democracy in america-1-第4节

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national　existence　have　everywhere　turned　to　the　advantage　of　democracy；　all　men　have　aided　it　by　their　exertions：　those　who　have　intentionally　labored　in　its　cause；　and　those　who　have　served　it　unwittingly；　those　who　have　fought　for　it　and　those　who　have　declared　themselves　its　opponents；　have　all　been　driven　along　in　the　same　track；　have　all　labored　to　one　end；　some　ignorantly　and　some　unwillingly；　all　have　been　blind　instruments　in　the　hands　of　God。

The　gradual　development　of　the　equality　of　conditions　is　therefore　a　providential　fact；　and　it　possesses　all　the　characteristics　of　a　divine　decree：　it　is　universal；　it　is　durable；　it　constantly　eludes　all　human　interference；　and　all　events　as　well　as　all　men　contribute　to　its　progress。　Would　it；　then；　be　wise　to　imagine　that　a　social　impulse　which　dates　from　so　far　back　can　be　checked　by　the　efforts　of　a　generation？　　Is　it　credible　that　the　democracy　which　has　annihilated　the　feudal　system　and　vanquished　kings　will　respect　the　citizen　and　the　capitalist？　　Will　it　stop　now　that　it　has　grown　so　strong　and　its　adversaries　so　weak？　　None　can　say　which　way　we　are　going；　for　all　terms　of　comparison　are　wanting：　the　equality　of　conditions　is　more　complete　in　the　Christian　countries　of　the　present　day　than　it　has　been　at　any　time　or　in　any　part　of　the　world；　so　that　the　extent　of　what　already　exists　prevents　us　from　foreseeing　what　may　be　yet　to　come。　

The　whole　book　which　is　here　offered　to　the　public　has　been　written　under　the　impression　of　a　kind　of　religious　dread　produced　in　the　author's　mind　by　the　contemplation　of　so　irresistible　a　revolution；　which　has　advanced　for　centuries　in　spite　of　such　amazing　obstacles；　and　which　is　still　proceeding　in　the　midst　of　the　ruins　it　has　made。　　It　is　not　necessary　that　God　himself　should　speak　in　order　to　disclose　to　us　the　unquestionable　signs　of　His　will；　we　can　discern　them　in　the　habitual　course　of　nature；　and　in　the　invariable　tendency　of　events：　I　know；　without　a　special　revelation；　that　the　planets　move　in　the　orbits　traced　by　the　Creator's　finger。　　If　the　men　of　our　time　were　led　by　attentive　observation　and　by　sincere　reflection　to　acknowledge　that　the　gradual　and　progressive　development　of　social　equality　is　at　once　the　past　and　future　of　their　history；　this　solitary　truth　would　confer　the　sacred　character　of　a　Divine　decree　upon　the　change。　　To　attempt　to　check　democracy　would　be　in　that　case　to　resist　the　will　of　God；　and　the　nations　would　then　be　constrained　to　make　the　best　of　the　social　lot　awarded　to　them　by　Providence。

The　Christian　nations　of　our　age　seem　to　me　to　present　a　most　alarming　spectacle；　the　impulse　which　is　bearing　them　along　is　so　strong　that　it　cannot　be　stopped；　but　it　is　not　yet　so　rapid　that　it　cannot　be　guided：　their　fate　is　in　their　hands；　yet　a　little　while　and　it　may　be　so　no　longer。　　The　first　duty　which　is　at　this　time　imposed　upon　those　who　direct　our　affairs　is　to　educate　the　democracy；　to　warm　its　faith；　if　that　be　possible；　to　purify　its　morals；　to　direct　its　energies；　to　substitute　a　knowledge　of　business　for　its　inexperience；　and　an　acquaintance　with　its　true　interests　for　its　blind　propensities；　to　adapt　its　government　to　time　and　place；　and　to　modify　it　in　compliance　with　the　occurrences　and　the　actors　of　the　age。　A　new　science　of　politics　is　indispensable　to　a　new　world。　　This；　however；　is　what　we　think　of　least；　launched　in　the　middle　of　a　rapid　stream；　we　obstinately　fix　our　eyes　on　the　ruins　which　may　still　be　described　upon　the　shore　we　have　left；　whilst　the　current　sweeps　us　along；　and　drives　us　backwards　towards　the　gulf。

In　no　country　in　Europe　has　the　great　social　revolution　which　I　have　been　describing　made　such　rapid　progress　as　in　France；　but　it　has　always　been　borne　on　by　chance。　　The　heads　of　the　State　have　never　had　any　forethought　for　its　exigencies；　and　its　victories　have　been　obtained　without　their　consent　or　without　their　knowledge。　　The　most　powerful；　the　most　intelligent；　and　the　most　moral　classes　of　the　nation　have　never　attempted　to　connect　themselves　with　it　in　order　to　guide　it。　　The　people　has　consequently　been　abandoned　to　its　wild　propensities；　and　it　has　grown　up　like　those　outcasts　who　receive　their　education　in　the　public　streets；　and　who　are　unacquainted　with　aught　but　the　vices　and　wretchedness　of　society。　　The　existence　of　a　democracy　was　seemingly　unknown；　when　on　a　sudden　it　took　possession　of　the　supreme　power。　Everything　was　then　submitted　to　its　caprices；　it　was　worshipped　as　the　idol　of　strength；　until；　when　it　was　enfeebled　by　its　own　excesses；　the　legislator　conceived　the　rash　project　of　annihilating　its　power；　instead　of　instructing　it　and　correcting　its　vices；　no　attempt　was　made　to　fit　it　to　govern；　but　all　were　bent　on　excluding　it　from　the　government。

The　consequence　of　this　has　been　that　the　democratic　revolution　has　been　effected　only　in　the　material　parts　of　society；　without　that　concomitant　change　in　laws；　ideas；　customs；　and　manners　which　was　necessary　to　render　such　a　revolution　beneficial。　　We　have　gotten　a　democracy；　but　without　the　conditions　which　lessen　its　vices　and　render　its　natural　advantages　more　prominent；　and　although　we　already　perceive　the　evils　it　brings；　we　are　ignorant　of　the　benefits　it　may　confer。

While　the　power　of　the　Crown；　supported　by　the　aristocracy；　peaceably　governed　the　nations　of　Europe；　society　possessed；　in　the　midst　of　its　wretchedness；　several　different　advantages　which　can　now　scarcely　be　appreciated　or　conceived。　　The　power　of　a　part　of　his　subjects　was　an　insurmountable　barrier　to　the　tyranny　of　the　prince；　and　the　monarch；　who　felt　the　almost　divine　character　which　he　enjoyed　in　the　eyes　of　the　multitude；　derived　a　motive　for　the　just　use　of　his　power　from　the　respect　which　he　inspired。　　High　as　they　were　placed　above　the　people；　the　nobles　could　not　but　take　that　calm　and　benevolent　interest　in　its　fate　which　the　shepherd　feels　towards　his　flock；　and　without　acknowledging　the　poor　as　their　equals；　they　watched　over　the　destiny　of　those　whose　welfare　Providence　had　entrusted　to　their　care。　　The　people　never　having　conceived　the　idea　of　a　social　condition　different　from　its　own；　and　entertaining　no　expectation　of　ever　ranking　with　its　chiefs；　received　benefits　from　them　without　discussing　their　rights。　　It　grew　attached　to　them　when　they　were　clement　and　just；　and　it　submitted　without　resistance　or　servility　to　their　exactions；　as　to　the　inevitable　visitations　of　the　arm　of　God。　　Custom；　and　the　manners　of　the　time；　had　moreover　created　a　species　of　law　in　the　midst　of　violence；　and　established　certain　limits　to　oppression。　　As　the　noble　never　suspected　that　anyone　would　attempt　to　deprive　him　of　the　privileges　which　he　believed　to　be　legitimate；　and　as　the　serf　looked　upon　his　own　inferiority　as　a　consequence　of　the　immutable　order　of　nature；　it　is　easy　to　imagine　that　a　mutual　exchange　of　good…will　took　place　between　two　classes　so　differently　gifted　by　fate。　Inequality　and　wretchedness　were　then　to　be　found　in　society；　but　the　souls　of　neither　rank　of　men　were　degraded。　　Men　are　not　corrupted　by　the　exercise　of　power　or　debased　by　the　habit　of　obedience；　but　by　the　exercise　of　a　power　which　they　believe　to　be　illegal　and　by　obedience　to　a　rule　which　they　consider　to　be　usurped　and　oppressive。　　On　one　side　was　wealth；　strength；　and　leisure；　accompanied　by　the　refinements　of　luxury；　the　elegance　of　taste；　the　pleasures　of　wit；　and　the　religion　of　art。　　On　the　other　was　labor　and　a　rude　ignorance；　but　in　the　midst　of　this　coarse　and　ignorant　multitude　it　was　not　uncommon　to　meet　with　energetic　passions；　generous　sentiments；　profound　religious　convictions；　and　independent　virtues。　The　body　of　a　State　thus　organized　might　boast　of　its　stability；　its　power；　and；　above　all；　of　its　glory。

But　the　scene　is　now　changed；　and　gradually　the　two　ranks　mingle；　the　divisions　which　once　severed　mankind　are　lowered；　property　is　divided；　power　is　held　in　common；　the　light　of　intelligence　spreads；　and　the　capacities　of　all　classes　are　equally　cultivated；　the　State　becomes　democratic；　and　the　empire　of　democracy　is　slowly　and　peaceably　introduced　into　the　institutions　and　the　manners　of　the　nation。　　I　can　conceive　a　society　in　which　all　men　would　profess　an　equal　attachment　and　respect　for　the　laws　of　which　they　are　the　common　authors；　in　which　the　authority　of　the　State　would　be　respected　as　necessary；　though　not　as　divine；　and　the　loyalty　of　the　subject　to　its　chief　magistrate　would　not　be　a　passion；　but　a　quiet　and　rational　persuasion。　Every　individual　being　in　the　possession　of　rights　which　he　is　sure　to　retain；　a　kind　of　manly　reliance　and　reciprocal　courtesy　would　arise　between　all　classes；　alike　removed　from　pride　and　meanness。　　The　people；　well　acquainted　with　its　true　interests；　would　allow　that　in　order　to　profit　by　the　advantages　of　society　it　is　necessary　to　satisfy　its　demands。　　In　this　state　of　things　the　voluntary　association　of　the　citizens　might　supply　the　individual　exertions　of　the　nobles；　and　the　community　would　be　alike　protected　from　anarchy　and　from　oppression。

I　admit　that；　in　a　democratic　State　thus　constituted；　society　will　not　be　stationary；　but　the　impulses　of　the　social　body　may　be　re