the psychology of revolution-第42章

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Existing　generations　have　inherited；　not　only　the　revolutionary

principles　but　also　the　special　mentality　which　achieves　their

success。



Describing　this　mentality　when　we　were　examining　the　Jacobin

spirit；　we　saw　that　it　always　endeavours　to　impose　by　force

illusions　which　it　regards　as　the　truth。　　The　Jacobin　spirit　has

finally　become　so　general　in　France　and　in　other　Latin　countries

that　it　has　affected　all　political　parties；　even　the　most

conservative。　　The　bourgeoisie　is　strongly　affected　by　it；　and

the　people　still　more　so。



This　increase　of　the　Jacobin　spirit　has　resulted　in　the　fact　that

political　conceptions；　institutions；　and　laws　tend　to　impose

themselves　by　force。　　Syndicalism；　peaceful　enough　in　other

countries；　immediately　assumed　in　France　an　uncompromising　and

anarchical　aspect；　which　betrayed　itself　in　the　shape　of　riots；

sabotage；　and　incendiarism。



Not　to　be　repressed　by　timid　Governments；　the　Jacobin　spirit

produces　melancholy　ravages　in　minds　of　mediocre　capacity。　　At　a

recent　congress　of　railway　men　a　third　of　the　delegates　voted

approval　of　sabotage；　and　one　of　the　secretaries　of　the

Congress　began　his　speech　by　saying：　　‘‘I　send　all　saboteurs　my

fraternal　greeting　and　all　my　admiration。''



This　general　mentality　engenders　an　increasing　anarchy。　　That

France　is　not　in　a　permanent　state　of　anarchy　is；　as　I　have

already　remarked；　due　to　the　fact　that　the　parties　by　which　she

is　divided　produce　something　like　equilibrium。　　They　are　animated

by　a　mortal　hatred　for　one　another；　but　none　of　them　is　strong

enough　to　enslave　its　rivals。



This　Jacobin　intolerance　is　spreading　to　such　an　extent　that　the

rulers　themselves　employ　without　scruple　the　most　revolutionary

tactics　with　regard　to　their　enemies；　violently　persecuting　any

party　that　offers　the　least　resistance；　and　even　despoiling　it　of

its　property。　　Our　rulers　to…day　behave　as　the　ancient　conquerors

used；　the　vanquished　have　nothing　to　hope　from　the　victors。



Far　from　being　peculiar　to　the　lower　orders；　intolerance　is

equally　prominent　among　the　ruling　classes。　　Michelet　remarked

long　ago　that　the　violence　of　the　cultivated　classes　is　often

greater　than　that　of　the　people。　　It　is　true　that　they　do　not

break　the　street　lamps；　but　they　are　ready　enough　to　cause　heads

to　be　broken。　　The　worst　violence　of　the　revolution　was　the　work

of　cultivated　bourgeoisieprofessors；　lawyers；　&c。；　possessors

of　that　classical　education　which　is　supposed　to　soften　the

manners。　　It　has　not　done　so　in　these　days；　any　more　than　it　did

of　old。　　One　can　make　sure　of　this　by　reading　the　advanced

journals；　whose　contributors　and　editors　are　recruited　chiefly

from　among　the　professors　of　the　University。



Their　books　are　as　violent　as　their　articles；　and　one　wonders　how

such　favourites　of　fortune　can　have　secreted　such　stores　of

hatred。



One　would　find　it　hard　to　credit　them　did　they　assure　us　that

they　were　consumed　by　an　intense　passion　for　altruism。　　One　

might　more　readily　admit　that　apart　from　a　narrow　religious

mentality　the　hope　of　being　remarked　by　the　mighty　ones　of　the

day；　or　of　creating　a　profitable　popularity；　is　the　only　

possible　explanation　of　the　violence　recommended　in　their　

written　propaganda。



I　have　already；　in　one　of　my　preceding　works；　cited　some　passages

from　a　book　written　by　a　professor　at　the　College　of　France；　in

which　the　author　incites　the　people　to　seize　upon　the　riches　of

the　bourgeoisie；　whom　he　furiously　abuses；　and　have　arrived　at

the　conclusion　that　a　new　revolution　would　readily　find　among　the

authors　of　such　books　the　Marats；　Robespierres；　and　Carriers　whom

it　might　require。



The　Jacobin　religionabove　all　in　its　Socialist　formhas　all

the　power　of　the　ancient　faiths　over　feeble　minds　Blinded　by

their　faith；　they　believe　that　reason　is　their　guide；　but　are

really　actuated　solely　by　their　passions　and　their　dreams。



The　evolution　of　democratic　ideas　has　thus　produced　not　only　the

political　results　already　mentioned；　but　also　a　considerable

effect　upon　the　mentality　of　modern　men。



If　the　ancient　dogmas　have　long　ago　exhausted　their　power；　the

theories　of　democracy　are　far　from　having　lost　theirs；　and　we　see

their　consequences　increasing　daily。　　One　of　the　chief　results

has　been　the　general　hatred　of　superiority。



This　hatred　of　whatever　passes　the　average　in　social　fortune　or

intelligence　is　to…day　general　in　all　classes；　from　the　working…

classes　to　the　upper　strata　of　the　bourgeoisie。　　The　results

are　envy；　detraction；　and　a　love　of　attack；　of　raillery；　of

persecution；　and　a　habit　of　attributing　all　actions　to　low

motives；　of　refusing　to　believe　in　probity；　disinterestedness；

and　intelligence。



Conversation；　among　the　people　as　among　the　most　cultivated

Frenchmen；　is　stamped　with　the　craze　for　abasing　and　abusing

everything　and　everyone。　　Even　the　greatest　of　the　dead　do　not

escape　this　tendency。　　Never　were　so　many　books　written　to

depreciate　the　merit　of　famous　men；　men　who　were　formerly

regarded　as　the　most　precious　patrimony　of　their　country。



Envy　and　hatred　seem　from　all　time　to　have　been　inseparable　from

democratic　theories；　but　the　spread　of　these　sentiments　has　never

been　so　great　as　to…day。　　It　strikes　all　observers。



‘‘There　is　a　low　demagogic　instinct；''　writes　M。　Bourdeau；

‘‘without　any　moral　inspiration；　which　dreams　of　pulling　humanity

down　to　the　lowest　level；　and　for　which　any　superiority；　even　of

culture；　is　an　offence　to　society。　。　。　it　is　the　sentiment　of

ignoble　equality　which　animated　the　Jacobin　butchers　when　they

struck　off　the　head　of　a　Lavoisier　or　a　Chenier。



This　hatred　of　superiority；　the　most　prominent　element　in　the

modern　progress　of　Socialism；　is　not　the　only　characteristic　of

the　new　spirit　created　by　democratic　ideas。



Other　consequences；　although　indirect；　are　not　less　profound。　

Such；　for　example；　are　the　progress　of　‘‘statism；''　the

diminution　of　the　power　of　the　bourgeoisie；　the　increasing

activity　of　financiers；　the　conflict　of　the　classes；　the

vanishing　of　the　old　social　constraints；　and　the　degradation　

of　morality。



All　these　effects　are　displayed　in　a　general　insubordination　and

anarchy。　　The　son　revolts　against　the　father；　the　employee

against　his　patron；　the　soldier　against　his　officers。　

Discontent；　hatred；　and　envy　reign　throughout。



A　social　movement　which　continues　is　necessarily　like　a　machine

in　movement　which　accelerates　its　motion。　　We　shall　therefore

find　that　the　results　of　this　mentality　will　become　yet　more

important。　　It　is　betrayed　from　time　to　time　by　incidents　whose

gravity　is　daily　increasingrailway　strikes；　postmen's　strikes；

explosions　on　board　ironclads；　&c。　　A　propos　of　the　destruction

of　the　Liberte；　which　cost　more　than　two　million　pounds　and

slew　two　hundred　men　in　the　space　of　a　minute；　an　ex…Minister　of

Marine；　M。　de　Lanessan；　expresses　himself　as　follows：



''The　evil　that　is　gnawing　at　our　fleet　is　the　same　as　that　which

is　devouring　our　army；　our　public　administrations；　our

parliamentary　system；　our　governmental　system；　and　the　whole

fabric　of　our　society。　　This　evil　is　anarchythat　is　to　say；

such　a　disorder　of　minds　and　things　that　nothing　is　done　as

reason　would　dictate；　and　no　one　behaves　as　his　professional　or

moral　duty　should　require　him　to　behave。''



On　the　subject　of　the　catastrophe　of　the　Liberte；　which

followed　that　of　the　Iena；　M。　Felix　Roussel　said；　in　a

speech　delivered　as　president　of　the　municipal　council　of

Paris：



‘‘The　causes　of　the　evil　are　not　peculiar　to　our　day。　　The　evil

is　more　general；　and　bears　a　triple　name：　irresponsibility；

indiscipline；　and　anarchy。''



These　quotations；　which　state　facts　with　which　everyone　is

familiar；　show　that　the　staunchest　upholders　of　the　republican

system　themselves　recognise　the　progress　of　social

disorganisation。＇12＇　　Everyone　sees　it；　while　he　is　conscious　of

his　own　impotence　to　change　anything。　　It　results；　in　fact；　from

mental　influences　whose　power　is　greater　than　that　of　our　wills。







＇12＇　This　disorder　is　the　same　in　all　the　Government　departments

Interesting　examples　will　be　found　in　a　report　of　M。　Dausset　to

the　Municipal　Council：



‘‘The　service　of　the　public　highways；　which　ought　above　all　to　be

noted　for　its　rapid　execution；　is；　on　the　contrary；　the　very　type

of　red…tape；　bureaucratic；　and　ink…slinging　administration；

possessing　men　and　money　and　wasting　both　in　tasks　which　are

often　useless；　for　lack　of　order；　initiative；　and　methodin　a

word；　of　organisation。



Speaking　then　of　the　directors　of　departments；　each　of　whom　works

as　he　pleases；　and　after　his　own　fashion；　he　adds：



‘‘These　important　persons　completely　ignore　one　another；　they

prepare　and　execute　their　plans　without　knowing　anything　of　what

their　neighbours　are　doing；　there　is　no　one　above　them　to　group

and　co…ordinate　their　work。''　　This　is　why　a　road　is　often　torn

up；　repaired；　and　then　torn　up　again　a　few　days　later；　because

the　departments　dealing　with　the　supply　of　water；　gas；

electricity；　and　the　sewers　are　mutually　jealous；　and　never

attempt　to　work　together。　　This　anarchy　and　indiscipline

naturally　cost　enormous　sums　of　money；　and　a　private　firm　which

operated　in　this　manner　would　soon　find　itself　bankrupt。







3。　　Universal　Suffrage　and　its　Representatives。





Among　the　dogmas　of　democracy　perhaps　the　most　fundamental　of　all

and　the　most　attractive　is　that　of　universal　suffrage。　　It　gives

the　masses　the　idea　of　equality；　since　for　a　moment　at　least　rich

and　poor；　learned　and　ignorant；　are　equal　before　the　electoral

urn。　　The　minister　elbows　the　least　of　his　servants；　and　during

this　brief　moment　the　power　of　one　is　as　great　as　the　others。



All　Governments；　including　that　of　the　Revolution；　have　feared

universal　suffrage。　　At　a　first　glance；　indeed；　the　objections

which　suggests　themselves　are　numerous。　　The　idea　that　the

multitude　could　usefully　choose　the　men　capable　of　governing；

that　individuals　of　indifferent　morality；　feeble　knowledge；　and

narrow　minds　should　possess；　by　the　sole　fact　of　number；　a

certain　talent　for　judging　the　candidate　proposed　for　its

selection　is　surely　a　shocking　one。



From　a　rational　point　of　view　the　suffrage　of　numbers　is　to　a

certain　extent　justified　if　we　think　with　Pascal。



‘‘Plurality　is　the　best　way；　because　it　is　visible　and　has

strength　to　make　itself　obeyed；　it　is；　however；　the　advice　of　the

less　able。''



As　universal　suffrage　cannot　in　our　times　be　replaced　by　any

other　institution；　we　must　accept　it　and　try　to　adapt　it。　　It　is

accordingly　useless　to　protest　against　it　or　to　repeat　with　the

queen　Marie　Caroline；　at　the　time　of　her　struggle　with　Napoleon：　

‘‘Nothing　is　more　dreadful　than　to　govern　men　in　this　enlightened

century；　when　every　cobbler　reasons　a