more.”
His lord said unto him, “Well done, good and faithful servant. Because thou hast been faithful over small things, I will make thee ruler over great things.”
Then he that had received the one talent came and said, “Lord, thou knowest that I am a fair man, neither reaping where I have not sown, nor gathering where I have not winnowed. Therefore, with the talent that thou gavest me, I built a manufactory, and laboured day and night, and hired many hands, and created much wealth, wherewith I paid wages that raised up many labourers out of poverty, that they by their spending might raise up others out of poverty. But the rent of the land beneath my manufactory became grievous to bear. And the central bankers said, ‘Behold, too many working men prosper; and they buy too many dwelling-places on the edge of the city and in the midst thereof, wherefore the prices of dwelling-places do soar; and they buy too many goods, wherefore the sellers thereof bid too much rent for working-places, wherefore others strive to buy those working-places, and the prices thereof do soar.’ Therefore they burdened the people with heavy usury, so that my customers could no more buy my wares, and my manufactory and all my stock were liquidated and my labourers retrenched. And all that remained was but one talent: behold, take that which is thine.”
His lord answered and said unto him, “Thou wicked and reckless servant! Thou sayest that thou wast a fair man, neither reaping where thou hadst not sown nor gathering where thou hadst not winnowed. Why then didst thou not deposit my money with the exchangers, that they might lend it to a man harder than thou, that at my coming I should have received mine own with usury? Why findest thou fault with the central bankers, when thou by hiring too many labourers hast forced their hand? Yea, thou hast laboured day and night, but what hast thou to shew for it? Yea, thou hast hired many labourers; but now because they are hired no longer, they shall hate thee more than if thou hadst never hired them! Yea, thou hast created much wealth, but it hath not profited me. Therefore neither shall it profit thee: Take the talent from him, and give it unto him that hath ten talents. For unto every one that hath taken much, more shall be given; but from him that hath taken nothing, even the little that he hath shall be taken away.”
— Matthew 25:14–29, Neoclassical
Economists' Version
[first published April 14, 2002].
Labels: Satire
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