the ancien regime(古兵团)-第8章
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LECTURE II
CENTRALISATION
The degradation of the European nobility caused； of course； the
increase of the kingly power； and opened the way to central despotisms。
The bourgeoisie； the commercial middle class； whatever were its virtues；
its value； its real courage； were never able to stand alone against the kings。
Their capital； being invested in trade； was necessarily subject to such
sudden dangers from war； political change； bad seasons； and so forth； that
its holders； however individually brave； were timid as a class。 They
could never hold out on strike against the governments； and had to submit
to the powers that were； whatever they were； under penalty of ruin。
But on the Continent； and especially in France and Germany； unable to
strengthen itself by intermarriage with the noblesse； they retained that
timidity which is the fruit of the insecurity of trade； and had to submit to a
more and more centralised despotism； and grow up as they could； in the
face of exasperating hindrances to wealth； to education； to the possession；
in many parts of France； of large landed estates； leaving the noblesse to
decay in isolated uselessness and weakness； and in many cases debt and
poverty。
The systemor rather anarchyaccording to which France was
governed during this transitional period； may be read in that work of M。 de
Tocqueville's which I have already quoted； and which is accessible to all
classes； through Mr。 H。 Reeve's excellent translation。 Every student of
history is； of course； well acquainted with that book。 But as there is
reason to fear； from language which is becoming once more too common；
both in speech and writing； that the general public either do not know it； or
have not understood it； I shall take the liberty of quoting from it somewhat
largely。 I am justified in so doing by the fact that M。 de Tocqueville's
book is founded on researches into the French Archives； which have been
made （as far as I am aware） only by him； and contains innumerable
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significant facts； which are to be found （as far as I am aware） in no other
accessible work。
The French peoplesays M。 de Tocquevillemade； in 1789； the
greatest effort which was ever made by any nation to cut； so to speak； their
destiny in halves； and to separate by an abyss that which they had
heretofore been； from that which they sought to become hereafter。 But
he had long thought that they had succeeded in this singular attempt much
less than was supposed abroad； and less than they had at first supposed
themselves。 He was convinced that they had unconsciously retained；
from the former state of society； most of the sentiments； the habits； and
even the opinions； by means of which they had effected the destruction of
that state of things； and that； without intending it； they had used its
remains to rebuild the edifice of modern society。 This is his thesis； and
this he proves； it seems to me； incontestably by documentary evidence。
Not only does he find habits which we supposeor supposed till latelyto
have died with the eighteenth century； still living and working； at least in
France； in the nineteenth； but the new opinions which we look on usually
as the special children of the nineteenth century； he shows to have been
born in the eighteenth。 France； he considers； is still at heart what the
Ancien Regime made her。
He shows that the hatred of the ruling caste； the intense determination
to gain and keep equality； even at the expense of liberty； had been long
growing up； under those influences of which I spoke in my first lecture。
He shows； moreover； that the acquiescence in a centralised
administration； the expectation that the government should do everything
for the people； and nothing for themselves； the consequent loss of local
liberties； local peculiarities； the helplessness of the towns and the parishes：
and all which issued in making Paris France； and subjecting the whole of a
vast country to the arbitrary dictates of a knot of despots in the capital；
was not the fruit of the Revolution； but of the Ancien Regime which
preceded it； and that Robespierre and his 〃Comite de Salut Public；〃 and
commissioners sent forth to the four winds of heaven in bonnet rouge and
carmagnole complete； to build up and pull down； according to their
wicked will； were only handling； somewhat more roughly； the same wires
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which had been handled for several generations by the Comptroller…
General and Council of State； with their provincial intendants。
〃Do you know；〃 said Law to the Marquis d'Argenson； 〃that this
kingdom of France is governed by thirty intendants？ You have neither
parliament； nor estates； nor governors。 It is upon thirty masters of
request； despatched into the provinces； that their evil or their good； their
fertility or their sterility； entirely depend。〃
To do everything for the people； and let them do nothing for
themselvesthis was the Ancien Regime。 To be more wise and more
loving than Almighty God； who certainly does not do everything for the
sons of men； but forces them to labour for themselves by bitter need； and
after a most Spartan mode of education； who allows them to burn their
hands as often as they are foolish enough to put them into the fire； and to
be filled with the fruits of their own folly； even though the folly be one of
necessary ignorance； treating them with that seeming neglect which is
after all the most provident care； because by it alone can men be trained to
experience； self… help； science； true humanity； and so become not tolerably
harmless dolls； but men and women worthy of the name； with
The reason firm； the temperate will； Endurance； foresight； strength；
and skill； The perfect spirit； nobly planned To cheer； to counsel； and
command。
Such seems to be the education and government appointed for man
by the voluntatem Dei in rebus revelatum； and the education； therefore；
which the man of science will accept and carry out。 But the men of the
Ancien Regimein as far as it was a Regime at alltried to be wiser than
the Almighty。 Why not？ They were not the first； nor will be the last； by
many who have made the same attempt。 So this Council of State settled
arbitrarily； not only taxes； and militia； and roads； but anything and
everything。 Its members meddled； with their whole hearts and minds。
They tried to teach agriculture by schools and pamphlets and prizes； they
sent out plans for every public work。 A town could not establish an
octroi； levy a rate； mortgage； sell； sue； farm； or administer their property；
without an order in council。 The Government ordered public rejoicings；
saw to the firing of salutes； and illuminating of housesin one case
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mentioned by M。 de Tocqueville； they fined a member of the burgher
guard for absenting himself from a Te Deum。 All self…government was
gone。 A country parish was； says Turgot； nothing but 〃an assemblage of
cabins； and of inhabitants as passive as the cabins they dwelt in。〃
Without an order of council； the parish could not mend the steeple after a
storm； or repair the parsonage gable。 If they grumbled at the intendant；
he threw some of the chief persons into prison； and made the parish pay
the expenses of the horse patrol； which formed the arbitrary police of
France。 Everywhere was meddling。 There were reports on statistics
circumstantial； inaccurate； and uselessas statistics are too often wont to
be。 Sometimes； when the people were starving； the Government sent down
charitable donations to certain parishes； on condition that the inhabitants
should raise a sum on their part。 When the sum offered was sufficient；
the Comptroller…General wrote on the margin； when he returned the report
to the intendant； 〃Goodexpress satisfaction。〃 If it was more than
sufficient； he wrote； 〃Goodexpress satisfaction and sensibility。〃 There
is nothing new under the sun。 In 1761； the Government； jealous enough of
newspapers； determined to start one for itself； and for that purpose took
under its tutelage the Gazette de France。 So the public newsmongers
were of course to be the provincial intendants； and their sub…newsmongers；
of course； the sub…delegates。
But alas！ the poor sub…delegates seem to have found either very little
news； or very little which it was politic to publish。 One reports that a
smuggler of salt has been hung； and has displayed great courage； another
that a woman in his district has had three girls at a birth； another that a
dreadful storm has happened； but has done no mischief； a fourthliving
in some specially favoured Utopiadeclares that in spite of all his efforts
he has found nothing worth recording； but that he himself will subscribe to
so useful a journal； and will exhort all respectable persons to follow his
example： in spite of which loyal endeavours； the journal seems to have
proved a failure； to the great disgust of the king and his minister； who had
of course expected to secure fine weather by nailing； like the schoolboy
before a holiday； the hand of the weather…glass。
Well had it been； if the intermeddling of this bureaucracy had stopped
