Section III.. Goods.—the Three Classes of Goods.

Goods.—The Three Classes Of Goods.

All economic goods are divided into three classes:

A. Persons or personal services. It is entirely repugnant to the feeling of humanity to regard a man’s person in its entirety as an instrument intended to satisfy the wants of another.(66) Yet this happens wherever slavery exists; in its coarsest form, in cannibalism. Among civilized nations, we can speak, under this head, only of individual services or capabilities of persons; or, indeed, of the aggregate of the services rendered by them during a time determined at pleasure, or a short time.(67)

B. Things, both moveable and immovable.(68)

C. Relations to persons or things which may frequently be estimated just as accurately as material goods. (The res incorporales of the Roman law.) I need only mention what is called good-will, which freely, and to the advantage of customers themselves, but still with a limited amount of certainty, attaches to certain localities, and for which tavern-keepers, sometimes, as in theaters, dépôts and clubs, pay so enormous a rent.(69) When a newspaper is sold, the purchaser frequently buys nothing but the existing relations between his colaborers, subscribers etc. No small part of the value of a good business firm consists in the confidence with which it inspires all who deal with it, thus sparing them a world of care and trouble.(70) A general may be of incalculable value to an army which he has himself helped organize. In another, or in the service of a country not his own, he might be entirely valueless, incapable of accomplishing anything.(71) With the progress of civilization, as man becomes more social, the number of valuable relations increases, while that of legalized monopolies is wont to decrease. (Schäffle.)(72)