the origins of contemporary france-4-第29章
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quarter more; and brings in one quarter less; than when entrusted to
private hands。 Consequently if work were withheld from individuals in
order that the State might undertake it the community; when the
accounts came to be balanced; would suffer a loss of one…half。'16'
Now; this is true of all work; whether spiritual or material not only
of agricultural; industrial and commercial products; but; again; of
works of science and of art; of literature and philosophy; of charity;
of education and propaganda。 Not only when driven by egoism; such as
personal interest and vulgar vanity; but also when a disinterested
sentiment is involved; such the discovery of truth; the creation of
beauty; the propagation of a faith; the diffusion of convictions;
religious enthusiasm or natural generosity; love in a broad or a
narrow sense; spanning from one who embraces all humanity to one who
devotes himself wholly to his friends and kindred。 The effect is the
same in both cases; because the cause is the same。 Always; in the
shop directed by the free workman; the motivating force is enormous;
almost infinite; because it is a living spring which flows at all
hours and is inexhaustible。 The mother thinks constantly of her
child; the savant of his science; the artist of his art; the inventor
of his inventions; the philanthropist of his endowments; Faraday of
electricity; Stephenson of his locomotive; Pasteur of his microbes; De
Lesseps of his isthmus; sisters of charity of their poor。 Through
this peculiar concentration of thought; man derives every possible
advantage from human faculties and surroundings; he himself gets to be
a more and more perfect instrument; and; moreover; he fashions others:
with this he daily reduces the friction of the powerful machine which
he controls and of which he is the main wheel; he increases its yield
; he economizes; maintains; repairs and improves it with a capability
and success that nobody questions; in short; he fabricates in a
superior way。 … But this living source; to which the superiority of
the works is due; cannot be separated from the owner and chief; for it
issues from his own affections and deepest sentiments。 It is useless
without him; out of his hands; in the hands of strangers; the fountain
ceases to flow and production stops。 … If; consequently; a good and
large yield is required; he alone must have charge of the mill; he is
the resident owner of it; the one who sets it in motion; the born
engineer; installed and specially designed for that position。 In vain
may attempts be made to turn the stream elsewhere; there simply ensues
a stoppage of the natural issue; a dam barring useful canals; a
haphazard change of current not only without gain; but loss; the
stream subsiding in swamps or undermining the steep banks of a ravine。
At the utmost; the millions of buckets of water; forcibly taken from
private reservoirs; half fill with a good deal of trouble the great
central artificial basin in which the water; low and stagnant; is
never sufficient in quantity or force to move the huge public wheel
that replaces the small private wheels; doing the nation's work。
Thus; even when we only consider men as manufactures; even if we treat
them simply as producers of what is valuable and serviceable; with no
other object in view than to furnish society with supplies and to
benefit the consumers; even though the private domain includes all
enterprises undertaken by private individuals; either singly or
associated together; through personal interests or personal taste;
then this is enough to ensure that all is managed better than the
State could have done; it is by virtue of this that they have devolved
into their hands。 Consequently; in the vast field of labor; they
themselves decide on what they will undertake; they themselves; of
their own authority; set their own limits。 They may therefore enlarge
their own domain to any extent they please; and reduce indefinitely
the domain of the State。 On the contrary; the State cannot pretend to
more than what they leave; as they advance on their common territory
separated by vague frontiers; it is bound to recede and leave the
ground to them; whatever the task is; it should not perform it except
in case of their default; or their prolonged absence; or on proof of
their having abandoned it。
All the rest; therefore falls to the State; first; the offices which
they would never claim; and which they will deliberately leave in its
hands; because they do not have that indispensable instrument; called
armed force。 This force forces assures the protection of the
community against foreign communities; the protection of individuals
against one another; the levying of soldiers; the imposition of taxes;
the execution of the laws; the administration of justice and of the
police。 … Next to this; come matters of which the accomplishment
concerns everybody without directly interesting any one in particular
… the government of unoccupied territory; the administration of
rivers; coasts; forests and public highways; the task of governing
subject countries; the framing of laws; the coinage of money; the
conferring of a civil status; the negotiating in the name of the
community with local and special corporations; departments; communes;
banks; institutions; churches; and universities。 … Add to these;
according to circumstances; sundry optional co…operative services;'17'
such as subsidies granted to institutions of great public utility; for
which private contributions could not suffice; now in the shape of
concessions to corporations for which equivalent obligations are
exacted; and; again; in those hygienic precautions which individuals
fail to take through indifference; so occasionally; such provisional
aid as supports a man; or so stimulates him as to enable him some day
or other to support himself; and; in general; those discreet and
scarcely perceptible interpositions for the time being which prove so
advantageous in the future; like a far…reaching code and other
consistent regulations which; mindful of the liberty of the existing
individual; provide for the welfare of coming generations。 Nothing
beyond that。
Again; in this preparation for future welfare the same principle still
holds。
VII。
Fabrication of social instruments。 … Application of this principle。
… How all kinds of useful laborers are formed。 … Respect for
spontaneous sources; the essential and adequate condition。 …
Obligation of the State to respect these。 … They dry up when it
monopolizes them。 … The aim of patriotism。 … The aim of other
liberal dispositions。 … Impoverishment of all the productive
faculties。 … Destructive effect of the Jacobin system。
Among the precious products; the most precious and important are;
evidently; the animated instruments; namely the men; since they
produce the rest。 The object then; is to fashion men capable of
physical; mental or moral labor; the most energetic; the most
persistent; the most skillful and most productive; now; we already
know the conditions of their formation。 It is essential and
sufficient; that the vivacious sources; described above; should flow
there; on the spot; each through its natural outlet; and under the
control of the owner。 On this condition the jet becomes more
vigorous; for the acquired impetus increases the original outflow; the
producer becomes more and more skillful; since 'practice makes
perfect。' Those around him likewise become better workmen; inasmuch as
they find encouragement in his success and avail themselves of his
discoveries。 … Thus; simply because the State respects; and enforces
respect; for these individual sources in private hands; it develops in
individuals; as well as in those around them; the will and the talent
for producing much and well; the faculty for; and desire to; keep on
producing more and better; in other words; all sorts of energies and
capacities; each of its own kind and in its own place; with all
compatible fullness and efficiency。 Such is the office; and the sole
office; of the State; first in relation to the turbid and frigid
springs issuing from selfishness and self…conceit; whose operations
demand its oversight; and next for still stronger reasons; in relation
to the warm and pure springs whose beneficence is unalloyed; as in the
family affections and private friendships; again; in relation to those
rarer and higher springs; such as the love of beauty; the yearning for
truth; the spirit of association; patriotism and love of mankind; and;
finally; for still stronger reasons; in relation to the two most
sacred and salutary of all springs; conscience which renders will
subject to duty; and honor which makes will the support of justice。
Let the State prevent; as well as abstain from; any interference with
either; let this be its object and nothing more; its abstention is as
necessary as its vigilance。 Let it guard both; and it will see
everywhere growing spontaneously; hourly; each in degree according to
conditions of time and place; the most diligent and most competent
workmen; the agriculturist; the manufacturer; the merchant; the
savant; the artist; the inventor; the propagandist; the husband and
wife; the father and mother; the patriot; the philanthropist and the
sister of charity。
On the contrary; if; like our Jacobins; the State seeks to confiscate
every natural force to its own profit; it seeks to make affection for
itself paramount; if it strives to suppress all other passions and
interests; if it tolerates no other preoccupation than that which
concerns the common weal; if it tries to forcibly convert every member
of society into a Spartan or Jesuit; then; at enormous cost; will it
not only destroy private fountains; and spread devastation over the
entire territory; but it will destroy its own fountain…head。 We honor
the State only for the services it renders to us; and proportionately
to these services and the security it affords us; and to the liberty
which it ensures us under the title of universal benefactor; when it
deliberately wounds us through our dearest interests and most tender
affections; when it goes so far as to attack our honor and conscience;
when it becomes the universal wrong…doer; our affection for it; in the
course of time; turns into hatred。 Let this system be maintained; and
patriotism; exhausted; dries up; and; one by one; all other beneficent
springs; until; finally; nothing is visible over the whole country;
but stagnant pools or overwhelming torrents; inhabited by passive
subjects or depredators。 As in the Roman empire in the fourth
century; in Italy in the seventeenth century; in the Turkish provinces
in our own day; naught remains but an ill…conducted herd of stunted;
torpid creatures; limited to their daily wants and animal instincts;
indifferent to the public welfare and t