what is property-第58章

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so　thoroughly　that　in　idle　hands　money　became　only　dissolving　wealth；　a　false　symbol；　a　shadow　of　riches。　　An　excellent　economist　and　profound　philosopher　was　that　miser　who　took　as　his　motto；　〃WHEN　A　GUINEA　IS　EXCHANGED；　IT　EVAPORATES。〃　　So　it　may　be　said；　〃When　real　estate　is　converted　into　money；　it　is　lost。〃　　This　explains　the　constant　fact　of　history；　that　the　noblesthe　unproductive　proprietors　of　the　soilhave　every　where　been　dispossessed　by　industrial　and　commercial　plebeians。　　Such　was　especially　the　case　in　the　formation　of　the　Italian　republics；　born；　during　the　middle　ages；　of　the　impoverishment　of　the　seigniors。　　I　will　not　pursue　the　interesting　considerations　which　this　matter　suggests；　I　could　only　repeat　the　testimony　of　historians；　and　present　economical　demonstrations　in　an　altered　form。

The　greatest　enemy　of　the　landed　and　industrial　aristocracy　to…　day；　the　incessant　promoter　of　equality　of　fortunes；　is　the　BANKER。　　Through　him　immense　plains　are　divided；　mountains　change　their　positions；　forests　are　grown　upon　the　public　squares；　one　hemisphere　produces　for　another；　and　every　corner　of　the　globe　has　its　usufructuaries。　　By　means　of　the　Bank　new　wealth　is　continually　created；　the　use　of　which　（soon　becoming　indispensable　to　selfishness）　wrests　the　dormant　capital　from　the　hands　of　the　jealous　proprietor。　　The　banker　is　at　once　the　most　potent　creator　of　wealth；　and　the　main　distributor　of　the　products　of　art　and　Nature。　　And　yet；　by　the　strangest　antinomy；　this　same　banker　is　the　most　relentless　collector　of　profits；　increase；　and　usury　ever　inspired　by　the　demon　of　property。　　The　importance　of　the　services　which　he　renders　leads　us　to　endure；　though　not　without　complaint；　the　taxes　which　he　imposes。　　Nevertheless；　since　nothing　can　avoid　its　providential　mission；　since　nothing　which　exists　can　escape　the　end　for　which　it　exists　the　banker　（the　modern　Croesus）　must　some　day　become　the　restorer　of　equality。　　And　following　in　your　footsteps；　sir；　I　have　already　given　the　reason；　namely；　that　profit　decreases　as　capital　multiplies；　since　an　increase　of　capitalcalling　for　more　laborers；　without　whom　it　remains　unproductivealways　causes　an　increase　of　wages。　　Whence　it　follows　that　the　Bank；　to…day　the　suction…pump　of　wealth；　is　destined　to　become　the　steward　of　the　human　race。

The　phrase　EQUALITY　OF　FORTUNES　chafes　people；　as　if　it　referred　to　a　condition　of　the　other　world；　unknown　here　below。　　There　are　some　persons；　radicals　as　well　as　moderates；　whom　the　very　mention　of　this　idea　fills　with　indignation。　　Let；　then；　these　silly　aristocrats　abolish　mercantile　societies　and　insurance　companies；　which　are　founded　by　prudence　for　mutual　assistance。　　For　all　these　social　facts；　so　spontaneous　and　free　from　all　levelling　intentions；　are　the　legitimate　fruits　of　the　instinct　of　equality。

When　the　legislator　makes　a　law；　properly　speaking　he　does　not　MAKE　it；he　does　not　CREATE　it：　he　DESCRIBES　it。　　In　legislating　upon　the　moral；　civil；　and　political　relations　of　citizens；　he　does　not　express　an　arbitrary　notion：　he　states　the　general　idea；the　higher　principle　which　governs　the　matter　which　he　is　considering；　in　a　word；　he　is　the　proclaimer；　not　the　inventor；　of　the　law。　　So；　when　two　or　more　men　form　among　themselves；　by　synallagmatic　contract；　an　industrial　or　an　insurance　association；　they　recognize　that　their　interests；　formerly　isolated　by　a　false　spirit　of　selfishness　and　independence；　are　firmly　connected　by　their　inner　natures；　and　by　the　mutuality　of　their　relations。　　They　do　not　really　bind　themselves　by　an　act　of　their　private　will：　they　swear　to　conform　henceforth　to　a　previously　existing　social　law　hitherto　disregarded　by　them。　　And　this　is　proved　by　the　fact　that　these　same　men；　could　they　avoid　association；　would　not　associate。　　Before　they　can　be　induced　to　unite　their　interests；　they　must　acquire　full　knowledge　of　the　dangers　of　competition　and　isolation；　hence　the　experience　of　evil　is　the　only　thing　which　leads　them　into　society。

Now　I　say　that；　to　establish　equality　among　men；　it　is　only　necessary　to　generalize　the　principle　upon　which　insurance；　agricultural；　and　commercial　associations　are　based。　　I　say　that　competition；　isolation　of　interests；　monopoly；　privilege；　accumulation　of　capital；　exclusive　enjoyment；　subordination　of　functions；　individual　production；　the　right　of　profit　or　increase；　the　exploitation　of　man　by　man；　and；　to　sum　up　all　these　species　under　one　head；　that　PROPERTY　is　the　principal　cause　of　misery　and　crime。　　And；　for　having　arrived　at　this　offensive　and　anti…proprietary　conclusion；　I　am　an　abhorred　monster；　radicals　and　conservatives　alike　point　me　out　as　a　fit　subject　for　prosecution；　the　academies　shower　their　censures　upon　me；　the　most　worthy　people　regard　me　as　mad；　and　those　are　excessively　tolerant　who　content　themselves　with　the　assertion　that　I　am　a　fool。　　Oh；　unhappy　the　writer　who　publishes　the　truth　otherwise　than　as　a　performance　of　a　duty！　　If　he　has　counted　upon　the　applause　of　the　crowd；　if　he　has　supposed　that　avarice　and　self…interest　would　forget　themselves　in　admiration　of　him；　if　he　has　neglected　to　encase　himself　within　three　thicknesses　of　brass；he　will　fail；　as　he　ought；　in　his　selfish　undertaking。　　The　unjust　criticisms；　the　sad　disappointments；　the　despair　of　his　mistaken　ambition；　will　kill　him。

But；　if　I　am　no　longer　permitted　to　express　my　own　personal　opinion　concerning　this　interesting　question　of　social　equilibrium；　let　me；　at　least；　make　known　the　thought　of　my　masters；　and　develop　the　doctrines　advocated　in　the　name　of　the　government。

It　never　has　been　my　intention；　sir；　in　spite　of　the　vigorous　censure　which　you；　in　behalf　of　your　academy；　have　pronounced　upon　the　doctrine　of　equality　of　fortunes；　to　contradict　and　cope　with　you。　　In　listening　to　you；　I　have　felt　my　inferiority　too　keenly　to　permit　me　to　enter　upon　such　a　discussion。　　And　then；　if　it　must　be　said；however　different　your　language　is　from　mine；　we　believe　in　the　same　principles；　you　share　all　my　opinions。　　I　do　not　mean　to　insinuate　thereby；　sir；　that　you　have　（to　use　the　phraseology　of　the　schools）　an　ESOTERIC　and　an　EXOTERIC　doctrine；that；　secretly　believing　in　equality；　you　defend　property　only　from　motives　of　prudence　and　by　command。　　I　am　not　rash　enough　to　regard　you　as　my　colleague　in　my　revolutionary　projects；　and　I　esteem　you　too　highly；　moreover；　to　suspect　you　of　dissimulation。　　I　only　mean　that　the　truths　which　methodical　investigation　and　laborious　metaphysical　speculation　have　painfully　demonstrated　to　me；　a　profound　acquaintance　with　political　economy　and　a　long　experience　reveal　to　you。　　While　I　have　reached　my　belief　in　equality　by　long　reflection；　and　almost　in　spite　of　my　desires；　you　hold　yours；　sir；　with　all　the　zeal　of　faith；with　all　the　spontaneity　of　genius。　　That　is　why　your　course　of　lectures　at　the　Conservatory　is　a　perpetual　war　upon　property　and　inequality　of　fortunes；　that　is　why　your　most　learned　investigations；　your　most　ingenious　analyses；　and　your　innumerable　observations　always　conclude　in　a　formula　of　progress　and　equality；　that　is　why；　finally；　you　are　never　more　admired　and　applauded　than　at　those　moments　of　inspiration　when；　borne　upon　the　wings　of　science；　you　ascend　to　those　lofty　truths　which　cause　plebeian　hearts　to　beat　with　enthusiasm；　and　which　chill　with　horror　men　whose　intentions　are　evil。　　How　many　times；　from　the　place　where　I　eagerly　drank　in　your　eloquent　words；　have　I　inwardly　thanked　Heaven　for　exempting　you　from　the　judgment　passed　by　St。　Paul　upon　the　philosophers　of　his　time；〃They　have　known　the　truth；　and　have　not　made　it　known〃！　　How　many　times　have　I　rejoiced　at　finding　my　own　justification　in　each　of　your　discourses！　　No；　no；　I　neither　wish　nor　ask　for　any　thing　which　you　do　not　teach　yourself。　　I　appeal　to　your　numerous　audience；　let　it　belie　me　if；　in　commenting　upon　you；　I　pervert　your　meaning。

A　disciple　of　Say；　what　in　your　eyes　is　more　anti…social　than　the　custom…houses；　or；　as　you　correctly　call　them；　the　barriers　erected　by　monopoly　between　nations？　　What　is　more　annoying；　more　unjust；　or　more　absurd；　than　this　prohibitory　system　which　compels　us　to　pay　forty　sous　in　France　for　that　which　in　England　or　Belgium　would　bring　us　but　fifteen？　　It　is　the　custom…house；　you　once　said；＇1＇　which　arrests　the　development　of　civilization　by　preventing　the　specialization　of　industries；　it　is　the　custom…　house　which　enriches　a　hundred　monopolists　by　impoverishing　millions　of　citizens；　it　is　the　custom…house　which　produces　famine　in　the　midst　of　abundance；　which　makes　labor　sterile　by　prohibiting　exchange；　and　which　stifles　production　in　a　mortal　embrace。　　It　is　the　custom…house　which　renders　nations　jealous　of；　and　hostile　to；　each　other；　four…fifths　of　the　wars　of　all　ages　were　caused　originally　by　the　custom…house。　　And　then；　at　the　highest　pitch　of　your　enthusiasm；　you　shouted：　　〃Yes；　if　to　put　an　end　to　this　hateful　system；　it　should　become　necessary　for　me　to　shed　the　last　drop　of　my　blood；　I　would　joyfully　spring　into　the　gap；　asking　only　time　enough　to　give　thanks　to　God　for　having　judged　me　worthy　of　martyrdom！〃

＇1＇　　Lecture　of　Jan。　15；　1841。




And；　at　that　solemn　moment；　I　said　to　myself：　　〃Place　in　every　department　of　France　such　a　professor　as　that；　and　the　revolution　is　avoided。〃

But；　sir；　by　this　magnificent　theory　of　liberty　of　commerce　you　render　military　glory　impossible；you　leave　nothing　for　diplomacy　to　do；　you　even　take　away　the　desire　for　conquest；　while　abolishing　profit　altogether。　　What　matters　it；　indeed；　who　restores　Constantinople；　Alexandria；　and　Saint　Jean　d'Acre；　if　the　Syrians；　Egyptians；　and　Turks　are　free　to　choose　their　masters；　free　to　exchange　their　products　with　whom　they　please？　　Why　should　Europe　get　into　such　a　turmoil　over　this　petty　Sultan　and　his　old　Pasha；　if　it　is　only　a　question　whether　we　or　the　English　shall　civilize　the　Orient；shall　instruct　Egypt　and　Syria　in　the　European　arts；　and　shall　teach　them　to　construct　machines；　dig　canals；　and　build　railroads？　　For；　if　to　national　independence　free　trade　is　added；　the　foreign　influence　of　these　two　countries　is　thereafter　exerted　only　through　a　voluntary　relationship　of　producer　to　producer；　or　apprentice　to　journeyman。

Alone　among　European　powers；　France　cheerfully　accepted　the　task　of　civilizing　the　Orient；　and　began　an　invasion　which　was　quite　apostolic　in　its　character；so　joyful　and　high…minded　do　noble　thoughts　render　our　nation！　　But　diplomatic　rivalry；　national　selfishness；　English　avarice；　and　Russian　ambition　stood　in　her　way。　　To　consummate　a　long…meditated　usurpation；　it　was　necessary　to　crush　a　too　generous　ally：　the　robbers　of　the　Holy　Alliance　formed　a　league　against　dauntless　and　blameless　France。　　Consequently；　at　the　news　of　this　famous　treaty；　there　arose　among　us　a　chorus　of　curses　upon　the　principle　of　property；　which　at　that　time　was　acting　under　the　hypocritical　formulas　of　the　old　political　system。　　The　last　hour　of　property　seemed　to　have　struck　by　the　side　of　Syria；　from　the　Alps　to　the　ocean；　from　the　Rhine　to　the　Pyrenees；　the　popular　conscience　was　aroused。　　All　France　sang　songs　of　war；　and　the　coalition　turned　pale　at　the　sound　of　these　shuddering　cries：　　〃War　upon　the　autocrat；　who　wi