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From this much follows. One consequence is a widespread belief that no one should have to pay for water. The Byzantine emperor Justinian declared in the 6th century that "by natural law" air, running water, the sea and seashore were "common to all." Many Indians agree, seeing groundwater in particular as a "democratic resource." In Africa it is said that "even the jackal deserves to drink."
這一觀念產(chǎn)生出了很多后果。其一是人們普遍相信，誰都不必為用水付賬。拜占庭君主查士丁尼在六世紀(jì)宣布，“根據(jù)自然法則”，空氣、自來水、海洋和海岸均為“公有”。拜占庭君主查士丁尼在六世紀(jì)宣布，“根據(jù)自然法則”，空氣、自來水、海洋和海岸均為“公有”。在非洲，有這樣一種說法，“即便是胡狼也應(yīng)該有飲水的權(quán)利”。
A second consequence is that water often has a sacred or mystical quality that is invested in deities like Gong Gong and Osiris and rivers like the Jordan and the Ganges. Throughout history, man's dependence on water has made him live near it or organize access to it. Water is in his body and in his soul. It has provided not just life and food but a means of transport, a way of keeping clean, a mechanism for removing sewage, a home for fish and other animals, a medium with which to skate and sail, a thing of beauty to provide inspiration, to gaze upon and to enjoy. No wonder a commodity with so many qualities, uses and associations has proved so difficult to organize.
另一種后果是水往往被賦予了一種神圣或是神秘的性質(zhì)，這種性質(zhì)體現(xiàn)在共工和奧西里斯那樣的神靈以及約旦河和恒河那樣的江河身上?？v觀歷史，人對水的依賴使他們依水而居或者想方設(shè)法獲得它。水存在于人體內(nèi)，亦存在于人的靈魂中。水不僅維持人們的生命，給人們提供食品，還為人們提供了一種交通工具、一種保持清潔的方法、一種排污的機(jī)制，一個魚類和其他動物的家園，一個能讓人們溜冰和航海的媒介，一種能賦予人們靈感、供人觀看、供人欣賞的美麗的東西。不難理解，一個有如此多種特性和用途又能激起如此多聯(lián)想的商品該是多么難以管理。
