what is property-第75章

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！


derant　takes　for　property　is　only　a　privilege　of　extra　pay。　　In　Fourier's　system；　neither　the　created　capital　nor　the　increased　value　of　the　soil　are　divided　and　appropriated　in　any　effective　manner：　the　instruments　of　labor；　whether　created　or　not；　remain　in　the　hands　of　the　phalanx；　the　pretended　proprietor　can　touch　only　the　income。　　He　is　permitted　neither　to　realize　his　share　of　the　stock；　nor　to　possess　it　exclusively；　nor　to　administer　it；　whatever　it　be。　　The　cashier　throws　him　his　dividend；　and　then；　proprietor；　eat　the　whole　if　you　can！

The　system　of　Fourier　would　not　suit　the　proprietors；　since　it　takes　away　the　most　delightful　feature　of　property；the　free　disposition　of　one's　goods。　　It　would　please　the　communists　no　better；　since　it　involves　unequal　conditions。　　It　is　repugnant　to　the　friends　of　free　association　and　equality；　in　consequence　of　its　tendency　to　wipe　out　human　character　and　individuality　by　suppressing　possession；　family；　and　country；the　threefold　expression　of　the　human　personality。

Of　all　our　active　publicists；　none　seem　to　me　more　fertile　in　resources；　richer　in　imagination；　more　luxuriant　and　varied　in　style；　than　M。　Considerant。　　Nevertheless；　I　doubt　if　he　will　undertake　to　reestablish　his　theory　of　property。　　If　he　has　this　courage；　this　is　what　I　would　say　to　him：　　〃Before　writing　your　reply；　consider　well　your　plan　of　action；　do　not　scour　the　country；　have　recourse　to　none　of　your　ordinary　expedients；　no　complaints　of　civilization；　no　sarcasms　upon　equality；　no　glorification　of　the　phalanstery。　　Leave　Fourier　and　the　departed　in　peace；　and　endeavor　only　to　re…adjust　the　pieces　of　your　syllogism。　　To　this　end；　you　ought；　first；　to　analyze　closely　each　proposition　of　your　adversary；　second；　to　show　the　error；　either　by　a　direct　refutation；　or　by　proving　the　converse；　third；　to　oppose　argument　to　argument；　so　that；　objection　and　reply　meeting　face　to　face；　the　stronger　may　break　down　the　weaker；　and　shiver　it　to　atoms。　　By　that　method　only　can　you　boast　of　having　conquered；　and　compel　me　to　regard　you　as　an　honest　reasoner；　and　a　good　artillery…man。〃

I　should　have　no　excuse　for　tarrying　longer　with　these　phalansterian　crotchets；　if　the　obligation　which　I　have　imposed　upon　myself　of　making　a　clean　sweep；　and　the　necessity　of　vindicating　my　dignity　as　a　writer；　did　not　prevent　me　from　passing　in　silence　the　reproach　uttered　against　me　by　a　correspondent　of　〃La　Phalange。〃　　〃We　have　seen　but　lately；〃　says　this　journalist；＇1＇　〃that　M。　Proudhon；　enthusiast　as　he　has　been　for　the　science　created　by　Fourier；　is；　or　will　be；　an　enthusiast　for　any　thing　else　whatsoever。〃


＇1＇　　〃Impartial；〃　of　Besancon。




If　ever　sectarians　had　the　right　to　reproach　another　for　changes　in　his　beliefs；　this　right　certainly　does　not　belong　to　the　disciples　of　Fourier；　who　are　always　so　eager　to　administer　the　phalansterian　baptism　to　the　deserters　of　all　parties。　　But　why　regard　it　as　a　crime；　if　they　are　sincere？　　Of　what　consequence　is　the　constancy　or　inconstancy　of　an　individual　to　the　truth　which　is　always　the　same？　　It　is　better　to　enlighten　men's　minds　than　to　teach　them　to　be　obstinate　in　their　prejudices。　　Do　we　not　know　that　man　is　frail　and　fickle；　that　his　heart　is　full　of　delusions；　and　that　his　lips　are　a　distillery　of　falsehood？　　_Omnis　homo　meudax_。　　Whether　we　will　or　no；　we　all　serve　for　a　time　as　instruments　of　this　truth；　whose　kingdom　comes　every　day。

God　alone　is　immutable；　because　he　is　eternal。

That　is　the　reply　which；　as　a　general　rule；　an　honest　man　is　entitled　always　to　make；　and　which　I　ought　perhaps　to　be　content　to　offer　as　an　excuse；　for　I　am　no　better　than　my　fathers。　　But；　in　a　century　of　doubt　and　apostasy　like　ours；　when　it　is　of　importance　to　set　the　small　and　the　weak　an　example　of　strength　and　honesty　of　utterance；　I　must　not　suffer　my　character　as　a　public　assailant　of　property　to　be　dishonored。　　I　must　render　an　account　of　my　old　opinions。

Examining　myself；　therefore；　upon　this　charge　of　Fourierism；　and　endeavoring　to　refresh　my　memory；　I　find　that；　having　been　connected　with　the　Fourierists　in　my　studies　and　my　friendships；　it　is　possible　that；　without　knowing　it；　I　have　been　one　of　Fourier's　partisans。　　Jerome　Lalande　placed　Napoleon　and　Jesus　Christ　in　his　catalogue　of　atheists。　　The　Fourierists　resemble　this　astronomer：　if　a　man　happens　to　find　fault　with　the　existing　civilization；　and　to　admit　the　truth　of　a　few　of　their　criticisms；　they　straightway　enlist　him；　willy…nilly；　in　their　school。　　Nevertheless；　I　do　not　deny　that　I　have　been　a　Fourierist；　for；　since　they　say　it；　of　course　it　may　be　so。　　But；　sir；　that　of　which　my　ex…associates　are　ignorant；　and　which　doubtless　will　astonish　you；　is　that　I　have　been　many　other　things；in　religion；　by　turns　a　Protestant；　a　Papist；　an　Arian　and　Semi…Arian；　a　Manichean；　a　Gnostic；　an　Adamite　even　and　a　Pre…Adamite；　a　Sceptic；　a　Pelagian；　a　Socinian；　an　Anti…　Trinitarian；　and　a　Neo…Christian；＇1＇　in　philosophy　and　politics；　an　Idealist；　a　Pantheist；　a　Platonist；　a　Cartesian；　an　Eclectic　（that　is；　a　sort　of　_juste…milieu_）；　a　Monarchist；　an　Aristocrat；　a　Constitutionalist；　a　follower　of　Babeuf；　and　a　Communist。　　I　have　wandered　through　a　whole　encyclopaedia　of　systems。　　Do　you　think　it　surprising；　sir；　that；　among　them　all；　I　was　for　a　short　time　a　Fourierist？

＇1＇　　The　Arians　deny　the　divinity　of　Christ。　　The　Semi…Arians　differ　from　the　Arians　only　by　a　few　subtle　distinctions。　　M。　Pierre　Leroux；　who　regards　Jesus　as　a　man；　but　claims　that　the　Spirit　of　God　was　infused　into　him；　is　a　true　Semi…Arian。

The　Manicheans　admit　two　co…existent　and　eternal　principles；God　and　matter；　spirit　and　flesh；　light　and　darkness；　good　and　evil；　but；　unlike　the　Phalansterians；　who　pretend　to　reconcile　the　two；　the　Manicheans　make　war　upon　matter；　and　labor　with　all　their　might　for　the　destruction　of　the　flesh；　by　condemning　marriage　and　forbidding　reproduction；which　does　not　prevent　them；　however；　from　indulging　in　all　the　carnal　pleasures　which　the　intensest　lust　can　conceive　of。　　In　this　last　particular；　the　tendency　of　the　Fourieristic　morality　is　quite　Manichean。

The　Gnostics　do　not　differ　from　the　early　Christians。　　As　their　name　indicates；　they　regarded　themselves　as　inspired。　　Fourier；　who　held　peculiar　ideas　concerning　the　visions　of　somnambulists；　and　who　believed　in　the　possibility　of　developing　the　magnetic　power　to　such　an　extent　as　to　enable　us　to　commune　with　invisible　beings；　might；　if　he　were　living；　pass　also　for　a　Gnostic。

The　Adamites　attend　mass　entirely　naked；　from　motives　of　chastity。　　Jean　Jacques　Rousseau；　who　took　the　sleep　of　the　senses　for　chastity；　and　who　saw　in　modesty　only　a　refinement　of　pleasure；　inclined　towards　Adamism。　　I　know　such　a　sect；　whose　members　usually　celebrate　their　mysteries　in　the　costume　of　Venus　coming　from　the　bath。

The　Pre…Adamites　believe　that　men　existed　before　the　first　man。　　I　once　met　a　Pre…Adamite。　　True；　he　was　deaf　and　a　Fourierist。

The　Pelagians　deny　grace；　and　attribute　all　the　merit　of　good　works　to　liberty。　　The　Fourierists；　who　teach　that　man's　nature　and　passions　are　good；　are　reversed　Pelagians；　they　give　all　to　grace；　and　nothing　to　liberty。

The　Socinians；　deists　in　all　other　respects；　admit　an　original　revelation。　　Many　people　are　Socinians　to…day；　who　do　not　suspect　it；　and　who　regard　their　opinions　as　new。

The　Neo…Christians　are　those　simpletons　who　admire　Christianity　because　it　has　produced　bells　and　cathedrals。　　Base　in　soul；　corrupt　in　heart；　dissolute　in　mind　and　senses；　the　Neo…　Christians　seek　especially　after　the　external　form；　and　admire　religion；　as　they　love　women；　for　its　physical　beauty。　　They　believe　in　a　coming　revelation；　as　well　as　a　transfiguration　of　Catholicism。　　They　will　sing　masses　at　the　grand　spectacle　in　the　phalanstery。




For　my　part；　I　am　not　at　all　surprised；　although　at　present　I　have　no　recollection　of　it。　　One　thing　is　sure；that　my　superstition　and　credulity　reached　their　height　at　the　very　period　of　my　life　which　my　critics　reproachfully　assign　as　the　date　of　my　Fourieristic　beliefs。　　Now　I　hold　quite　other　views。　　My　mind　no　longer　admits　that　which　is　demonstrated　by　syllogisms；　analogies；　or　metaphors；　which　are　the　methods　of　the　phalanstery；　but　demands　a　process　of　generalization　and　induction　which　excludes　error。　　Of　my　past　OPINIONSS　I　retain　absolutely　none。　　I　have　acquired　some　KNOWLEDGE。　　I　no　longer　BELIEVE。　　I　either　KNOW；　or　am　IGNORANT。　　In　a　word；　in　seeking　for　the　reason　of　things；　I　saw　that　I　was　a　RATIONALIST。

Undoubtedly；　it　would　have　been　simpler　to　begin　where　I　have　ended。　　But　then；　if　such　is　the　law　of　the　human　mind；　if　all　society；　for　six　thousand　years；　has　done　nothing　but　fall　into　error；　if　all　mankind　are　still　buried　in　the　darkness　of　faith；　deceived　by　their　prejudices　and　passions；　guided　only　by　the　instinct　of　their　leaders；　if　my　accusers；　themselves；　are　not　free　from　sectarianism　（for　they　call　themselves　FOURIERISTS）；am　I　alone　inexcusable　for　having；　in　my　inner　self；　at　the　secret　tribunal　of　my　conscience；　begun　anew　the　journey　of　our　poor　humanity？

I　would　by　no　means；　then；　deny　my　errors；　but；　sir；　that　which　distinguishes　me　from　those　who　rush　into　print　is　the　fact　that；　though　my　thoughts　have　varied　much；　my　writings　do　not　vary。　　To…day；　even；　and　on　a　multitude　of　questions；　I　am　beset　by　a　thousand　extravagant　and　contradictory　opinions；　but　my　opinions　I　do　not　print；　for　the　public　has　nothing　to　do　with　them。　　Before　addressing　my　fellow…men；　I　wait　until　light　breaks　in　upon　the　chaos　of　my　ideas；　in　order　that　what　I　may　say　may　be；　not　the　whole　truth　（no　man　can　know　that）；　but　nothing　but　the　truth。

This　singular　disposition　of　my　mind　to　first　identify　itself　with　a　system　in　order　to　better　understand　it；　and　then　to　reflect　upon　it　in　order　to　test　its　legitimacy；　is　the　very　thing　which　disgusted　me　with　Fourier；　and　ruined　in　my　esteem　the　societary　school。　　To　be　a　faithful　Fourierist；　in　fact；　one　must　abandon　his　reason　and　accept　every　thing　from　a　master；　doctrine；　interpretation；　and　application。　　M。　Considerant；　whose　excessive　intolerance　anathematizes　all　who　do　not　abide　by　his　sovereign　decisions；　has　no　other　conception　of　Fourierism。　　Has　he　not　been　appointed　Fourier's　vicar　on　earth　and　pope　of　a　Church　which；　unfortunately　for　its　apostles；　will　never　be　of　this　world？　　Passive　belief　is　the　theological　virtue　of　all　sectarians；　especially　of　the　Fourierists。

Now；　this　is　what　happened　to　me。　　While　trying　to　demonstrate　by　argument　the　religion　of　which　I　had　become　a　follower　in　studying　Fourier；　I　suddenly　perceived　that　by　reasoning　I　was　becoming　incredulous；　that　on　each　article　of　the　creed　my　reason　and　my　faith　were　at　variance；　and　that　my　six　weeks'　labor　was　wholly　lost。　　I　saw　that　the　Fourieristsin　spite　of　their　inexhaustible　gabble；　and　their　extravagant　pretension　to　decide　in　all　thingswere　neither　savants；　nor　logicians；　nor　even　believers；　that　they　were　SCIENTIFIC　QUACKS；　who　were　led　more　by　their　self…love　than　their　conscience　to　labor　for　the　triumph　of　their　sect；　and　to　whom　all　means　were　good　that　would　reach　that　end。　　I　then　understood　why　to　the　Epicureans　they　promised　women；　wine；　mu