the altruist in politics-第2部分

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material　good　at　the　cost　of　every　rational　endowment。　　It



inculcates　a　self…denial　that　must　result　in　dwarfing　the



individual　to　a　mere　instrument　in　the　hands　of　the　State　for　the



benefit　of　his　fellows。　　No　such　organization　of　society…no



organization　that　fails　to　take　note　of　the　fact　that　man　must



have　scope　for　the　exercise　and　development　of　his　faculties…no



such　organization　of　society　can　ever　reach　a　permanent　success。



However　beneficent　its　motives；　the　hypothesis　with　which　it



starts　can　never　be　realized。　　The　aphorism　of　Emerson；　〃Churches



have　been　built；　not　upon　principles；　but　upon　tropes；〃　is　as



true　in　the　field　of　politics　as　it　is　in　the　field　of　religion。



In　a　like　figurative　spirit；　the　followers　of　communism　have



reared　their　edifice；　and；　looking　back　upon　the　finished



structure；　seeking　to　discern　the　base　on　which　it　rests；　the



critic　finds；　not　principles；　but　tropes。　　The　builders　have



appealed　to　a　future　that　has　no　warrant　in　the　past；　and　fixing



their　gaze　upon　the　distant　dreamland；　captivated　by　the　vision



there　beheld；　entranced　by　its　ideal　effulgence；　their　eyes　were



blinded　to　the　real　conditions　of　the　human　problem　they　had　set



before　them。　　Their　enemies　have　not　been　slow　to　note　such



weakness　and　mistake；　and　perhaps　it　may　serve　to　clear　up



misconceptions；　perhaps　it　may　serve　to　lessen　cant　and　open　the



way　for　fresh　and　vigorous　thought；　if　we　shall　once　convince



ourselves　that　altruism　cannot　be　the　rule　of　life；　that　its



logical　result　is　the　dwarfing　of　the　individual　man；　and　that



not　by　the　death　of　human　personality　can　we　hope　to　banish　the



evils　of　our　day；　and　to　realize　the　ideal　of　all　existence；　a



nobler　or　purer　life。























End