the psychology of revolution-第12章

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conditioned　by　certain　common　aspirations　and　identical　changes

of　environment；　finally　became　concrete　in　a　small　number

of　fairly　homogeneous　mentalities。　　Speaking　only　of　the　more

characteristic；　we　may　refer　them　to　four　types：　the　Jacobin；

mystic；　revolutionary；　and　criminal　mentalities。







CHAPTER　II



THE　MYSTIC　MENTALITY　AND　THE　JACOBIN　MENTALITY



1。　　Classification　of　Mentalities　predominant　in　Time　of

Revolution。



The　classifications　without　which　the　study　of　the　sciences　is

impossible　must　necessarily　establish　the　discontinuous　in　the

continuous；　and　for　that　reason　are　to　a　certain　extent

artificial。　　But　they　are　necessary；　since　the　continuous　is　only

accessible　in　the　form　of　the　discontinuous。



To　create　broad　distinctions　between　the　various　mentalities

observable　in　time　of　revolution；　as　we　are　about　to　do；　is

obviously　to　separate　elements　which　encroach　upon　one　another；

which　are　fused　or　superimposed。　　We　must　resign　ourselves　to

losing　a　little　in　exactitude　in　order　to　gain　in　lucidity。　　The

fundamental　types　enumerated　at　the　end　of　the　preceding　chapter；

and　which　we　are　about　to　describe；　synthetise　groups　which　would

escape　analysis　were　we　to　attempt　to　study　them　in　all　their

complexity。



We　have　shown　that　man　is　influenced　by　different　logics；　which

under　normal　conditions　exist　in　juxtaposition；　without　mutually

influencing　one　another。　　Under　the　action　of　various　events　they

enter　into　mutual　conflict；　and　the　irreducible　differences

which　divide　them　are　visibly　manifested；　involving　considerable

individual　and　social　upheavals。



Mystic　logic；　which　we　shall　presently　consider　as　it　appears　in

the　Jacobin　mind；　plays　a　very　important　part。　　But　it　is　not

alone　in　its　action。　　The　other　forms　of　logicaffective　logic；

collective　logic；　and　rational　logicmay　predominate　according

to　circumstances。





2。　　The　Mystic　Mentality。





Leaving　aside　for　the　moment　the　influence　of　affective；

rational；　and　collective　logic；　we　will　occupy　ourselves　solely

with　the　considerable　part　played　by　the　mystic　elements　which

have　prevailed　in　so　many　revolutions；　and　notably　in　the　French

Revolution。



The　chief　characteristic　of　the　mystic　temperament　consists　in

the　attribution　of　a　mysterious　power　to　superior　beings　or

forces；　which　are　incarnated　in　the　form　of　idols；　fetiches；

words；　or　formulae。



The　mystic　spirit　is　at　the　bottom　of　all　the　religious　and　most

political　beliefs。　　These　latter　would　often　vanish　could　we

deprive　them　of　the　mystic　elements　which　are　their　chief

support。



Grafted　on　the　sentiments　and　passionate　impulses　which　it

directs；　mystic　logic　constitutes　the　might　of　the　great　popular

movements。　　Men　who　would　be　by　no　means　ready　to　allow

themselves　to　be　killed　for　the　best　of　reasons　will　readily

sacrifice　their　lives　to　a　mystic　ideal　which　has　become　an

object　of　adoration。



The　principles　of　the　Revolution　speedily　inspired　a　wave　of

mystic　enthusiasm　analogous　to　those　provoked　by　the　various

religious　beliefs　which　had　preceded　it。　　All　they　did　was　to

change　the　orientation　of　a　mental　ancestry　which　the

centuries　had　solidified。



So　there　is　nothing　astonishing　in　the　savage　zeal　of　the　men　of

the　Convention。　　Their　mystic　mentality　was　the　same　as　that　of

the　Protestants　at　the　time　of　the　Reformation。　　The　principal

heroes　of　the　TerrorCouthon；　Saint…Just；　Robespierre；　&c。were

Apostles。　　Like　Polyeuctes；　destroying　the　altars　of　the　false

gods　to　propagate　his　faith；　they　dreamed　of　converting　the

globe。　　Their　enthusiasm　spilled　itself　over　the　earth。　

Persuaded　that　their　magnificent　formulae　were　sufficient　to

overturn　thrones；　they　did　not　hesitate　to　declare　war　upon

kings。　　And　as　a　strong　faith　is　always　superior　to　a　doubtful

faith；　they　victoriously　faced　all　Europe。



The　mystic　spirit　of　the　leaders　of　the　Revolution　was　betrayed

in　the　least　details　of　their　public　life。　　Robespierre；

convinced　that　he　was　supported　by　the　Almighty；　assured　his

hearers　in　a　speech　that　the　Supreme　Being　had　‘‘decreed　the

Republic　since　the　beginning　of　time。''　　In　his　quality　of　High

Pontiff　of　a　State　religion　he　made　the　Convention　vote　a　decree

declaring　that　‘‘the　French　People　recognises　the　existence　of

the　Supreme　Being　and　the　immortality　of　the　soul。''　　At　the

festival　of　this　Supreme　Being；　seated　on　a　kind　of　throne；　he

preached　a　lengthy　sermon。



The　Jacobin　Club；　directed　by　Robespierre；　finally　assumed　all

the　functions　of　a　council。　　There　Maximilien　proclaimed　‘‘the

idea　of　a　Great　Being　who　watches　over　oppressed　innocence　and

who　punishes　triumphant　crime。''



All　the　heretics　who　criticised　the　Jacobin　orthodoxy　were

excommunicatedthat　is；　were　sent　to　the　Revolutionary　Tribunal；

which　they　left　only　for　the　scaffold。



The　mystic　mentality　of　which　Robespierre　was　the　most　celebrated

representative　did　not　die　with　him。　　Men　of　identical　mentality

are　to　be　found　among　the　French　politicians　of　to…day。　　The　old

religious　beliefs　no　longer　rule　their　minds；　but　they　are　the

creatures　of　political　creeds　which　they　would　very　soon　force　on

others；　as　did　Robespierre；　if　they　had　the　chance　of　so　doing。　

Always　ready　to　kill　if　killing　would　spread　their　faith；　the

mystics　of　all　ages　have　employed　the　same　means　of　persuasion　as

soon　as　they　have　become　the　masters。



It　is　therefore　quite　natural　that　Robespierre　should　still　have

many　admirers。　　Minds　moulded　like　his　are　to　be　met　with　in

their　thousands。　　His　conceptions　were　not　guillotined　with　him。　

Old　as　humanity；　they　will　only　disappear　with　the　last　believer。



This　mystic　aspect　of　all　revolutions　has　escaped　the　majority　of

the　historians。　　They　will　persist　for　a　long　time　yet　in　trying

to　explain　by　means　of　rational　logic　a　host　of　phenomena　which

have　nothing　to　do　with　reason。　　I　have　already　cited　a　passage

from　the　history　of　MM。　Lavisse　and　Rambaud；　in　which　the

Reformation　is　explained　as　‘‘the　result　of　the　free　individual

reflections　suggested　to　simple　folk　by　an　extremely　pious

conscience；　and　a　bold　and　courageous　reason。''



Such　movements　are　never　comprehended　by　those　who　imagine　that

their　origin　is　rational。　　Political　or　religious；　the　beliefs

which　have　moved　the　world　possess　a　common　origin　and

follow　the　same　laws。　　They　are　formed；　not　by　the　reason；　but

more　often　contrary　to　reason。　　Buddhism；　Christianity；　Islamism；

the　Reformation；　sorcery；　Jacobinism；　socialism；　spiritualism；

&c。；　seem　very　different　forms　of　belief；　but　they　have；　I

repeat；　identical　mystic　and　affective　bases；　and　obey　forms　of

logic　which　have　no　affinity　with　rational　logic。　　Their　might

resides　precisely　in　the　fact　that　reason　has　as　little　power　to

create　them　as　to　transform　them。



The　mystic　mentality　of　our　modern　political　apostles　is　strongly

marked　in　an　article　dealing　with　one　of　our　recent　ministers；

which　I　cite　from　a　leading　journal：



‘‘One　may　ask　into　what　category　does　M。　Afall？　　Could　we

say；　for　instance；　that　he　belongs　to　the　group　of　unbelievers？　

Far　from　it！　　Certainly　M。　A　has　not　adopted　any　positive

faith；　certainly　he　curses　Rome　and　Geneva；　rejecting　all　the

traditional　dogmas　and　all　the　known　Churches。　　But　if　he　makes　a

clean　sweep　it　is　in　order　to　found　his　own　Church　on　the　ground

so　cleared；　a　Church　more　dogmatic　than　all　the　rest；　and　his　own

inquisition；　whose　brutal　intolerance　would　have　no　reason　to

envy　the　most　notorious　of　Torquemadas。



‘‘　‘We　cannot；'　he　says；　‘allow　such　a　thing　as　scholastic

neutrality。　　We　demand　lay　instruction　in　all　its　plenitude；　and

are　consequently　the　enemies　of　educational　liberty。'　　If　he　does

not　suggest　erecting　the　stake　and　the　pyre；　it　is　only　on

account　of　the　evolution　of　manners；　which　he　is　forced　to　take

into　account　to　a　certain　extent；　whether　he　will　or　no。　　But；

not　being　able　to　commit　men　to　the　torture；　he　invokes　the

secular　arm　to　condemn　their　doctrines　to　death。　　This　is　exactly

the　point　of　view　of　the　great　inquisitors。　　It　is　the　same

attack　upon　thought。　　This　freethinker　has　so　free　a　spirit　that

every　philosophy　he　does　not　accept　appears　to　him；　not　only

ridiculous　and　grotesque；　but　criminal。　　He　flatters　himself　that

he　alone　is　in　possession　of　the　absolute　truth。　　Of　this　he　is

so　entirely　sure　that　everyone　who　contradicts　him　seems　to　him

an　execrable　monster　and　a　public　enemy。　　He　does　not　suspect　for

a　moment　that　after　all　his　personal　views　are　only　hypotheses；

and　that　he　is　all　the　more　laughable　for　claiming　a　Divine　right

for　them　precisely　because　they　deny　divinity。　　Or；　at　least；

they　profess　to　do　so；　but　they　re…establish　it　in　another　shape；

which　immediately　makes　one　regret　the　old。　　M。　A　is　a

sectary　of　the　goddess　Reason；　of　whom　he　has　made　a　Moloch；　an

oppressive　deity　hungry　for　sacrifice。　　No　more　liberty　of

thought　for　any　one　except　for　himself　and　his　friends；　such　is

the　free　thought　of　M。　A。　　The　outlook　is　truly　attractive。　

But　perhaps　too　many　idols　have　been　cast　down　during　the　last

few　centuries　for　men　to　bow　before　this　one。''



We　must　hope　for　the　sake　of　liberty　that　these　gloomy　fanatics

will　never　finally　become　our　masters。



Given　the　silent　power　of　reason　over　mystic　beliefs；　it　is　quite

useless　to　seek　to　discuss；　as　is　so　often　done；　the　rational

value　of　revolutionary　or　political　ideas。　　Only　their　influence

can　interest　us。　　It　matters　little　that　the　theories　of　the

supposed　equality　of　men；　the　original　goodness　of　mankind；　the

possibility　of　re…making　society　by　means　of　laws；　have

been　given　the　lie　by　observation　and　experience。　　These　empty

illusions　must　be　counted　among　the　most　potent　motives　of　action

that　humanity　has　known。





3。　　The　Jacobin　Mentality。





Although　the　term　‘‘Jacobin　mentality''　does　not　really　belong　to

any　true　classification；　I　employ　it　here　because　it　sums　up　a

clearly　defined　combination　which　constitutes　a　veritable

psychological　species。



This　mentality　dominates　the　men　of　the　French　Revolution；　but　is

not　peculiar　to　them；　as　it　still　represents　one　of　the　most

active　elements　in　our　politics。



The　mystic　mentality　which　we　have　already　considered　is　an

essential　factor　of　the　Jacobin　mind；　but　it　is　not　in　itself

enough　to　constitute　that　mind。　　Other　elements；　which　we　shall

now　examine；　must　be　added。



The　Jacobins　do　not　in　the　least　suspect　their　mysticism。　　On　the

contrary；　they　profess　to　be　guided　solely　by　pure　reason。　

During　the　Revolution　they　invoked　reason　incessantly；　and

considered　it　as　their　only　guide　to　conduct。



The　majority　of　historians　have　adopted　this　rationalist

conception　of　the　Jacobin　mind；　and　Taine　fell　into　the　same

error。　　It　is　i