the origins of contemporary france-3-第5部分

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sterility　never　surpassed。　　Unquestionably；　as　far　as　the

formulation　of　durable　laws　is　concerned；　i。e。　adapting　the　social

machinery　to　personalities；　conditions；　and　circumstances；　their

mentality　is　certainly　the　most　impotent　and　harmful。　It　is

organically　short…sighted；　and　by　interposing　their　principles　between

it　and　reality；　they　shut　off　the　horizon。　Beyond　their　crowd　and　the

club　it　distinguishes　nothing；　while　in　the　vagueness　and　confusion　of

the　distance　it　erects　the　hollow　idols　of　its　own　Utopia。　　But　when

power　is　to　be　seized　by　assault；　and　a　dictatorship　arbitrarily

exercised；　the　mechanical　inflexibility　of　such　a　mind　is　useful

rather　than　detrimental。　It　is　not　embarrassed　or　slowed　down；　like

that　of　a　statesman；　by　the　obligation　to　make　inquiries；　to　respect

precedents；　of　looking　into　statistics；　of　calculating　and　tracing

beforehand　in　different　directions　the　near　and　remote　consequences　of

its　work　as　this　affects　the　interests；　habits；　and　passions　of

diverse　classes。　All　this　is　now　obsolete　and　superfluous：　the　Jacobin

knows　on　the　spot　the　correct　form　of　government　and　the　good　laws。

For　both　construction　as　well　as　for　destruction；　his　rectilinear

method　is　the　quickest　and　most　vigorous。　For；　if　calm　reflection　is

required　to　get　at　what　suits　twenty…six　millions　of　living　Frenchmen；

a　mere　glance　suffices　to　understand　the　desires　of　the　abstract　men

of　their　theory。　Indeed；　according　to　the　theory；　men　are　all　shaped

to　one　pattern；　nothing　being　left　to　them　but　an　elementary　will；

thus　defined；　the　philosophic　robot　demands　liberty；　equality　and

popular　sovereignty；　the　maintenance　of　the　rights　of　man　and　adhesion

to　the　〃Contrat　Social。〃　That　is　enough：　from　now　on　the　will　of　the

people　is　known；　and　known　beforehand；　a　consultation　among　citizens

previous　to　action　is　not　essential；　there　is　no　obligation　to　await

their　votes。　In　any　events；　a　ratification　by　the　people　is　sure；　and

should　this　not　be　forthcoming　it　is　owing　to　their　ignorance；　disdain

or　malice；　in　which　case　their　response　deserves　to　be　considered　as

null。　The　best　thing　to　do；　consequently；　through　precaution　and　to

protect　the　people　from　what　is　bad　for　them；　is　to　dictate　to　them

what　is　good　for　them。　　　Here；　the　Jacobin　might　be　sincere；　for　the

men　in　whose　behalf　he　claims　rights　are　not　flesh…and…blood

Frenchmen；　as　we　see　them　in　the　streets　and　in　the　fields；　but　men　in

general；　as　they　ought　to　be　on　leaving　the　hands　of　Nature；　or　after

the　teachings　of　Reason。　As　to　the　former；　there　is　no　need　of　being

scrupulous　because　they　are　infatuated　with　prejudices　and　their

opinions　are　mere　drivel；　as　for　the　latter；　it　is　just　the　opposite：

full　of　respect　for　the　vainglorious　images　of　his　own　theory；　of

ghosts　produced　by　his　own　intellectual　device；　the　Jacobin　will

always　bow　down　to　responses　that　he　himself　has　provided；　for；　the

beings　that　he　has　created　are　more　real　in　his　eyes　than　living　ones

and　it　is　their　suffrage　on　which　he　counts。　Accordingly；　viewing

things　in　the　worst　lights；　he　has　nothing　against　him　but　the

momentary　antipathy　of　a　purblind　generation。　To　offset　this；　he

enjoys　the　approval　of　humanity；　self…obtained；　that　of　a　posterity

which　his　acts　have　regenerated；　that　of　men　who；　thanks　to　him；　who

are　again　become　what　they　should　never　have　ceased　to　be。　Hence；　far

from　looking　upon　himself　as　an　usurper　or　a　tyrant；　he　considers

himself　the　natural　mandatory　of　a　veritable　people；　the　authorized

executor　of　the　common　will。　Marching　along　in　the　procession　formed

for　him　by　this　imaginary　crowd；　sustained　by　millions　of　metaphysical

wills　created　by　himself　in　his　own　image；　he　has　their　unanimous

assent；　and；　like　a　chorus　of　triumphant　shouts；　he　will　fill　the

outward　world　with　the　inward　echo　of　his　own　voice。



IV。



What　the　theory　promises。　…　How　it　flatters　wounded　self…esteem。　

The　ruling　passion　of　the　Jacobin。　　Apparent　both　in　style　and

conduct。　　He　alone　is　virtuous　in　his　own　estimation；　while　his

adversaries　are　vile。　　They　must　accordingly　be　put　out　of　the　way。

　Perfection　of　this　character。　　Common　sense　and　moral　sense　both

perverted。



'When　an　ideology　attracts　people；　it　is　less　due　to　its

sophistication　than　to　the　promises　it　holds　out。　It　appeals　more　to

their　desires　than　to　their　intelligence；　for；　if　the　heart　sometimes

may　be　the　dupe　of　the　head；　the　latter　is　much　more　frequently　the

dupe　of　the　former。　We　do　not　accept　a　system　because　we　deem　it　a

true　one；　but　because　the　truth　we　find　in　it　suits　us。　Political　or

religious　fanaticism；　any　theological　or　philosophical　channel　in

which　truth　flows；　always　has　its　source　in　some　ardent　longing；　some

secret　passion；　some　accumulation　of　intense；　painful　desire　to　which

a　theory　affords　and　outlet。　In　the　Jacobin；　as　well　as　in　the

Puritan；　there　is　a　fountain…head　of　this　description。　What　feeds　this

source　with　the　Puritan　is　the　anxieties　of　a　disturbed　conscience

which；　forming　for　itself　some　idea　of　perfect　justice；　becomes　rigid

and　multiplies　the　commandments　it　believes　that　God　has　promulgated；

on　being　constrained　to　disobey　these　it　rebels；　and；　to　impose　them

on　others；　it　becomes　tyrannical　even　to　despotism。　The　first　effort

of　the　Puritan；　however；　wholly　internal；　is　self…control；　before

becoming　political　he　becomes　moral。　With　the　Jacobin；　on　the

contrary；　the　first　precept　is　not　moral；　political；　it　is　not　his

duties　which　he　exaggerates　but　his　rights；　while　his　doctrine；

instead　of　being　a　prick　to　his　conscience；　flatters　his　pride。＇21＇

However　vast　and　insatiate　human　pride　may　be；　now　it　is　satisfied；

for　never　before　has　it　had　so　much　to　feed　upon。　　In　the　program　of

the　sect；　do　not　look　for　the　restricted　prerogatives　growing　out　of

self…respect　which　the　proud…spirited　man　claims　for　himself；　such　as

civil　rights　accompanied　by　those　liberties　that　serve　as　sentinels

and　guardians　of　these　rights　…　security　for　life　and　property；　the

stability　of　the　law；　the　integrity　of　courts；　equality　of　citizens

before　the　law　and　under　taxation；　the　abolition　of　privileges　and

arbitrary　proceedings；　the　election　of　representatives　and　the

administration　of　public　funds。　　　Summing　it　up；　the　precious

guarantees　which　render　each　citizen　an　inviolable　sovereign　on　his

limited　domain；　which　protect　his　person　and　property　against　all

species　of　public　or　private　oppression　and　exaction；　which　maintain

him　calm　and　erect　before　competitors　as　well　as　adversaries；　upright

and　respectful　in　the　presence　of　magistrates　and　in　the　presence　of

the　government。



A　Malouet；　a　Mounier；　a　Mallet　du　Pan；　partisans　of　the　English

Constitution　and　Parliament；　may　be　content　with　such　trifling　gifts；

but　the　Jacobin　theory　holds　them　all　cheap；　and；　if　need　be；　will

trample　them　in　the　dust。　Independence　and　　security　for　the　private

citizen　is　not　what　it　promises；　not　the　right　to　vote　every　two

years；　not　a　moderate　exercise　of　influence；　not　an　indirect；　limited

and　intermittent　control　of　the　commonwealth；　but　political　dominion

in　the　full　and　complete　possession　of　France　and　the　French　people。

There　is　no　doubt　on　this　point。　In　Rousseau's　own　words；　the　〃Contrat

Social〃　prescribes　〃the　complete　alienation　to　the　community　of　each

associate　and　all　his　rights；〃　every　individual　surrendering　himself

wholly；　〃just　as　he　may　actually　be；　he　himself　and　all　his　powers　of

which　his　possessions　form　a　part；〃　so　that　the　state　not　only　the

recognized　owner　of　property；　but　of　minds　and　bodies　as　well；　may

forcibly　and　legitimately　impose　on　every　member　of　it　such　education；

form　of　worship；　religious　faith；　opinions　and　sympathies　as　it　deems

best。＇22＇　　Now　each　man；　solely　because　he　is　a　man；　is　by　right　a

member　of　this　despotic　sovereignty。　Whatever；　accordingly；　my

condition　may　be；　my　incompetence；　my　ignorance；　my　insignificance　in

the　career　in　which　I　have　plodded　along；　I　have　full　control　over　the

fortunes；　lives；　and　consciences　of　twenty…six　million　French　people；

being　accordingly　Czar　and　Pope；　according　to　my　share　of　authority。　…

…　But　if　I　adhere　strictly　to　this　doctrine；　I　am　yet　more　so　than　my

quota　warrants。　This　royal　prerogative　with　which　I　am　endowed　is　only

conferred　on　those　who；　like　myself；　sign　the　Social　Contract　in　full；

others；　merely　because　they　reject　some　clause　of　it；　incur　a

forfeiture；　no　one　must　enjoy　the　advantages　of　a　pact　of　which　some

of　the　conditions　are　repudiated。　…　Even　better；　as　this　pact　is　based

on　natural　right　and　is　obligatory；　he　who　rejects　it　or　withdraws

from　it；　becomes　by　that　act　a　miscreant；　a　public　wrong…doer　and　an

enemy　of　the　people。　There　were　once　crimes　of　royal　lèse…majesty；　now

there　are　crimes　of　popular　lèse…majesty。　Such　crimes　are　committed

when　by　deed；　word；　or　thought；　any　portion　whatever　of　the　more　than

royal　authority　belonging　to　the　people　is　denied　or　contested。　The

dogma　through　which　popular　sovereignty　is　proclaimed　thus　actually

ends　in　a　dictatorship　of　the　few；　and　a　proscription　of　the　many。

Outside　of　the　sect　you　are　outside　of　the　laws。　We；　the　five　or　six

thousand　Jacobins　of　Paris；　are　the　legitimate　monarch；　the　infallible

Pontiff；　and　woe　betide　the　refractory　and　the　lukewarm；　all

government　agents；　all　private　persons；　the　clergy；　the　nobles；　the

rich；　merchants；　traders；　the　indifferent　among　all　classes；　who；

steadily　opposing　or　yielding　uncertain　adhesion；　dare　to　throw　doubt

on　our　unquestionable　right。



One　by　one　these　consequences　are　to　come　into　light；　and　it　is

evident　that；　let　the　logical　machinery　by　which　they　unfold

themselves　be　what　it　may；　no　ordinary　person；　unless　of　consummate

vanity；　will　fully　adopt　them。　He　must　have　an　exalted　opinion　of

himself　to　consider　himself　sovereign　otherwise　than　by　his　vote；　to

conduct