the origins of contemporary france-1-第57章

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their　own　hands；　artisans　and　mechanics；　only　these　being　really　of

service；　the　only　ones　who；　through　their　situation；　are　in　close

proximity　to　the　natural　state；　and　who　preserve；　under　a　rough

exterior；　the　warmth；　the　goodness　and　the　integrity　of　primitive

instincts。　　　　Accordingly；　let　us　call　by　its　true　name　this

elegance；　this　luxury；　this　urbanity；　this　literary　delicacy；　this

philosophical　eccentricity；　admired　by　the　prejudiced　as　the　flower　of

the　life　of　humanity；　it　is　only　mold　and　mildew。　　In　like　manner

esteem　at　its　just　value　the　swarm　that　live　upon　it；　namely；　the

indolent　aristocracy；　the　fashionable　world；　the　privileged　who　direct

and　make　a　display；　the　idlers　of　the　drawing　room　who　talk；　divert

themselves　and　regard　themselves　as　the　elect　of　humanity；　but　who　are

simply　so　many　parasites。　　Whether　parasitic　or　excretory；　one　attracts

the　other；　and　the　tree　can　only　be　well　if　we　get　rid　of　both。



If　civilization　is　bad；　society　is　worse。　　＇37＇　For　this　could　not

have　been　established　except　by　destroying　primitive　equality；　while

its　two　principal　institutions；　property　and　government；　are

encroachments。



〃He　who　first　enclosed　a　plot　of　ground；　and　who　took　it　into　his

to　say　this　belongs　to　me；　and　who　found　people　simple　enough　to

believe　him；＇38＇　was　the　true　founder　of　civil　society。　　What　crimes；

what　wars；　what　murders；　what　misery　and　what　horrors　would　have　been

spared　the　human　race　if　he　who；　pulling　up　the　landmark　and　filling

up　the　ditch；　had　cried　out　to　his　fellows：　Be　wary　of　that　impostor；

you　are　lost　if　you　forget　that　no　one　has　a　right　to　the　land　and

that　its　fruits　are　the　property　of　all　！〃　　　　The　first　ownership

was　a　robbery　by　which　an　individual　abstracted　from　the　community　a

portion　of　the　public　domain。　　Nothing　could　justify　the　outrage；

nothing　added　by　him　to　the　soil；　neither　his　industry；　nor　his

trouble；　nor　his　valor。　　〃In　vain　may　he　assert　that　he　built　this

wall；　and　acquired　this　land　by　his　labor。　　Who　marked　it　out　for　him；

one　might　ask；　and　how　do　you　come　to　be　paid　for　labor　which　was

never　imposed　on　you？　Are　you　not　aware　that　a　multitude　of　your

brethren　are　suffering　and　perishing　with　want　because　you　have　too

much；　and　that　the　express　and　unanimous　consent　of　the　whole　human

species　is　requisite　before　appropriating　to　yourself　more　than　your

share　of　the　common　subsistence？〃　　



Underneath　this　theory　we　recognize　the　personal　attitude；　the

grudge　of　the　poor　embittered　commoner；　who；　on　entering　society；

finds　the　places　all　taken；　and　who　is　incapable　of　creating　one　for

himself；　who；　in　his　confessions；　marks　the　day　when　he　ceased　to　feel

hungry；　who；　for　lack　of　something　better；　lives　in　concubinage　with　a

serving…woman　and　places　his　five　children　in　an　orphanage；　who　is　in

turn　servant；　clerk；　vagabond；　teacher　and　copyist；　always　on　the

look…out；　using　his　wits　to　maintain　his　independence；　disgusted　with

the　contrast　between　what　he　is　outwardly　and　what　he　feels　himself

inwardly；　avoiding　envy　only　by　disparagement；　and　preserving　in　the

folds　of　his　heart　an　old　grudge　〃against　the　rich　and　the　fortunate

in　this　world　as　if　they　were　so　at　his　expense；　as　if　their　assumed

happiness　had　been　an　infringement　on　his　happiness。〃　＇39＇　　　　Not

only　is　there　injustice　in　the　origin　of　property　but　again　there　is

injustice　in　the　power　it　secures　to　itself；　the　wrong　increasing　like

a　canker　under　the　partiality　of　law。



〃Are　not　all　the　advantages　of　society　for　the　rich　and　for　the

powerful？＇40＇　Do　they　not　absorb　to　themselves　all　lucrative

positions？　Is　not　the　public　authority　wholly　in　their　interest？　If　a

man　of　position　robs　his　creditors　or　commits　other　offenses　is　he　not

certain　of　impunity？　Are　not　the　blows　he　bestows；　his　violent

assaults；　the　murders　and　the　assassinations　he　is　guilty　of；　matters

that　are　hushed　up　and　forgotten　in　a　few　months？　　　　Let　this　same

man　be　robbed　and　the　entire　police　set　to　work；　and　woe　to　the　poor

innocents　they　suspect！　　　　Has　he　to　pass　a　dangerous　place；　escorts

overrun　the　country。…If　the　axle　of　his　coach　breaks　down　everybody

runs　to　help　him。　　　　　　Is　a　noise　made　at　his　gate；　a　word　from　him

and　all　is　silent。　　　　Does　the　crowd　annoy　him；　he　makes　a　sign　and

order　reigns。　　　　Does　a　carter　chance　to　cross　his　path；　his

attendants　are　ready　to　knock　him　down；　while　fifty　honest　pedestrians

might　be　crushed　rather　than　delaying　a　rascal　in　his　carriage。　　

All　these　considerations　do　not　cost　him　a　penny。；　they　are　a　rich

man's　entitlements　and　not　the　price　for　being　rich。　　　　What　a

different　picture　of　the　poor　！　The　more　humanity　owes　them　the　more

it　refuses　them。　　All　doors　are　closed　to　them　even　when　they　have　the

right　to　have　them　opened；　and　if　they　sometimes　obtain　justice　they

have　more　trouble　than　others　in　obtaining　favors。　　If　there　is　statute

labor　to　be　carried　out；　a　militia　to　raise；　the　poor　are　the　most

eligible。　　It　always　bears　burdens　from　which　its　wealthier　neighbor

with　influence　secures　exemption。　　At　the　least　accident　to　a　poor　man

everybody　abandons　him。　　Let　his　cart　topple　over　and　I　regard　him　as

fortunate　if　he　escapes　the　insults　of　the　smart　companions　of　a　young

duke　passing　by。　　In　a　word　all　assistance　free　of　charge　is　withheld

from　him　in　time　of　need；　precisely　because　he　cannot　pay　for　it。　　I

regard　him　as　a　lost　man　if　he　is　so　unfortunate　as　to　be　honest　and

have　a　pretty　daughter　and　a　powerful　neighbor。　　　　Let　us　sum　up　in

a　few　words　the　social　pact　of　the　two　estates：



You　need　me　because　I　am　rich　and　you　are　poor：　let　us　then　make　an

agreement　together。　　I　will　allow　you　the　honor　of　serving　me　on

condition　that　you　give　me　the　little　that　remains　to　you　for　the

trouble　I　have　in　governing　you。〃



This　shows　the　spirit；　the　aim　and　the　effect　of　political　society。

　　　At　the　start；　according　to　Rousseau；　it　consisted　of　an　unfair

bargain；　made　by　an　adroit　rich　man　with　a　poor　dupe；　〃providing　new

fetters　for　the　weak　and　fresh　power　for　the　rich；〃　and；　under　the

title　of　legitimate　property；　consecrating　the　usurpation　of　the　soil。

　　　To　day　the　contract　is　still　more　unjust　〃　by　means　of　which　a

child　may　govern　an　old　man；　a　fool　lead　the　wise；　and　a　handful　of

people　live　in　abundance　whilst　a　famished　multitude　lack　the

necessities　for　life。〃　It　is　the　nature　of　inequality　to　grow；　hence

the　authority　of　some　increases　along　with　the　dependence　of　the　rest；

so　that　the　two　conditions；　having　at　last　reached　their　extremes；　the

hereditary　and　perpetual　objection　of　the　people　seems　to　be　a　divine

right　equally　with　the　hereditary　and　perpetual　despotism　of　the　king。

　　This　is　the　present　situation　and；　any　change；　will　be　for　the

worse。　　〃For；＇41＇　the　occupation　of　all　kings；　or　of　those　charged　with

their　functions；　consists　wholly　of　two　objects；　to　extend　their　sway

abroad　and　to　render　it　more　absolute　at　home。〃　When　they　plead　some

other　cause　it　is　only　a　pretext。　　〃The　terms　public　good；　happiness　of

subjects；　the　glory　of　the　nation；　so　heavily　employed　in　government

announcements；　never　denote　other　than　disastrous　commands；　and　the

people　shudder　beforehand　when　its　masters　allude　to　their　paternal

solicitude。〃　　　　　However；　this　fatal　point　once　reached；　〃the

contract　with　the　government　is　dissolved；　the　despot　is　master　only

while　remaining　the　most　powerful；　and；　as　soon　as　he　can　be　expelled；

it　is　useless　for　him　to　cry　out　against　violence。〃　　Because　right　can

only　exist　through　consent；　and　no　consent　nor　right　can　exist　between

master　and　slave。



Whether　between　one　man　and　another　man；　or　between　one　man　and　a

people；　the　following　is　an　absurd　address：　'　I　make　an　agreement　with

you　wholly　at　your　expense　and　to　my　advantage　which　I　shall　respect

as　long　as　I　please　and　which　you　shall　respect　as　long　as　it　pleases

me。'　〃　　



Only　madmen　may　sign　such　a　treaty；　but；　as　madmen；　they　are　not　in

a　condition　to　negotiate　and　their　signature　is　not　binding。　　Only　the

vanquished　on　the　ground；　with　swords　pointed　at　their　throats；　may

accept　such　conditions　but；　being　under　constraint；　their　promise　is

null　and　void。　　Madmen　and　the　conquered　may　for　a　thousand　years　have

bound　over　all　subsequent　generations；　but　a　contract　for　a　minor　is

not　a　contract　for　an　adult；　and　on　the　child　arriving　at　the　age　of

Reason　he　belongs　to　himself。　　We　at　last　have　become　adults；　and　we

have　only　to　make　use　of　our　rights　to　reduce　the　pretensions　of　this

self…styled　authority　to　their　just　value。　　It　has　power　on　its　side

and　nothing　more。　　But　〃a　pistol　in　the　hand　of　a　brigand　is　also

power；〃　but　do　you　think　that　I　should　be　morally　obliged　to　give　him

my　purse？　　　　I　obey　only　compelled　by　force　and　I　will　have　my　purse

back　as　soon　as　I　can　take　his　pistol　away　from　him。





VII：　THE　LOST　CHILDREN。



The　lost　children　of　the　philosophic　party。　　…　Naigeon；　Sylvain

Maréchal；　Mably；　Morelly。　　…　The　entire　discredit　of　traditions　and

institutions　derived　from　it。



We　stop　here。　　It　is　pointless　to　follow　the　lost　children　of　the

party；　Naigeon　and　Sylvain　Maréchal；　Mably　and　Morelly；　the　fanatics

that　set　atheism　up　as　an　obligatory　dogma　and　a　superior　duty；　the

socialists　who；　to　suppress　egoism；　propose　a　community　of　property；

and　who　found　a　republic　in　which　any　man　that　proposes　to　re…

establish　〃detestable　ownership〃　shall　be　declared　an　enemy　of

humanity；　treated　as　a　〃raging　maniac〃　and　shut　up　in　a　dungeon　for

life。　　It　is　sufficient　to　have　studied　the　operations　of　large　armies

and　of　great　campaigns。　　　　　　With　different　gadgets　and　opposite

tactics；　the　various　attacks　have　all　had　the　same　results；　all　the

institutions　have　been　undermined　from　below。　　The　governing　ideology

has　withdrawn　all　authority　from　custom；　from　religion；　from　the

State。　　Not　only　is　it　assumed　that　tradition　in　itself　is　false；　but

again　that　it　is　harmful　through　its　works；　that　it　builds　up

injustice　on　error；　and　that　by　rendering　man　blind　it　leads　him　to

oppress。　　Henceforth　it　is　outlawed。　　Let　this　〃loathsome　thing〃　with

its　supporters　be　crushed　out。　　It　is　the　great　evil　of　the　human

species；　and；　when　suppressed；　only　goodness　will　remain。



〃The　time　will　then　come＇42＇　when　the　sun　will　shine　only　on　free

men　recognizing　no　other　master　than　Reason；　when　tyrants　and　slaves；

and　priests　with　their　senseless　or　hypocritical　instruments　will

exist　only　in　history　and　on　the　stage；　when　attention　will　no　longer

be　bestowed　on　them　except　to　pity　their　victims　and　their　dupes；

keeping　oneself　vigilant　and　useful　through　horror　of　their　excesses；

and　able　to　recognize　and　extinguish　by　the　force　of　Reason　the　first

germs　of　superstition　and　of　tyranny；　should　they　ever　venture　to

reappear。〃



The　millennium　is　dawning　and　it　is　o