the origins of contemporary france-2-第36章

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have　acquired　or　through　the　important　offices　they　have　filled；　and

here；　in　the　medium　thus　constituted；　the　statesman　and　wise

counselor　of　the　people；　the　independent　and　able　politician　is　most

naturally　developed。　　…　Because；　on　the　one　hand；　thanks　to　his

fortune　and　his　rank；　a　man　of　this　class　is　above　all　vulgar

ambitions　and　temptations。　　He　is　able　to　serve　gratis；　he　is　not

obliged　to　concern　himself　about　money　or　about　providing　for　his

family　and　making　his　way　in　the　world。　　A　political　mission　is　no

interruption　to　his　career；　he　is　not　obliged；　like　the　engineer；

merchant；　or　physician；　to　sacrifice　either　his　business；　his

advancement；　or　his　clients。　　He　can　resign　his　post　without　injury

to　himself　or　to　those　dependent　on　him；　follow　his　own　convictions；

resist　the　noisy　deleterious　opinions　of　the　day；　and　be　the　loyal

servant；　not　the　low　flatterer　of　the　public。　　Whilst；　consequently；

in　the　inferior　or　average　conditions　of　life；　the　incentive　is

self…interest；　with　him　the　grand　motive　is　pride。　　Now；　amongst　the

deeper　feelings　of　man　there　is　none　which　is　more　adapted　for

transformation　into　probity；　patriotism；　and　conscientiousness；　for

the　first　requisite　of　the　high…spirited　man　is　self…respect；　and；

to　obtain　that；　he　is　induced　to　deserve　it。　　Compare；　from　this

point　of　view；　the　gentry　and　nobility　of　England　with　the

〃politicians〃　of　the　United　States。　　…　On　the　other　hand；　with　equal

talents；　a　man　who　belongs　to　this　sphere　of　life　enjoys

opportunities　for　acquiring　a　better　comprehension　of　public　affairs

than　a　poor　man　of　the　lower　classes。　　The　information　he　requires

is　not　the　erudition　obtained　in　libraries　and　in　private　study。　　He

must　be　familiar　with　living　men；　and；　besides　these；　with

agglomerations　of　men；　and　even　more　with　human　organizations；　with

States；　with　Governments；　with　parties；　with　administrative　systems；

at　home　and　abroad；　in　full　operation　and　on　the　spot。　　There　is　but

one　way　to　reach　this　end；　and　that　is　to　see　for　himself；　with　his

own　eyes；　at　once　in　general　outline　and　in　details；　by　intercourse

with　the　heads　of　departments；　with　eminent　men　and　specialists；　in

whom　are　gathered　up　the　information　and　the　ideas　of　a　whole　class。

Now　the　young　do　not　frequent　society　of　this　description；　either　at

home　or　abroad；　except　on　the　condition　of　possessing　a　name；

family；　fortune；　education　and　a　knowledge　of　social　observances。

All　this　is　necessary　to　enable　a　young　man　of　twenty　to　find　doors

everywhere　open　to　him　to　be　received　everywhere　on　an　equal

footing；　to　be　able　to　speak　and　to　write　three　or　four　living

languages；　to　make　long；　expensive；　and　instructive　sojourns　in

foreign　lands；　to　select　and　vary　his　position　in　the　different

branches　of　the　public　service；　without　pay　or　nearly　so；　and　with

no　object　in　view　but　that　of　his　political　culture　Thus　brought　up

a　man；　even　of　common　capacity；　is　worthy　of　being　consulted。　　If　he

is　of　superior　ability；　and　there　is　employment　for　him；　he　may

become　a　statesman　before　thirty；　he　may　acquire　ripe　capacities；

become　prime　Minister；　the　sole　pilot；　alone　able；　like　Pitt；

Canning；　or　Peel；　to　steer　the　ship　of　State　between　the　reefs；　or

give　in　the　nick　of　time　the　touch　to　the　helm　which　will　save　the

ship。　　　Such　is　the　service　to　which　an　upper　class　is　adapted。

Only　this　kind　of　specialized　stud　farm　can　furnish　a　regular　supply

of　racers；　and；　now　and　then；　the　favorite　winner　that　distances　all

his　competitors　in　the　European　field。



But　in　order　that　they　may　prepare　and　educate　themselves　for　this

career；　the　way　must　be　clear；　and　they　must　not　be　compelled　to

travel　too　repulsive　a　road。　　If　rank；　inherited　fortune；　personal

dignity；　and　refined　manners　are　sources　of　disfavor　with　the

people；　if；　to　obtain　their　votes；　he　is　forced　to　treat　as　equals

electoral　brokers　of　low　character；　if　impudent　charlatanism；　vulgar

declamation；　and　servile　flattery　are　the　sole　means　by　which　votes

can　be　secured；　then；　as　nowadays　in　the　United　States；　and　formerly

in　Athens；　the　aristocratic　body　will　retire　into　private　life　and

soon　settle　down　into　a　state　of　idleness。　　A　man　of　culture　and

refinement；　born　with　an　income　of　a　hundred　thousand　a　year；　is　not

tempted　to　become　either　manufacturer；　lawyer；　or　physician。　　For

want　of　other　occupation　he　loiters　about；　entertains　his　friends；

chats；　indulges　in　the　tastes　and　hobbies　of　an　amateur；　is　bored　or

enjoys　himself。　　As　a　result　one　of　society's　great　forces　is　thus

lost　to　the　nation。　　In　this　way　the　best　and　largest　acquisition　of

the　past；　the　heaviest　accumulation　of　material　and　of　moral

capital；　remain　unproductive。　　In　a　pure　democracy　the　upper

branches　of　the　social　tree；　not　only　the　old　ones　but　the　young

ones；　remain　sterile。　　When　a　vigorous　branch　passes　above　the　rest

and　reaches　the　top　it　ceases　to　bear　fruit。　　The　élite　of　the

nation　is　thus　condemned　to　constant　and　irremediable　failures

because　it　cannot　find　a　suitable　outlet　for　its　activity。　　It　wants

no　other　outlet；　for　in　all　directions　its　rival；　who　are　born　below

it；　can　serve　as　usefully　and　as　well　as　itself。　　But　this　one　it

must　have；　for　on　this　its　aptitudes　are　superior；　natural；　unique；

and　the　State　which　refuses　to　employ　it　resembles　the　gardener　who

in　his　fondness　for　a　plane　surface　would　repress　his　best

shoots。＇13＇　　Hence；　in　the　constructions　which　aim　to　utilize　the

permanent　forces　of　society　and　yet　maintain　civil　equality；　the

aristocracy　is　brought　to　take　a　part　in　public　affairs　by　the

duration　and　gratuitous　character　of　its　mission；　by　the　institution

of　an　hereditary　character；　by　the　application　of　various　machinery；

all　of　which　is　combined　so　as　to　develop　the　ambition；　the　culture；

and　the　political　capacity　of　the　upper　class；　and　to　place　power；

or　the　control　of　power；　in　its　hands；　on　the　condition　that　it

shows　itself　worthy　of　exercising　it。　　　　Now；　in　1789；　the　upper

class　was　not　unworthy　of　it。　　Members　of　the　parliaments；　the

noblemen；　bishops；　capitalists；　were　the　men　amongst　whom；　and

through　whom；　the　philosophy　of　the　eighteenth　century　was

propagated。　　Never　was　an　aristocracy　more　liberal；　more　humane；　and

more　thoroughly　converted　to　useful　reforms；＇14＇　many　of　them　remain

so　under　the　knife　of　the　guillotine。　　The　magistrates　of　the

superior　tribunals；　in　particular；　traditionally　and　by　virtue　of

their　institution；　were　the　enemies　of　excessive　expenditure　and　the

critics　of　arbitrary　acts。　　As　to　the　gentry　of　the　provinces；　〃they

were　so　weary；〃　says　one　of　them；＇15＇　〃of　the　Court　and　the

Ministers　that　most　of　them　were　democrats。〃　For　many　years；　in　the

Provincial　Assemblies；　the　whole　of　the　upper　class；　the　clergy；

nobles；　and　Third…Estate；　furnishes　abundant　evidence　of　its　good

disposition；　of　its　application　to　business；　its　capacity　and　even

generosity。　　Its　mode　of　studying；　discussing；　and　assigning　the

local　taxation　indicates　what　it　would　have　done　with　the　general

budget　had　this　been　entrusted　to　it。　　It　is　evident　that　it　would

have　protected　the　general　taxpayer　as　zealously　as　the　taxpayer　of

the　province；　and　kept　as　close　an　eye　upon　the　public　purse　at

Paris　as　on　that　of　Bourges　or　of　Montauban。　　　　Thus　were　the

materials　of　a　good　chamber　ready　at　hand；　and　the　only　thing　that

had　to　be　done　was　to　convene　them。　　On　having　the　facts　presented

to　them；　its　members　would　have　passed　without　difficulty　from　a

hazardous　theory　to　common…sense　practice；　and　the　aristocracy　which

had　enthusiastically　given　an　impetus　to　reform　in　its　saloons

would；　in　all　probability；　have　carried　it　out　effectively　and　with

moderation　in　the　Parliament。



Unhappily；　the　Assembly　is　not　providing　a　Constitution　for

contemporary　Frenchmen；　but　for　abstract　beings。　　Instead　of　seeing

classes　in　society　one　placed　above　the　other；　it　simply　sees

individuals　in　juxtaposition；　its　attention　is　not　fixed　on　the

advantage　of　the　nation；　but　on　the　imaginary　rights　of　man。　　As　all

men　are　equal；　all　must　have　an　equal　share　in　the　government。

There　must　be　no　orders　in　a　State；　no　avowed　or　concealed　political

privileges；　no　constitutional　complications　or　electoral

combinations　by　which　an　aristocracy；　however　liberal　and　capable；

may　put　its　hands　upon　any　portion　of　the　public　power。　　　　On　the

contrary；　because　it　was　once　privileged　to　enjoy　important　and

rewarding　public　employment；　the　candidacy　of　the　upper　classes　is

now　suspect。　　All　projects　which；　directly　or　indirectly；　reserve　or

provide　a　place　for　it；　are　refused：　At　first　the　Royal　Declaration；

which；　in　conformity　with　historical　precedents；　maintained　the

three　orders　in　three　distinct　chambers；　and　only　summoned　them　to

deliberate　together　〃on　matters　of　general　utility。〃　Then　the　plan

of　the　Constitutional　Committee；　which　proposed　a　second　Chamber；

appointed　for　life　by　the　King　on　the　nomination　of　the　Provincial

Assemblies。　　And　finally　the　project　of　Mounier　who　proposed　to

confide　to　these　same　Assemblies　the　election　of　a　Senate　for　six

years；　renewed　by　thirds　every　two　years。　　This　Senate　was　to　be

composed　of　men　of　at　least　thirty…five　years　of　age；　and　with　an

income　in　real　property　of　30；000　livres　per　annum。　　The　instinct　of

equality　is　too　powerful　and　a　second　Chamber　is　not　wanted；　even　if

accessible　to　plebeians。　　Through　it；＇16＇



〃The　smaller　number　would　control　the　greater；〃　。。。　〃we　should　fall

back　on　the　humiliating　distinctions〃　of　the　ancient　regime；　〃we

should　revivify　the　germ　of　an　aristocracy　which　must　be

exterminated。〃。。。。　　〃Moreover；　whatever　recalls　or　revives　feudal

Institutions　is　bad；　and　an　Upper　Chamber　is　one　of　its　remnants。〃

。。。。〃If　the　English　have　one；　it　is　because　they　have　been　forced　to

make　a　compromise　with　prejudice。〃



The　National　Assembly；　sovereign　and　philosophic；　soars　above　their

errors；　their　trammel；　and　their　example。　　The　depository　of　truth；

it　has　not　to　receive　lessons　from　others；　but　to　give　them；　and　to

offer　to　the　world's　admiration　the　first　type　of　a　Constitution

which　is　perfect　and　in　conformity　with　principle；　the　most

effective　of　any　in　preventing　the　formation　of　a　governing　class；

in　closing　the　way　to　public　business；　not　only　to　the　old　noblesse；

but　to　the　aristocracy　of　the　future；　in　continuing　and　exaggerating

the　work　of　absolute　monarchy；　in　preparing　for　a　community　of

officials　and　administrators；　in　lowering　the　level　of　humanity；　in

reducing　to　sloth　and　brutalizing　or　blighting　the　elite　of　the

families　which　maintain　or　raise　themselves；　and　in　withering　the

most　precious　of　nurseries；　that　in　which　the　State　recruits　its

statesmen。＇17＇



Excluded　from　the　Government；　the　aristocracy　is　about　to　retire

into　private　life。　　Let　us　follow　them　to　their　estates：　Feudal