the origins of contemporary france-4-第18章

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walls　or　in　garrets；　under　floors；　pavements；　or　hearthstones；　or　in

chimneys　and　other　hiding　places；〃＇55＇　becomes　the　property　of　the

Republic；　with　a　premium　of　twenty　per　cent。　　in　assignats　to　the

informer。　　　As；　furthermore；　we　make　requisitions　for　bed…linen；

beds；　clothes；　provisions；　wines　and　the　rests；　along　with　specie　and

precious　metals；　the　condition　of　the　mansion　may　be　imagined；

especially　after　we　have　lodged　in　it；　it　is　the　same　as　if　the　house

had　been　on　fire；　all　movable　property　and　all　real　estate　have

perished。　　…　Now　that　both　are　destroyed　they　must　not　be　allowed　to

accumulate　again。　　To　ensure　this；



1。　　we　abolish；　according　to　rule；　the　freedom　of　bequest；＇56＇

2。　　we　prescribe　equal　and　obligatory　divisions　of　all

inheritances；＇57＇

3。　　we　include　bastards　in　this　under　the　same　title　as　legitimate

children；

4。　　we　admit　representation　à　l'infini；＇58＇　〃in　order　to　multiply

heirs　and　parcel　out　inheritances；〃＇59＇

5。　　we　reduce　the　disposable　portion　to　one…tenth；　in　the　direct　line；

and　one…sixth　in　a　collateral　line；

6。　　we　forbid　any　gift　to　persons　whose　income　exceeds　one　thousand

quintals　of　grain；

7。　　we　inaugurate　adoption；　〃an　admirable　institution；〃　and

essentially　republican；　〃since　it　brings　about　a　division　of　large

properties　without　a　crisis。〃

Already；　in　the　Legislative　Assembly　a　deputy　had　stated　that　〃equal

rights　could　be　maintained　only　by　a　persistent　tendency　to　uniformity

of　fortunes。〃＇60＇



We　have　provided　for　this　for　the　present　day　and　we　likewise　provide

for　it　in　the　future。　　…　None　of　the　vast　tumors　which　have　sucked　the

sap　of　the　human　plant　are　to　remain；　we　have　cut　them　away　with　a　few

telling　blows；　while　the　steady…moving　machine；　permanently　erected　by

us；　will　shear　off　their　last　tendrils　should　they　change　to　sprout

again。



VI。



Conditions　requisite　for　making　a　citizen。　　…　Plans　for　suppressing

poverty。　　　Measures　in　favor　of　the　poor。



In　returning　Man　to　his　natural　condition　we　have　prepared　for　the

advent　of　the　Social　Man。　　The　object　now　is　to　form　the　citizen；　and

this　is　possible　only　through　a　leveling　of　conditions。　　In　a　well

made　society　there　shall　be　〃neither　rich　nor　poor〃＇61＇：　we　have

already　destroyed　the　opulence　which　corrupts；　it　now　remains　for　us

to　suppress　the　poverty　which　degrades。　　Under　the　tyranny　of　material

things；　which　is　as　oppressive　as　the　tyranny　of　men；　Man　falls　below

himself。　　Never　will　a　citizen　be　made　out　of　a　poor　fellow　condemned

to　remain　valet；　hireling　or　beggar；　reduced　to　thinking　only　of

himself　and　his　daily　bread；　asking　in　vain　for　work；　or；　plodding

when　he　gets　it；　twelve　hours　a　day　at　a　monotonous　pursuit；　living

like　a　beast　of　burden　and　dying　in　a　alms…house。＇62＇　He　should　have

his　own　bread；　his　own　roof；　and　all　that　is　indispensable　for　life；

he　must　not　be　overworked；　nor　suffer　anxiety　or　constraint；



〃he　must　live　independently；　respect　himself；　have　a　tidy　wife　and

healthy　and　robust　children。〃＇63＇



The　community　should　guarantee　him　comfort；　security；　the　certainty　of

not　going　hungry　if　he　becomes　infirm；　and；　if　he　dies；　of　not　leaving

his　family　in　want。



　〃It　is　not　enough；〃　says　Barère；＇64＇　〃to　bleed　the　rich；　to　pull　down

colossal　fortunes；　the　slavery　of　poverty　must　be　banished　from　the

soil　of　the　Republic。　　No　more　beggars；　no　more　almsgiving；　no　poor…

houses〃。



　〃The　poor　and　unfortunates；〃　says　Saint　Just；　〃are　the　powerful　of

the　earth；　they　have　a　right　to　speak　as　masters　to　the　governments

which　neglect　them；＇65＇　they　have　a　right　to　national　charity。。。。　　In

a　democracy　under　construction；　every　effort　should　be　made　to　free

people　from　having　to　battle　for　the　bare　minimum　needed　for　survival；

by　labor　if　he　is　fit　for　work；　by　education　if　he　is　a　child；　or　with

public　assistance　if　he　is　an　invalid　or　in　old　age。〃＇66＇



　And　never　had　the　moment　been　so　favorable。　　〃Rich　in　property；　the

Republic　now　expects　to　use　the　many　millions　the　rich　would　have

spent　on　a　counter　revolution　for　the　improvement　of　the　conditions　of

its　less　fortunate　citizens。　　。　　。　　Those　who　would　assassinate

liberty　have　made　it　the　richer。　　The　possessions　of　conspirators

exist　for　the　benefit　of　the　unfortunate。〃＇67＇　　Let　the　poor　take

with　a　clear　conscience：　it　is　not　a　charity　but　〃an　indemnity〃　which

we　provide　for　them；　we　save　their　pride　by　providing　for　their

comfort；　and　we　relieve　them　without　humiliating　them。



〃We　leave　charity　and　benevolent　works　to　the　monarchies；　this

insolent　and　shabby　way　of　furnishing　assistance　is　fit　only　for

slaves　and　masters；　we　substitute　for　it　a　system　of　national　works　；

on　a　grand　scale；　over　the　whole　territory　of　the　Republic。〃＇68＇



On　the　other　hand；　we　cause　a　statement　to　be　drawn　up　in　each

commune；　of　〃the　condition　of　citizens　without　property；〃　and　〃of

national　possessions　not　disposed　of；〃　we　divide　these　possession　in

small　lots；　we　distribute　them　〃in　the　shape　of　national　sales〃　to

poor　folks　able　to　work。　　We　give；　〃through　the　form　of　rental；　〃an

acre　to　each　head　of　a　family　who　has　less　than　an　acre　of　his　own。

〃We　thus　bind　all　citizens　to　the　country　as　well　as　to　property。　　We

restore　idle　and　robust　arms　to　the　soil；　and　lost　or　weakened

families　to　the　workshops　in　the　towns。〃　…　As　to　old　and　infirm

farmers　or　craftsmen；　also　poor　mothers；　wives　and　widows　of　artisans

and　farmers；　we　keep　in　each　department　a　〃big　ledger　of　national

welfare；〃　we　inscribe　thereon　for　every　thousand　inhabitants；　four

farmers；　two　mechanics；　five　women；　either　mothers　or　widows；　each

registered　person　shall　be　pensioned　by　the　State；　the　same　as　a

maimed　soldier；　labor…invalids　are　as　respectable　as　war…invalids。　　…

Over　and　above　those　who　are　thus　aided　on　account　of　poverty；　we

relieve　and　elevate　the　entire　poor　class；　not　alone　the　thirteen

hundred　thousand　destitutes　counted　in　France；＇69＇　but；　again；　all

who；　having　little　or　no　means　on　hand；　live　from　day　to　day　on　what

they　can　earn。　　We　have　passed　a　law＇70＇　by　which　the　public　treasury

shall；　through　a　tax　on　large　fortunes；　〃furnish　to　each　commune　or

district　the　necessary　funds　for　adapting　the　price　of　bread　to　the

rate　of　wages。〃　Our　representatives　in　the　provinces　impose　on　the

wealthy　the　obligation　of　〃lodging；　feeding；　and　clothing　all　infirm；

aged；　and　indigent　citizens　and　orphans　of　their　respective

cantons。〃＇71＇　　Through　the　decree　on　monopolization　and　the

establishment　of　the　〃maximum〃　we　bring　within　reach　of　the　poor　all

objects　of　prime　necessity。　　We　pay　them　forty　sous　a　day　for

attending　district　meetings；　and　three　francs　a　day　for　serving　on

committees　of　surveillance。　　We　recruit　from　amongst　them　our

revolutionary　army；＇72＇　we　select　amongst　them　the　innumerable

custodians　of　sequesters：　in　this　way；　hundreds　of　thousands　of　sans…

culottes　enter　into　the　various　public　services。　　…　At　last；　the　poor

are　taken　out　of　a　state　of　poverty：　each　will　now　have　his　plot　of

ground；　his　salary　or　pension；



〃in　a　well…ordered　republic　nobody　is　without　some　property。〃＇73＇



Henceforth；　among　individuals；　the　difference　in　welfare　will　be

small；　from　the　maximum　to　the　minimum；　there　will　be　only　a　degree；

while　there　will　be　found　in　every　dwelling　about　the　same　sort　of

household；　a　plain；　simple　household；　that　of　the　small　rural

proprietor；　well…off　farmer　or　factory　foreman；　that　of　Rousseau　at

Montmorency；　or　that　of　the　Savoyard　Vicar；　or　that　of　Duplay；　the

carpenter；　with　whom　Robespierre　lodges。＇74＇　There　will　be　no　more

domestic　servitude：　〃only　the　bond　of　help　and　gratitude　will　exists

between　employer　and　employee。〃＇75＇　…　He　who　works　for　another　citizen

belongs　to　his　family　and　sits　at　his　table。〃＇76＇　…　Through　the

transformation　of　lower　social　classes　into　middle　class　conditions　we

restore　human　dignity；　and　out　of　the　proletarian；　the　valet　and　the

workman；　we　begin　to　liberate　the　citizen。



VII。



Repression　of　Egoism。　　…　Measures　against　farmers；　manufacturers　and

merchants。　　…　Socialist　projects。　　…　Repression　of　Federalism。　　…

Measures　against　the　local；　professional　and　family　spirit。



Two　leading　obstacles　hinder　the　development　of　civism；　and　the　first

is　egoism。　　Whilst　the　citizen　prefers　the　community　to　himself；　the

egoist　prefers　himself　to　the　community。　　He　cares　only　for　his　own

interest；　he　gives　no　heed　to　public　necessities；　he　sees　none　of　the

superior　rights　which　take　precedence　of　his　derived　right；　he

supposes　that　his　property　is　his　own　without　restriction　or

condition；　he　forgets　that；　if　he　is　allowed　to　use　it；　he　must　not

use　it　to　another's　detriment。＇77＇　This　even　the　middle　or　low　class；

who　possess　goods　essential　for　survival；　will　do。　　The　greater　the

demand　for　these　goods　the　higher　they　raise　their　prices；　soon；　they

sell　only　at　an　exorbitant　rate；　and　worse　still；　stop　selling　and

store　their　goods　or　products；　in　the　expectation　of　selling　them

dearer。　　In　this　way；　they　speculate　on　another's　wants；　they　augment

the　general　distress　and　become　public　enemies。　　Nearly　all　the

agriculturists；　manufacturers　and　tradesmen　of　the　day；　little　and

big；　are　public　enemies　…　farmers；　tenant　farmers；　market…gardeners；

cultivators　of　every　degree；　as　well　as　foremen；　shopkeepers；

especially　wine…dealers；　bakers　and　butchers。



〃All　merchants　are　essentially　anti…revolutionaries；　and　would　sell

their　country　to　gain　a　few　pennies。〃＇78＇



We　will　not　tolerate　this　legal　brigandage。　　Since　〃agriculture　has

done　nothing　for　liberty　and　has　sought　only　its　own　gain；〃＇79＇　we

will　put　it　under　surveillance；　and；　if　necessary；　under　control。

Since　〃commerce　has　become　a　species　of　miserly　tyrant；〃　since　〃it　has

become　self…paralyzed；〃　and；　〃through　a　sort　of　anti…revolutionary

contempt；　neglected　the　manufacture；　handling　and　expedition　of

diverse　materials；〃　we　will　thwart　〃the　calculations　of　its　barbarous

arithmetic；　and　purge　it　of　the　aristocratic　and　corrupting

fermentation　which　oppresses　it。〃　We　make　monopoly　〃a　capital

crime；〃＇80＇　we　call　him　a　monopolist　who　〃takes　food　and　wares　of

prime　necessity　out　of　circulation；〃　and　〃keeps　them　stored　without

daily　and　publicly　offering　them　for　sale。〃　Penalty　of　death　against

whoever；　within　eight　days；　does　not　make　a　declaration；　or　if　he

makes　a　false　one。　　Penalty　of　death　against　the　dealer　who　does　not

post　up　the　contents　of　his　warehouse；　or　who　does　not　keep　open　shop。

Penalty　of　death　against　any　person　who　keeps　more　bread　on　hand　than

he　needs　for　his　subsistence。＇81＇　Penalty　of　death　against　the

cultivator　who　does　not　bring　his　grain　weekly　to　market。　　Penalty　of

death　against　the　dealer　who　does　not　post　up　the　contents　of　his

warehouse；　or　who　does　not　keep　open　shop。　　Penalty　of　death　against

the　manufacturer　who