the origins of contemporary france-4-第95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！



the　living　individual；　is　so　badly　accomplished；　against　so　many

obstacles；　interruptions；　uncertainties　and　deficiencies；　that　the

patient；　reduced　to　extreme　want；　asks　if　to…morrow　will　not　be　worse

than　to…day；　and　whether　his　semi…starvation　will　not　end　in　complete

starvation。



Nothing；　apparently；　is　simpler；　and　yet　really　more　complex；　than　the

physiological　process　by　which；　in　the　organized　body；　the　proper

restorative　food　flows　regularly　to　the　spot　where　it　is　needed；　among

the　innumerably　diverse　and　distant　cells。　　In　like　manner；　nothing　is

simpler　at　the　first　glance；　and　yet　more　complex；　than　the　economical

process　by　which；　in　the　social　organism；　provisions　and　other

articles　of　prime　necessity；　flow　of　themselves　to　all　points　of　the

territory　where　they　are　needed　and　within　reach　of　each　consumer。　　It

is　owing　to　this　that；　in　the　social　body　as　in　the　organized　body；

the　terminal　act　presupposes　many　others　anterior　to　and　co…ordinate

with　it；　a　series　of　elaborations；　a　succession　of　metamorphoses；　one

elimination　and　transportation　after　another；　mostly　invisible　and

obscure；　but　all　indispensable；　and　all　of　them　carried　out　by

infinitely　delicate　organs；　so　delicate　that；　under　the　slightest

pressure；　they　get　out　of　order；　so　dependent　on　each　other　that　an

injury　to　one　affects　the　operations　of　the　rest；　and　thus　suppresses

or　perverts　the　final　result　to　which；　nearly　or　remotely；　they　all

contribute。



Consider；　for　a　moment；　these　precious　economical　organs　and　their

mode　of　operation。　　In　any　tolerably　civilized　community　that　has

lasted　for　any　length　of　time；　they　consist；　first　in　rank；　of　those

who　possess　wealth　arising　from　the　accumulation　of　old　and　recent

savings；　that　is　to　say；　those　who　possess　any　sort　of　security；　large

or　small；　in　money；　in　notes；　or　in　kind；　whatever　its　form；　whether

in　lands；　buildings　or　factories；　in　canals；　shipping　or　machinery；　in

cattle　or　tools；　as　well　as　in　every　species　of　merchandise　or

produce。　　…　And　see　what　use　they　make　of　these：　each　person；

reserving　what　he　needs　for　daily　consumption；　devotes　his　available

surplus　to　some　enterprise；　the　capitalist　his　ready　money；　the　real…

estate　owner　his　land　and　tenements；　the　farmer　his　cattle；　seed　and

farming　implements；　the　manufacturer　his　mills　and　raw　material；　the

common…carrier　his　vessels；　vehicles　and　horses；　the　trader　his

warehouses　and　stock　of　goods　for　the　year；　and　the　retailer　his　shop

and　supplies　for　a　fortnight。　　To　which　everybody；　the　agriculturist；

merchant　and　manufacturer；　necessarily　adds　his　cash　on　hand；　the

deposits　in　his　bank　for　paying　the　monthly　salaries　of　his　clerks；

and　at　the　end　of　the　week；　the　wages　of　his　workmen。　　…　Otherwise；　it

would　be　impossible　to　till　the　soil；　to　build；　to　fabricate；　to

transport；　to　sell；　however　useful　the　work　might　be；　it　could　not　be

perfected；　or　even　begun；　without　a　preliminary　outlay　in　money　or　in

kind。　　In　every　enterprise；　the　crop　presupposes　labor　and　seed　corn。

If　I　want　to　dig　a　hole　I　am　obliged　to　hire　a　pick　and　the　arms　to

wield　it；　or；　in　other　terms；　to　make　certain　advances。　　But　these

advances　are　made　only　on　two　conditions：　first；　that　he　who　makes

them　is　able　to　make　them；　that　is　to　say；　that　he　is　the　possessor　of

an　available　surplus；　and　next；　being　the　owner　of　this　surplus；　that

he　desires　to　make　them；　with　this　proviso　that　he　may　gain　instead　of

losing　by　the　operation。　　…　If　I　am　wholly　or　partially　ruined；　if　my

tenants　and　farmers　do　not　pay　their　rent；＇2＇　if　my　lands　or　goods　do

not　bring　half　their　value　in　the　market；　if　the　net　proceeds　of　my

possessions　are　threatened　with　confiscation　or　pillage；　not　only　have

I　fewer　securities　to　dispose　of；　but；　again；　I　become　more　and　more

uneasy　about　the　future；　over　and　above　my　immediate　consumption　I

have　to　provide　for　a　prospective　consumption；　I　add　to　my　reserve

stores　especially　of　coin　and　provisions；　I　hold　on　to　the　remnant　of

my　securities　for　myself　and　those　who　belong　to　me；　they　are　no

longer　available　and　I　can　no　longer　make　loans　or　enter　upon　my

enterprise。　　And；　on　the　other　hand；　if　the　loan　or　enterprise；

instead　of　bringing　me　a　profit；　brings　me　loss；　if　the　law　is

powerless　or　fails　to　do　me　justice　and　adds　extra　to　ordinary　risks；

if　my　work　once　perfected　is　to　become　the　prey　of　the　government；　of

brigands　or　of　whoever　pleases　to　seize　it；　if　I　am　compelled　to

surrender　my　wares　and　merchandise　at　one…half　their　cost；　if　I　cannot

produce；　put　in　store；　transport　or　sell　except　by　renouncing　all

profit　and　with　the　certainty　of　not　getting　back　my　advances；　I　will

no　longer　make　loans　or　enter　upon　any　under…taking　whatever。



Such　is　the　disposition　and　situation　of　people　able　to　make　advances

in　anarchical　times；　when　the　State　falters　and　no　longer　performs　its

customary　service；　when　property　is　no　longer　adequately　protected　by

the　public　force；　when　jacqueries　overspread　the　country　and

insurrections　break　out　in　the　towns；　when　chateaux　are　sacked；

archives　burnt；　shops　broken　into；　provisions　carried　off　and

transportation　is　brought　to　a　halt；　when　rents　and　leases　are　no

longer　paid；　when　the　courts　dare　no　longer　convict；　when　the

constable　no　longer　dares　serve　a　warrant；　when　the　gendarmerie　holds

back；　when　the　police　fails　to　act；　when　repeated　amnesties　shield

robbers　and　incendiaries；　when　a　revolution　brings　into　local　and

central　power　dishonest　and　impoverished　adventurers　hostile　to　every

one　that　possesses　property　of　any　kind。　　…　Such　is　the　disposition

and　situation　of　all　who　are　in　possession　of　the　means　to　initiate

projects　in　socialistic　times



*　when　the　usurping　State；　instead　of　protecting　private　property；

destroys　or　seizes　it；

*　when　it　takes　for　itself　the　property　of　many　of　the　great

corporations；

*　when　it　suppresses　legally　established　credits　without　indemnity；

*　when；　by　dint　of　expenditure　and　the　burdens　this　creates；　it

becomes　insolvent；

*　when；　through　its　paper…money　and　forced　circulation；　it　annuls

indebtedness　in　the　hands　of　the　creditor；　and　allows　the　debtor　to　go

scot…free；

*　when　it　arbitrarily　seizes　current　capital；

*　when　it　makes　forced　loans　and　requisitions；

*　when　its　tax　on　productions　surpasses　the　cost　of　production　and　on

merchandise　the　profit　on　its　sale；

*　when　it　constrains　the　manufacturer　to　manufacture　at　a　loss　and　the

merchant　to　sell　at　a　loss；

*　when　its　principles；　judged　by　its　acts；　indicate　a　progression　from

partial　to　a　universal　confiscation。　　…



Ineluctably　every　phase　of　disease　engenders　the　evil　which　follows：

it　is　like　a　poison　the　effects　of　which　spread　or　pass　onwards。　　Each

function；　affected　by　the　derangement　of　the　adjacent　one；　becoming

disturbed　in　its　turn。　　The　perils；　mutilation　and　suppression　of

property　diminish　available　securities　as　well　as　the　courage　that

risks　them；　that　is　to　say；　the　mode　of；　and　disposition　to；　make

advances。　　Through　a　lack　of　funds；　useful　enterprises　languish；　die

out　or　are　not　undertaken。　　Consequently；　the　production；　supply；　and

sale　of　indispensable　articles　slacken；　become　interrupted　and　cease

altogether。　　There　is　less　soap　and　sugar　and　fewer　candles　at　the

grocery；　less　wood　and　coal　in　the　wood…yard；　fewer　oxen　and　sheep　in

the　markets；　less　meat　at　the　butcher's；　less　grain　and　flour　at　the

corn…exchange；　and　less　bread　at　the　bakeries。　　As　articles　of　prime

necessity　are　scarce　they　become　dear；　as　people　contend　for　them

their　dearness　increases；　the　rich　man　ruins　himself　in　the　struggle

to　get　hold　of　them；　while　the　poor　man　never　gets　any；　and　the　bare

necessities　become　unattainable。



II。　　Conditions　in　1793。　　A　Lesson　in　Market　Economics。



Economical　effect　of　the　Jacobin　policy　from　1789　to　1793。　　…　Attacks

on　property。　　…　Direct　attacks。　　…　Jacqueries；　effective　confiscations

and　proclamation　of　the　socialist　creed。　　…　Indirect　attacks。　　…　Bad

administration　of　the　public　funds。　　…　Transformation　of　taxation　and

insignificance　of　the　returns。　　…　Increased　expenditures。　　…　The　War…

budget　and　subsistence　after　1793。　　…　Paper　money。　　…　Enormous　issues

of　it。　　…　Credit　of　the　Assignats　run　down。　　…　Ruin　of　Public

creditors　and　of　all　private　credit。　　…　Rate　of　interest　during　the

Revolution。　　…　Stoppage　of　trade　and　industry。　　…　Bad　management　of

new　land…owners。　　…　Decrease　of　productive　labor。　　…　Only　the　small

rural　land…owner　works　advantageously。　　…　Why　he　refuses　Assignats。　　…

He　is　no　longer　obliged　to　sell　his　produce　at　once。　　…　High　cost　of

food。　　…　It　reaches　a　market　with　difficulty　and　in　small　quantities。

…　The　towns　buy　at　a　high　price　and　sell　at　a　low　one。　　…　Food　becomes

dearer　and　famine　begins。　　…　Prices　during　the　first　six　months　of

1793。



Such　is　the　hardship　in　France　at　the　moment　when　the　Jacobin　conquest

has　been　completed；　a　misery　of　which　the　Jacobins　are　the　cause　due

to　the　systematic　war　they　have　waged　against　property　during　the

preceding　four　years。



From　below；　they　have　provoked；　excused；　amnestied；　or　tolerated　and

authorized　all　the　popular　attacks　on　property；＇3＇　countless

insurrections；　seven　successive　jacqueries；　some　of　them　so　extensive

as　to　cover　eight　or　ten　departments　at　the　same　time。　　The　last　one

let　loose　on　all　France　a　universal　and　lasting　brigandage；　the

arbitrary　rule　of　paupers；　vagabonds　and　ruffians；　every　species　of

robbery；　from　a　refusal　to　pay　rents　and　leases　to　the　sacking　of

chateaux　and　ordinary　domiciles；　even　to　the　pillage　of　markets　and

granaries。　　Free　scope　was　given　to　mobs　which；　under　a　political

pretext；　tax　and　ransom　the　〃suspects　〃　of　all　classes　at　pleasure；

not　alone　the　noble　and　the　rich　but　the　peaceable　farmer　and　well…to…

do　artisan。　　In　short；　the　country　reverted　back　to　a　natural　state；

the　sovereignty　of　appetites；　greed　and　lust；　to　mankind's　return　to　a

savage；　primitive　life　in　the　forests。　　Only　a　short　time　before；　in

the　month　of　February；　1793；　through　Marat's　recommendation；　and　with

the　connivance　of　the　Jacobin　municipality；　the　Paris　riff…raff　had

broken　into　twelve　hundred　groceries　and　divided　on　the　spot；　either

gratis　or　at　the　price　it　fixed；　sugar；　soap；　brandy　and　coffee。



From　above；　they　had　undertaken；　carried　out　and　multiplied　the　worst

assaults　on　property；　vast　spoliations　of　every　sort；　the　suppression

of　hundreds　of　millions　of　incomes　and　the　confiscation　of　billions　of

capital；　the　abolition　without　indemnity　of　tithes　and　quitrents；　the

expropriation　of　the　property　of　the　clergy；　of　emigrés；　that　of　the

order　of　Malta；　that　of　the　pious；　charitable　and　educational

associations　and　endowments；　even　laic；　seizures　of　plate；　of　the

sacred　vessels　and　precious　ornaments　of　the　churches。　　And；　because

they　have　the　power；　others　still　more