the origins of contemporary france-1-第75节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



historic　pact；　like　the　English　Declaration　of　Rights　in　1688；　or　the

Dutch　federation　in　1579；　entered　into　by　actual　and　living

individuals；　admitting　acquired　situations；　groups　already　formed；

established　positions；　and　drawn　up　to　recognize；　define；　guarantee

and　complete　anterior　rights。　　Antecedent　to　the　social　contract　no

veritable　right　exist；　for　veritable　rights　are　born　solely　out　of　the

social　contract；　the　only　valid　one；　since　it　is　the　only　one　agreed

upon　between　beings　perfectly　equal　and　perfectly　free；　so　many

abstract　creatures；　so　many　species　of　mathematical　units；　all　of　the

same　value；　all　playing　the　same　part　and　whose　inequality　or

constraint　never　disturbs　the　common　understanding。　　Hence　at　the

moment　of　its　completion；　all　other　facts　are　nullified。　　Property；

family；　church；　no　ancient　institution　may　invoke　any　right　against

the　new　State。　　The　area　on　which　it　is　built　up　must　be　considered

vacant；　if　old　structures　are　partly　allowed　to　remain　it　is　only　in

its　name　and　for　its　benefit；　to　be　enclosed　within　its　barriers　and

appropriated　to　its　use；　the　entire　soil　of　humanity　is　its　property。

On　the　other　hand　it　is　not；　according　to　the　American　doctrine；　an

association　for　mutual　protection；　a　society　like　other　societies；

circumscribed　in　its　purpose；　restricted　to　its　office；　limited　in　its

powers；　and　by　which　individuals　reserving　to　themselves　the　better

portion　of　their　property　and　persons；　assess　each　other　for　the

maintenance　of　an　army；　a　police；　tribunals；　highways；　schools；　in

short；　the　major　instruments　of　public　safety　and　utility；　at　the　same

time　withholding　the　remainder　of　local；　general；　spiritual　and

material　services　in　favor　of　private　initiative　and　of　spontaneous

associations　that　may　arise　as　occasion　or　necessity　calls　for　them。

Our　State　is　not　to　be　a　simple　utilitarian　machine；　a　convenient；

handy　implement；　of　which　the　workman　avails　himself　without

abandoning　the　free　use　of　his　hand；　or　the　simultaneous　use　of　other

implements。　　Being　elder　born；　the　only　son　and　sole　representative　of

Reason　it　must；　to　ensure　its　sway；　leave　nothing　beyond　its　grasp。　　…

In　this　respect　the　old　régime　paves　the　way　for　the　new　one；　while

the　established　system　inclines　minds　beforehand　to　the　budding

theory。　　Through　administrative　centralization　the　State　already；　for　a

long　time；　has　its　hands　everywhere。＇19＇



〃You　must　know；〃　says　Law　to　the　Marquis　d'Argenson；　〃that　the

kingdom　of　France　is　governed　by　thirty　intendants。　　You　have　neither

parliaments；　assemblies　or　governors；　simply　thirty　masters　of

requests；　provincial　clerks；　on　whom　depends　the　happiness　or　misery；

the　fruitfulness　or　sterility　of　these　provinces。〃



The　king；　in　fact；　sovereign；　father；　and　universal　guardian；

manages　local　affairs　through　his　delegates；　and　intervenes　in　private

affairs　through　his　favors　or　lettres…de…cachet（royal　orders　of

imprisonment）。　　Such　an　example　and　such　a　course　followed　for　fifty

years　excites　the　imagination。　　No　other　instrument　is　more　useful　for

carrying　large　reforms　out　at　one　time。　　Hence；　far　from　restricting

the　central　power　the　economists　are　desirous　of　extending　its　action。

Instead　of　setting　up　new　dikes　against　it　they　interest　themselves

only　in　destroying　what　is　left　of　the　old　dikes　still　interfering

with　it。　　〃The　system　of　counter…forces　in　a　government；〃　says　Quesnay

and　his　disciples；　〃is　a　fatal　idea　。　　。　　。　　The　speculations　on　which

the　system　of　counter…balance　is　founded　are　chimerical　。　　。　　。　　。　　Let

the　government　have　a　full　comprehension　of　its　duties　and　be　left

free。　　。　　。　　The　State　must　govern　according　to　the　essential　laws　of

order；　and　in　this　case　unlimited　power　is　requisite。〃　On　the　approach

of　the　Revolution　the　same　doctrine　reappears；　except　in　the

substitution　of　one　term　for　another　term。　　In　the　place　of　the

sovereignty　of　the　king　the　〃Contrat　social〃　substitutes　the

sovereignty　of　the　people。　　The　latter；　however；　is　much　more　absolute

than　the　former；　and；　in　the　democratic　convent　which　Rousseau

constructs；　on　Spartan　and　Roman　model；　the　individual　is　nothing　and

the　State　everything。



In　effect；　〃the　clauses　of　the　social　contract　reduce　themselves　to

one；　namely；　the　total　transfer　of　each　associate　with　all　his　rights

to　the　community。〃＇20＇　Every　one　surrenders　himself　entirely；　〃just　as

he　stands；　he　and　all　his　forces；　of　which　his　property　forms　a

portion。〃　There　is　no　exception　nor　reservation；　whatever　he　may　have

been　previously　and　whatever　may　have　belonged　to　him　is　no　longer　his

own。　　Henceforth　whatever　he　becomes　or　whatever　he　may　possess

devolves　on　him　only　through　the　delegation　of　the　social　body；　the

universal　proprietor　and　absolute　master。　　All　rights　must　be　vested　in

the　State　and　none　in　the　individual；　otherwise　there　would　be

litigation　between　them；　and；　〃as　there　is　no　common　superior　to

decide　between　them〃　their　litigation　would　never　end。　　One　the

contrary；　through　the　complete　donation　which　each　one　makes　of

himself；　〃the　unity　is　as　perfect　as　possible；〃　having　renounced

himself　〃he　has　no　further　claim　to　make。〃



This　being　admitted　let　us　trace　the　consequences。　　…



In　the　first　place；　I　enjoy　my　property　only　through　tolerance　and

at　second…hand；　for；　according　to　the　social　contract；　I　have

surrendered　it；＇21＇　〃it　now　forms　a　portion　of　the　national　estate；〃

If　I　retain　the　use　of　its　for　the　time　being　it　is　through　a

concession　of　the　State　which　makes　me　a　〃depositary〃　of　it。　　And　this

favor　must　not　be　considered　as　restitution。　　〃Far　from　accepting　the

property　of　individuals　society　despoils　them　of　it；　simply　converting

the　usurpation　into　a　veritable　right；　the　enjoyment　of　it　into

proprietorship。〃　Previous　to　the　social　contract　I　was　possessor　not

by　right　but　in　fact　and　even　unjustly　if　I　had　large　possessions；

for；　〃every　man　has　naturally　a　right　to　whatever　he　needs；〃　and　I

have　robbed　other　men　of　all　that　I　possessed　beyond　my　subsistence。

Hence；　so　far　from　the　State　being　under　obligation　to　me；　I　am　under

obligation　to　it；　the　property　which　it　returns　to　me　not　being　mine

but　that　with　which　the　State　favors　me。　　It　follows；　accordingly；　that

the　State　may　impose　conditions　on　its　gift；　limit　the　use　I　may　make

of　it；　according　to　its　fancy；　restrict　and　regulate　my　disposition　of

it；　my　right　to　bequeath　it。　　〃According　to　nature；＇22＇　the　right　of

property　does　not　extend　beyond　the　life　of　its　owner；　the　moment　he

dies　his　possessions　are　no　longer　his　own。　　Thus；　to　prescribe　the

conditions　on　which　he　may　dispose　of　it　is　really　less　to　change　his

right　in　appearance　than　to　extend　it　in　effect。〃　In　any　event　as　my

title　is　an　effect　of　the　social　contract　it　is　precarious　like　the

contract　itself；　a　new　stipulation　suffices　to　limit　it　or　to　destroy

it。　　〃The　sovereign＇23＇　may　legitimately　appropriate　to　himself　all

property；　as　was　done　in　Sparta　in　the　time　of　Lycurgus。〃　In　our　lay

convent　whatever　each　monk　possesses　is　only　a　revocable　gift　by　the

convent。



In　the　second　place；　this　convent　is　a　seminary。　　I　have　no　right　to

bring　up　my　children　in　my　own　house　and　in　my　own　way。



〃As　the　reason　of　each　man＇24＇　must　not　be　the　sole　arbiter　of　his

rights；　so　much　less　should　the　education　of　children；　which　is　of

more　consequence　to　the　State　than　to　fathers；　be　left　to　the

intelligence　and　prejudice　of　their　fathers。〃　〃If　public　authority；　by

taking　the　place　of　fathers；　by　assuming　this　important　function；　then

acquires　their　rights　through　fulfilling　their　duties；　they　have　so

much　the　less　reason　to　complain　inasmuch　as　they　merely　undergo　a

change　of　name；　and；　under　the　title　of　citizens；　exercise　in　common

the　same　authority　over　their　children　that　they　have　separately

exercised　under　the　title　of　fathers。〃



In　other　words　you　cease　to　be　a　father；　but；　in　exchange；　become　a

school　inspector；　one　is　as　good　as　the　other；　and　what　complaint　have

you　to　make？　Such　was　the　case　in　that　perpetual　army　called　Sparta；

there；　the　children；　genuine　regimental　children；　equally　obeyed　all

properly　formed　men。



〃Thus　public　education；　within　laws　prescribed　by　the　government

and　under　magistrates　appointed　by　sovereign　will；　is　one　of　the

fundamental　maxims　of　popular　or　legitimate　government。〃



Through　this　the　citizen　is　formed　in　Advance。



〃The　government　gives　the　national　form　to　souls。＇25＇　Nations；　in

the　long　run；　are　what　the　government　makes　them　…　soldiers；　citizens；

men　when　so　disposed；　a　populace；　canaille　if　it　pleases；〃　being

fashioned　by　their　education。　　〃Would　you　obtain　an　idea　of　public

education？　Read　Plato's　'Republic。'＇26＇。。。。　　The　best　social

institutions　are　those　the　best　qualified　to　change　man's　nature；　to

destroy　his　absolute　being；　to　give　him　a　relative　being；　and　to

convert　self　into　the　common　u