what is property-第57章

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nto　a　right　of　possession；　that　is；　that　while；　at　present；　property　makes　the　elector；　after　this　reform　is　accomplished；　the　citizen；　the　producer　will　be　the　possessor。＇1＇　　Consequently；　the　radicals　are　right　in　saying　that　the　electoral　reform　is　in　their　eyes　only　a　means；　but；　when　they　are　silent　as　to　the　end；　they　show　either　profound　ignorance；　or　useless　dissimulation。　　There　should　be　no　secrets　or　reservations　from　peoples　and　powers。　　He　disgraces　himself　and　fails　in　respect　for　his　fellows；　who；　in　publishing　his　opinions；　employs　evasion　and　cunning。　　Before　the　people　act；　they　need　to　know　the　whole　truth。　　Unhappy　he　who　shall　dare　to　trifle　with　them！　　For　the　people　are　credulous；　but　they　are　strong。　　Let　us　tell　them；　then；　that　this　reform　which　is　proposed　is　only　a　means；a　means　often　tried；　and　hitherto　without　effect；but　that　the　logical　object　of　the　electoral　reform　is　equality　of　fortunes；　and　that　this　equality　itself　is　only　a　new　means　having　in　view　the　superior　and　definitive　object　of　the　salvation　of　society；　the　restoration　of　morals　and　religion；　and　the　revival　of　poetry　and　art。

＇1＇　　〃In　some　countries；　the　enjoyment　of　certain　political　rights　depends　upon　the　amount　of　property。　　But；　in　these　same　countries；　property　is　expressive；　rather　than　attributive；　of　the　qualifications　necessary　to　the　exercise　of　these　rights。　　It　is　rather　a　conjectural　proof　than　the　cause　of　these　qualifications。〃Rossi：　Treatise　on　Penal　Law。

This　assertion　of　M。　Rossi　is　not　borne　out　by　history。　　Property　is　the　cause　of　the　electoral　right；　not　as　a　PRESUMPTION　OF　CAPACITY；an　idea　which　never　prevailed　until　lately；　and　which　is　extremely　absurd；but　as　a　GUARANTEE　OF　DEVOTION　TO　THE　ESTABLISHED　ORDER。　　The　electoral　body　is　a　league　of　those　interested　in　the　maintenance　of　property；　against　those　not　interested。　　There　are　thousands　of　documents；　even　official　documents；　to　prove　this；　if　necessary。　　For　the　rest；　the　present　system　is　only　a　continuation　of　the　municipal　system；　which；　in　the　middle　ages；　sprang　up　in　connection　with　feudalism；an　oppressive；　mischief…making　system；　full　of　petty　passions　and　base　intrigues。




It　would　be　an　abuse　of　the　reader's　patience　to　insist　further　upon　the　tendency　of　our　time　towards　equality。　　There　are；　moreover；　so　many　people　who　denounce　the　present　age；　that　nothing　is　gained　by　exposing　to　their　view　the　popular；　scientific；　and　representative　tendencies　of　the　nation。

Prompt　to　recognize　the　accuracy　of　the　inferences　drawn　from　observation；　they　confine　themselves　to　a　general　censure　of　the　facts；　and　an　absolute　denial　of　their　legitimacy。　　〃What　wonder；〃　they　say；　〃that　this　atmosphere　of　equality　intoxicates　us；　considering　all　that　has　been　said　and　done　during　the　past　ten　years！　。　。　。　　Do　you　not　see　that　society　is　dissolving；　that　a　spirit　of　infatuation　is　carrying　us　away？　　All　these　hopes　of　regeneration　are　but　forebodings　of　death；　your　songs　of　triumph　are　like　the　prayers　of　the　departing；　your　trumpet　peals　announce　the　baptism　of　a　dying　man。　　Civilization　is　falling　in　ruin：　_Imus；　imus；　praecipites_！〃

Such　people　deny　God。　　I　might　content　myself　with　the　reply　that　the　spirit　of　1830　was　the　result　of　the　maintenance　of　the　violated　charter；　that　this　charter　arose　from　the　Revolution　of　'89；　that　'89　implies　the　States…General's　right　of　remonstrance；　and　the　enfranchisement　of　the　communes；　that　the　communes　suppose　feudalism；　which　in　its　turn　supposes　invasion；　Roman　law；　Christianity；　&c。

But　it　is　necessary　to　look　further。　　We　must　penetrate　to　the　very　heart　of　ancient　institutions；　plunge　into　the　social　depths；　and　uncover　this　indestructible　leaven　of　equality　which　the　God　of　justice　breathed　into　our　souls；　and　which　manifests　itself　in　all　our　works。

Labor　is　man's　contemporary；　it　is　a　duty；　since　it　is　a　condition　of　existence：　　〃In　the　sweat　of　thy　face　shalt　thou　eat　bread。〃　　It　is　more　than　a　duty；　it　is　a　mission：　　〃God　put　the　man　into　the　garden　to　dress　it。〃　　I　add　that　labor　is　the　cause　and　means　of　equality。

Cast　away　upon　a　desert　island　two　men：　one　large；　strong；　and　active；　the　other　weak；　timid；　and　domestic。　　The　latter　will　die　of　hunger；　while　the　other；　a　skilful　hunter；　an　expert　fisherman；　and　an　indefatigable　husbandman；　will　overstock　himself　with　provisions。　　What　greater　inequality；　in　this　state　of　Nature　so　dear　to　the　heart　of　Jean　Jacques；　could　be　imagined！　　But　let　these　two　men　meet　and　associate　themselves：　the　second　immediately　attends　to　the　cooking；　takes　charge　of　the　household　affairs；　and　sees　to　the　provisions；　beds；　and　clothes；　provided　the　stronger　does　not　abuse　his　superiority　by　enslaving　and　ill…treating　his　companion；　their　social　condition　will　be　perfectly　equal。　　Thus；　through　exchange　of　services；　the　inequalities　of　Nature　neutralize　each　other；　talents　associate；　and　forces　balance。　　Violence　and　inertia　are　found　only　among　the　poor　and　the　aristocratic。　　And　in　that　lies　the　philosophy　of　political　economy；　the　mystery　of　human　brotherhood。　　_Hic　est　sapientia_。　　Let　us　pass　from　the　hypothetical　state　of　pure　Nature　into　civilization。

The　proprietor　of　the　soil；　who　produces；　I　will　suppose　with　the　economists；　by　lending　his　instrument；　receives　at　the　foundation　of　a　society　so　many　bushels　of　grain　for　each　acre　of　arable　land。　　As　long　as　labor　is　weak；　and　the　variety　of　its　products　small；　the　proprietor　is　powerful　in　comparison　with　the　laborers；　he　has　ten　times；　one　hundred　times；　the　portion　of　an　honest　man。　　But　let　labor；　by　multiplying　its　inventions；　multiply　its　enjoyments　and　wants；　and　the　proprietor；　if　he　wishes　to　enjoy　the　new　products；　will　be　obliged　to　reduce　his　income　every　day；　and　since　the　first　products　tend　rather　to　depreciate　than　to　rise　in　value；in　consequence　of　the　continual　addition　of　the　new　ones；　which　may　be　regarded　as　supplements　of　the　first　ones；it　follows　that　the　idle　proprietor　grows　poor　as　fast　as　public　prosperity　increases。　　〃Incomes〃　（I　like　to　quote　you；　sir；　because　it　is　impossible　to　give　too　good　an　authority　for　these　elementary　principles　of　economy；　and　because　I　cannot　express　them　better　myself）；　〃incomes；〃　you　have　said；　〃tend　to　disappear　as　capital　increases。　　He　who　possesses　to…day　an　income　of　twenty　thousand　pounds　is　not　nearly　as　rich　as　he　who　possessed　the　same　amount　fifty　years　ago。　　The　time　is　coming　when　all　property　will　be　a　burden　to　the　idle；　and　will　necessarily　pass　into　the　hands　of　the　able　and　industrious。＇1＇　。　。　。〃

＇1＇　　Lecture　of　December　22。




In　order　to　live　as　a　proprietor；　or　to　consume　without　producing；　it　is　necessary；　then；　to　live　upon　the　labor　of　another；　in　other　words；　it　is　necessary　to　kill　the　laborer。　　It　is　upon　this　principle　that　proprietors　of　those　varieties　of　capital　which　are　of　primary　necessity　increase　their　farm…rents　as　fast　as　industry　develops；　much　more　careful　of　their　privileges　in　that　respect；　than　those　economists　who；　in　order　to　strengthen　property；　advocate　a　reduction　of　interest。　　But　the　crime　is　unavailing：　labor　and　production　increase；　soon　the　proprietor　will　be　forced　to　labor；　and　then　property　is　lost。

The　proprietor　is　a　man　who；　having　absolute　control　of　an　instrument　of　production；　claims　the　right　to　enjoy　the　product　of　the　instrument　without　using　it　himself。　　To　this　end　he　lends　it；　and　we　have　just　seen　that　from　this　loan　the　laborer　derives　a　power　of　exchange；　which　sooner　or　later　will　destroy　the　right　of　increase。　　In　the　first　place；　the　proprietor　is　obliged　to　allow　the　laborer　a　portion　of　the　product；　for　without　it　the　laborer　could　not　live。　　Soon　the　latter；　through　the　development　of　his　industry；　finds　a　means　of　regaining　the　greater　portion　of　that　which　he　gives　to　the　proprietor；　so　that　at　last；　the　objects　of　enjoyment　increasing　continually；　while　the　income　of　the　idler　remains　the　same；　the　proprietor；　having　exhausted　his　resources；　begins　to　think　of　going　to　work　himself。　　Then　the　victory　of　the　producer　is　certain。　　Labor　commences　to　tip　the　balance　towards　its　own　side；　and　commerce　leads　to　equilibrium。

Man's　instinct　cannot　err；　as；　in　liberty；　exchange　of　functions　leads　inevitably　to　equality　among　men；　so　commerceor　exchange　of　products；　which　is　identical　with　exchange　of　functionsis　a　new　cause　of　equality。　　As　long　as　the　proprietor　does　not　labor；　however　small　his　income；　he　enjoys　a　privilege；　the　laborer's　welfare　may　be　equal　to　his；　but　equality　of　conditions　does　not　exist。　　But　as　soon　as　the　proprietor　becomes　a　producer；since　he　can　exchange　his　special　product　only　with　his　tenant　or　his　_commandite_；sooner　or　later　this　tenant；　this　_exploited_　man；　if　violence　is　not　done　him；　will　make　a　profit　out　of　the　proprietor；　and　will　oblige　him　to　restorein　the　exchange　of　their　respective　productsthe　interest　on　his　capital。　　So　that；　balancing　one　injustice　by　another；　the　contracting　parties　will　be　equal。　　Labor　and　exchange；　when　liberty　prevails；　lead；　then；　to　equality　of　fortunes；　mutuality　of　services　neutralizes　privilege。　　That　is　why　despots　in　all　ages　and　countries　have　assumed　control　of　commerce；　they　wished　to　prevent　the　labor　of　their　subjects　from　becoming　an　obstacle　to　the　rapacity　of　tyrants。

Up　to　this　point；　all　takes　place　in　the　natural　order；　there　is　no　premeditation；　no　artifice。　　The　whole　proceeding　is　governed　by　the　laws　of　necessity　alone。　　Proprietors　and　laborers　act　only　in　obedience　to　their　wants。　　Thus；　the　exercise　of　the　right　of　increase；　the　art　of　robbing　the　producer；　depends　during　this　first　period　of　civilization　upon　physical　violence；　murder；　and　war。

But　at　this　point　a　gigantic　and　complicated　conspiracy　is　hatched　against　the　capitalists。　　The　weapon　of　the　EXPLOITERS　is　met　by　the　EXPLOITED　with　the　instrument　of　commerce；a　marvellous　invention；　denounced　at　its　origin　by　the　moralists　who　favored　property；　but　inspired　without　doubt　by　the　genius　of　labor；　by　the　Minerva　of　the　proletaires。

The　principal　cause　of　the　evil　lay　in　the　accumulation　and　immobility　of　capital　of　all　sorts；an　immobility　which　prevented　labor；　enslaved　and　subalternized　by　haughty　idleness；　from　ever　acquiring　it。　　The　necessity　was　felt　of　dividing　and　mobilizing　wealth；　of　rendering　it　portable；　of　making　it　pass　from　the　hands　of　the　possessor　into　those　of　the　worker。　　Labor　invented　MONEY。　　Afterwards；　this　invention　was　revived　and　developed　by　the　BILL　OF　EXCHANGE　and　the　BANK。　　For　all　these　things　are　substantially　the　same；　and　proceed　from　the　same　mind。　　The　first　man　who　conceived　the　idea　of　representing　a　value　by　a　shell；　a　precious　stone；　or　a　certain　weight　of　metal；　was　the　real　inventor　of　the　Bank。　　What　is　a　piece　of　money；　in　fact？　　It　is　a　bill　of　exchange　written　upon　solid　and　durable　material；　and　carrying　with　it　its　own　redemption。　　By　this　means；　oppressed　equality　was　enabled　to　laugh　at　the　efforts　of　the　proprietors；　and　the　balance　of　justice　was　adjusted　for　the　first　time　in　the　tradesman's　shop。　　The　trap　was　cunningly　set；　and　accomplished　its　purpose　so　thoroughly　that　in　idle　hands　money　became　only　dissolving　wealth；　a　false　symbol；　a　shadow　of　ri