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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 
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