what is property-第54章

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；　inequality　of　wages　and　fortunes　（on　the　ground　of　inequality　of　capacities）　is；　therefore；　injustice　and　robbery。

VI。　The　necessary　conditions　of　commerce　are　the　liberty　of　the　contracting　parties　and　the　equivalence　of　the　products　exchanged。　　Now；　value　being　expressed　by　the　amount　of　time　and　outlay　which　each　product　costs；　and　liberty　being　inviolable；　the　wages　of　laborers　（like　their　rights　and　duties）　should　be　equal。

VII。　Products　are　bought　only　by　products。　　Now；　the　condition　of　all　exchange　being　equivalence　of　products；　profit　is　impossible　and　unjust。　　Observe　this　elementary　principle　of　economy；　and　pauperism；　luxury；　oppression；　vice；　crime；　and　hunger　will　disappear　from　our　midst。

VIII。　Men　are　associated　by　the　physical　and　mathematical　law　of　production；　before　they　are　voluntarily　associated　by　choice。　　Therefore；　equality　of　conditions　is　demanded　by　justice；　that　is；　by　strict　social　law：　esteem；　friendship；　gratitude；　admiration；　all　fall　within　the　domain　of　EQUITABLE　or　PROPORTIONAL　law　only。

IX。　Free　association；　libertywhose　sole　function　is　to　maintain　equality　in　the　means　of　production　and　equivalence　in　exchangesis　the　only　possible；　the　only　just；　the　only　true　form　of　society。

X。　Politics　is　the　science　of　liberty。　　The　government　of　man　by　man　（under　whatever　name　it　be　disguised）　is　oppression。　　Society　finds　its　highest　perfection　in　the　union　of　order　with　anarchy。

The　old　civilization　has　run　its　race；　a　new　sun　is　rising；　and　will　soon　renew　the　face　of　the　earth。　　Let　the　present　generation　perish；　let　the　old　prevaricators　die　in　the　desert！　the　holy　earth　shall　not　cover　their　bones。　　Young　man；　exasperated　by　the　corruption　of　the　age；　and　absorbed　in　your　zeal　for　justice！if　your　country　is　dear　to　you；　and　if　you　have　the　interests　of　humanity　at　heart；　have　the　courage　to　espouse　the　cause　of　liberty！　　Cast　off　your　old　selfishness；　and　plunge　into　the　rising　flood　of　popular　equality！　　There　your　regenerate　soul　will　acquire　new　life　and　vigor；　your　enervated　genius　will　recover　unconquerable　energy；　and　your　heart；　perhaps　already　withered；　will　be　rejuvenated！　　Every　thing　will　wear　a　different　look　to　your　illuminated　vision；　new　sentiments　will　engender　new　ideas　within　you；　religion；　morality；　poetry；　art；　language　will　appear　before　you　in　nobler　and　fairer　forms；　and　thenceforth；　sure　of　your　faith；　and　thoughtfully　enthusiastic；　you　will　hail　the　dawn　of　universal　regeneration！

And　you；　sad　victims　of　an　odious　law！you；　whom　a　jesting　world　despoils　and　outrages！you；　whose　labor　has　always　been　fruitless；　and　whose　rest　has　been　without　hope；take　courage！　your　tears　are　numbered！　　The　fathers　have　sown　in　affliction；　the　children　shall　reap　in　rejoicings！

O　God　of　liberty！　　God　of　equality！　　Thou　who　didst　place　in　my　heart　the　sentiment　of　justice；　before　my　reason　could　comprehend　it；　hear　my　ardent　prayer！　　Thou　hast　dictated　all　that　I　have　written；　Thou　hast　shaped　my　thought；　Thou　hast　directed　my　studies；　Thou　hast　weaned　my　mind　from　curiosity　and　my　heart　from　attachment；　that　I　might　publish　Thy　truth　to　the　master　and　the　slave。　　I　have　spoken　with　what　force　and　talent　Thou　hast　given　me：　it　is　Thine　to　finish　the　work。　　Thou　knowest　whether　I　seek　my　welfare　or　Thy　glory；　O　God　of　liberty！　　Ah！　perish　my　memory；　and　let　humanity　be　free！　　Let　me　see　from　my　obscurity　the　people　at　last　instructed；　let　noble　teachers　enlighten　them；　let　generous　spirits　guide　them！　Abridge；　if　possible；　the　time　of　our　trial；　stifle　pride　and　avarice　in　equality；　annihilate　this　love　of　glory　which　enslaves　us；　teach　these　poor　children　that　in　the　bosom　of　liberty　there　are　neither　heroes　nor　great　men！　　Inspire　the　powerful　man；　the　rich　man；　him　whose　name　my　lips　shall　never　pronounce　in　Thy　presence；　with　a　horror　of　his　crimes；　let　him　be　the　first　to　apply　for　admission　to　the　redeemed　society；　let　the　promptness　of　his　repentance　be　the　ground　of　his　forgiveness！　　Then；　great　and　small；　wise　and　foolish；　rich　and　poor；　will　unite　in　an　ineffable　fraternity；　and；　singing　in　unison　a　new　hymn；　will　rebuild　Thy　altar；　O　God　of　liberty　and　equality！


END　OF　FIRST　MEMOIR。




WHAT　IS　PROPERTY？

SECOND　MEMOIR

A　LETTER　TO　M。　BLANQUI。



WHAT　IS　PROPERTY？

A　LETTER　TO　M。　BLANQUI。

SECOND　MEMOIR。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　PARIS；　April　1；　1841。　MONSIEUR；　Before　resuming　my　〃Inquiries　into　Government　and　Property；〃　it　is　fitting；　for　the　satisfaction　of　some　worthy　people；　and　also　in　the　interest　of　order；　that　I　should　make　to　you　a　plain；　straightforward　explanation。　　In　a　much…governed　State；　no　one　would　be　allowed　to　attack　the　external　form　of　the　society；　and　the　groundwork　of　its　institutions；　until　he　had　established　his　right　to　do　so；first；　by　his　morality；　second；　by　his　capacity；　and；　third；　by　the　purity　of　his　intentions。　　Any　one　who；　wishing　to　publish　a　treatise　upon　the　constitution　of　the　country；　could　not　satisfy　this　threefold　condition；　would　be　obliged　to　procure　the　endorsement　of　a　responsible　patron　possessing　the　requisite　qualifications。

But　we　Frenchmen　have　the　liberty　of　the　press。　　This　grand　rightthe　sword　of　thought；　which　elevates　the　virtuous　citizen　to　the　rank　of　legislator；　and　makes　the　malicious　citizen　an　agent　of　discordfrees　us　from　all　preliminary　responsibility　to　the　law；　but　it　does　not　release　us　from　our　internal　obligation　to　render　a　public　account　of　our　sentiments　and　thoughts。　　I　have　used；　in　all　its　fulness；　and　concerning　an　important　question；　the　right　which　the　charter　grants　us。　　I　come　to…day；　sir；　to　submit　my　conscience　to　your　judgment；　and　my　feeble　insight　to　your　discriminating　reason。　　You　have　criticised　in　a　kindly　spiritI　had　almost　said　with　partiality　for　the　writer　a　work　which　teaches　a　doctrine　that　you　thought　it　your　duty　to　condemn。　　〃The　Academy　of　Moral　and　Political　Sciences；〃　said　you　in　your　report；　〃can　accept　the　conclusions　of　the　author　only　as　far　as　it　likes。〃　　I　venture　to　hope；　sir；　that；　after　you　have　read　this　letter；　if　your　prudence　still　restrains　you；　your　fairness　will　induce　you　to　do　me　justice。

MEN；　EQUAL　IN　THE　DIGNITY　OF　THEIR　PERSONS　AND　EQUAL　BEFORE　THE　LAW；　SHOULD　BE　EQUAL　IN　THEIR　CONDITIONS；such　is　the　thesis　which　I　maintained　and　developed　in　a　memoir　bearing　the　title；　〃What　is　Property？　or；　An　Inquiry　into　the　Principle　of　Right　and　of　Government。〃

The　idea　of　social　equality；　even　in　individual　fortunes；　has　in　all　ages　besieged；　like　a　vague　presentiment；　the　human　imagination。　　Poets　have　sung　of　it　in　their　hymns；　philosophers　have　dreamed　of　it　in　their　Utopias；　priests　teach　it；　but　only　for　the　spiritual　world。　　The　people；　governed　by　it；　never　have　had　faith　in　it；　and　the　civil　power　is　never　more　disturbed　than　by　the　fables　of　the　age　of　gold　and　the　reign　of　Astrea。　　A　year　ago；　however；　this　idea　received　a　scientific　demonstration；　which　has　not　yet　been　satisfactorily　answered；　and；　permit　me　to　add；　never　will　be。　　This　demonstration；　owing　to　its　slightly　impassioned　style；　its　method　of　reasoning；which　was　so　at　variance　with　that　employed　by　the　generally　recognized　authorities；and　the　importance　and　novelty　of　its　conclusions；　was　of　a　nature　to　cause　some　alarm；　and　might　have　been　dangerous；　had　it　not　beenas　you；　sir；　so　well　saida　sealed　letter；　so　far　as　the　general　public　was　concerned；　addressed　only　to　men　of　intelligence。　　I　was　glad　to　see　that　through　its　metaphysical　dress　you　recognized　the　wise　foresight　of　the　author；　and　I　thank　you　for　it。　　May　God　grant　that　my　intentions；　which　are　wholly　peaceful；　may　never　be　charged　upon　me　as　treasonable！

Like　a　stone　thrown　into　a　mass　of　serpents；　the　First　Memoir　on　Property　excited　intense　animosity；　and　aroused　the　passions　of　many。　　But；　while　some　wished　the　author　and　his　work　to　be　publicly　denounced；　others　found　in　them　simply　the　solution　of　the　fundamental　problems　of　society；　a　few　even　basing　evil　speculations　upon　the　new　light　which　they　had　obtained。　　It　was　not　to　be　expected　that　a　system　of　inductions　abstractly　gathered　together；　and　still　more　abstractly　expressed；　would　be　understood　with　equal　accuracy　in　its　ensemble　and　in　each　of　its　parts。

To　find　the　law　of　equality；　no　longer　in　charity　and　self…　sacrifice　（which　are　not　binding　in　their　nature）；　but　in　justice；　to　base　equality　of　functions　upon　equality　of　persons；　to　determine　the　absolute　principle　of　exchange；　to　neutralize　the　inequality　of　individual　faculties　by　collective　force；　to　establish　an　equation　between　property　and　robbery；　to　change　the　law　of　succession　without　destroying　the　principle；　to　maintain　the　human　personality　in　a　system　of　absolute　association；　and　to　save　liberty　from　the　chains　of　communism；　to　synthetize　the　monarchical　and　democratic　forms　of　government；　to　reverse　the　division　of　powers；　to　give　the　executive　power　to　the　nation；　and　to　make　legislation　a　positive；　fixed；　and　absolute　science；what　a　series　of　paradoxes！　what　a　string　of　delusions！　if　I　may　not　say；　what　a　chain　of　truths！　　But　it　is　not　my　purpose　here　to　pass　upon　the　theory　of　the　right　of　possession。　　I　discuss　no　dogmas。　　My　only　object　is　to　justify　my　views；　and　to　show　that；　in　writing　as　I　did；　I　not　only　exercised　a　right；　but　performed　a　duty。

Yes；　I　have　attacked　property；　and　shall　attack　it　again；　but；　sir；　before　demanding　that　I　shall　make　the　amende　honorable　for　having　obeyed　my　conscience　and　spoken　the　exact　truth；　condescend；　I　beg　of　you；　to　cast　a　glance　at　the　events　which　are　happening　around　us；　look　at　our　deputies；　our　magistrates；　our　philosophers；　our　ministers；　our　professors；　and　our　publicists；　examine　their　methods　of　dealing　with　the　matter　of　property；　count　up　with　me　the　restrictions　placed　upon　it　every　day　in　the　name　of　the　public　welfare；　measure　the　breaches　already　made；　estimate　those　which　society　thinks　of　making　hereafter；　add　the　ideas　concerning　property　held　by　all　theories　in　common；　interrogate　history；　and　then　tell　me　what　will　be　left；　half　a　century　hence；　of　this　old　right　of　property；　and；　thus　perceiving　that　I　have　so　many　accomplices；　you　will　immediately　declare　me　innocent。

What　is　the　law　of　expropriation　on　the　ground　of　public　utility；　which　everybody　favors；　and　which　is　even　thought　too　lenient？＇1＇

＇1＇　　In　the　Chamber　of　Deputies；　during　the　session　of　the　fifth　of　January；　1841；　M。　Dufaure　moved　to　renew　the　expropriation　bill；　on　the　ground　of　public　utility。




A　flagrant　violation　of　the　right　of　property。　　Society　indemnifies；　it　is　said；　the　dispossessed　proprietor；　but　does　it　return　to　him　the　traditional　associations；　the　poetic　charm；　and　the　family　pride　which　accompany　property？　　Naboth；　and　the　miller　of　Sans…Souci；　would　have　protested　against　French　law；　as　they　protested　against　the　caprice　of　their　kings。　　〃It　is　the　field　of　our　fathers；〃　they　would　have　cried；　〃and　we　will　not　sell　it！〃　　Among　the　ancients；　the　refusal　of　the　individual　limited　the　powers　of　the　State。　　The　Roman　law　bowed　to　the　will　of　the　citizen；　and　an　emperorCommodus；　if　I　remember　rightlyabandoned　the　project　of　enlarging　the　forum　out　of　respect　for　the　rights　of　the