democracy in america-1-第40章

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It　may　therefore　be　asserted　as　a　general　proposition　that　nothing　is　more　opposed　to　the　well…being　and　the　freedom　of　man　than　vast　empires。　Nevertheless　it　is　important　to　acknowledge　the　peculiar　advantages　of　great　States。　　For　the　very　reason　which　renders　the　desire　of　power　more　intense　in　these　communities　than　amongst　ordinary　men；　the　love　of　glory　is　also　more　prominent　in　the　hearts　of　a　class　of　citizens；　who　regard　the　applause　of　a　great　people　as　a　reward　worthy　of　their　exertions；　and　an　elevating　encouragement　to　man。　　If　we　would　learn　why　it　is　that　great　nations　contribute　more　powerfully　to　the　spread　of　human　improvement　than　small　States；　we　shall　discover　an　adequate　cause　in　the　rapid　and　energetic　circulation　of　ideas；　and　in　those　great　cities　which　are　the　intellectual　centres　where　all　the　rays　of　human　genius　are　reflected　and　combined。　　To　this　it　may　be　added　that　most　important　discoveries　demand　a　display　of　national　power　which　the　Government　of　a　small　State　is　unable　to　make；　in　great　nations　the　Government　entertains　a　greater　number　of　general　notions；　and　is　more　completely　disengaged　from　the　routine　of　precedent　and　the　egotism　of　local　prejudice；　its　designs　are　conceived　with　more　talent；　and　executed　with　more　boldness。　

In　time　of　peace　the　well…being　of　small　nations　is　undoubtedly　more　general　and　more　complete；　but　they　are　apt　to　suffer　more　acutely　from　the　calamities　of　war　than　those　great　empires　whose　distant　frontiers　may　for　ages　avert　the　presence　of　the　danger　from　the　mass　of　the　people；　which　is　therefore　more　frequently　afflicted　than　ruined　by　the　evil。

But　in　this　matter；　as　in　many　others；　the　argument　derived　from　the　necessity　of　the　case　predominates　over　all　others。　　If　none　but　small　nations　existed；　I　do　not　doubt　that　mankind　would　be　more　happy　and　more　free；　but　the　existence　of　great　nations　is　unavoidable。

This　consideration　introduces　the　element　of　physical　strength　as　a　condition　of　national　prosperity。　　It　profits　a　people　but　little　to　be　affluent　and　free　if　it　is　perpetually　exposed　to　be　pillaged　or　subjugated；　the　number　of　its　manufactures　and　the　extent　of　its　commerce　are　of　small　advantage　if　another　nation　has　the　empire　of　the　seas　and　gives　the　law　in　all　the　markets　of　the　globe。　　Small　nations　are　often　impoverished；　not　because　they　are　small；　but　because　they　are　weak；　the　great　empires　prosper　less　because　they　are　great　than　because　they　are　strong。　　Physical　strength　is　therefore　one　of　the　first　conditions　of　the　happiness　and　even　of　the　existence　of　nations。　　Hence　it　occurs　that；　unless　very　peculiar　circumstances　intervene；　small　nations　are　always　united　to　large　empires　in　the　end；　either　by　force　or　by　their　own　consent：　yet　I　am　unacquainted　with　a　more　deplorable　spectacle　than　that　of　a　people　unable　either　to　defend　or　to　maintain　its　independence。

The　Federal　system　was　created　with　the　intention　of　combining　the　different　advantages　which　result　from　the　greater　and　the　lesser　extent　of　nations；　and　a　single　glance　over　the　United　States　of　America　suffices　to　discover　the　advantages　which　they　have　derived　from　its　adoption。

In　great　centralized　nations　the　legislator　is　obliged　to　impart　a　character　of　uniformity　to　the　laws　which　does　not　always　suit　the　diversity　of　customs　and　of　districts；　as　he　takes　no　cognizance　of　special　cases；　he　can　only　proceed　upon　general　principles；　and　the　population　is　obliged　to　conform　to　the　exigencies　of　the　legislation；　since　the　legislation　cannot　adapt　itself　to　the　exigencies　and　the　customs　of　the　population；　which　is　the　cause　of　endless　trouble　and　misery。　　This　disadvantage　does　not　exist　in　confederations。　　Congress　regulates　the　principal　measures　of　the　national　Government；　and　all　the　details　of　the　administration　are　reserved　to　the　provincial　legislatures。　　It　is　impossible　to　imagine　how　much　this　division　of　sovereignty　contributes　to　the　well…being　of　each　of　the　States　which　compose　the　Union。　　In　these　small　communities；　which　are　never　agitated　by　the　desire　of　aggrandizement　or　the　cares　of　self…defence；　all　public　authority　and　private　energy　is　employed　in　internal　amelioration。　　The　central　government　of　each　State；　which　is　in　immediate　juxtaposition　to　the　citizens；　is　daily　apprised　of　the　wants　which　arise　in　society；　and　new　projects　are　proposed　every　year；　which　are　discussed　either　at　town　meetings　or　by　the　legislature　of　the　State；　and　which　are　transmitted　by　the　press　to　stimulate　the　zeal　and　to　excite　the　interest　of　the　citizens。　　This　spirit　of　amelioration　is　constantly　alive　in　the　American　republics；　without　compromising　their　tranquillity；　the　ambition　of　power　yields　to　the　less　refined　and　less　dangerous　love　of　comfort。　　It　is　generally　believed　in　America　that　the　existence　and　the　permanence　of　the　republican　form　of　government　in　the　New　World　depend　upon　the　existence　and　the　permanence　of　the　Federal　system；　and　it　is　not　unusual　to　attribute　a　large　share　of　the　misfortunes　which　have　befallen　the　new　States　of　South　America　to　the　injudicious　erection　of　great　republics；　instead　of　a　divided　and　confederate　sovereignty。

It　is　incontestably　true　that　the　love　and　the　habits　of　republican　government　in　the　United　States　were　engendered　in　the　townships　and　in　the　provincial　assemblies。　　In　a　small　State；　like　that　of　Connecticut　for　instance；　where　cutting　a　canal　or　laying　down　a　road　is　a　momentous　political　question；　where　the　State　has　no　army　to　pay　and　no　wars　to　carry　on；　and　where　much　wealth　and　much　honor　cannot　be　bestowed　upon　the　chief　citizens；　no　form　of　government　can　be　more　natural　or　more　appropriate　than　that　of　a　republic。　　But　it　is　this　same　republican　spirit；　it　is　these　manners　and　customs　of　a　free　people；　which　are　engendered　and　nurtured　in　the　different　States；　to　be　afterwards　applied　to　the　country　at　large。　　The　public　spirit　of　the　Union　is；　so　to　speak；　nothing　more　than　an　abstract　of　the　patriotic　zeal　of　the　provinces。　　Every　citizen　of　the　United　States　transfuses　his　attachment　to　his　little　republic　in　the　common　store　of　American　patriotism。　In　defending　the　Union　he　defends　the　increasing　prosperity　of　his　own　district；　the　right　of　conducting　its　affairs；　and　the　hope　of　causing　measures　of　improvement　to　be　adopted　which　may　be　favorable　to　his　own　interest；　and　these　are　motives　which　are　wont　to　stir　men　more　readily　than　the　general　interests　of　the　country　and　the　glory　of　the　nation。

On　the　other　hand；　if　the　temper　and　the　manners　of　the　inhabitants　especially　fitted　them　to　promote　the　welfare　of　a　great　republic；　the　Federal　system　smoothed　the　obstacles　which　they　might　have　encountered。　　The　confederation　of　all　the　American　States　presents　none　of　the　ordinary　disadvantages　resulting　from　great　agglomerations　of　men。　　The　Union　is　a　great　republic　in　extent；　but　the　paucity　of　objects　for　which　its　Government　provides　assimilates　it　to　a　small　State。　　Its　acts　are　important；　but　they　are　rare。　　As　the　sovereignty　of　th　　Union　is　limited　and　incomplete；　its　exercise　is　not　incompatible　with　liberty；　for　it　does　not　excite　those　insatiable　desires　of　fame　and　power　which　have　proved　so　fatal　to　great　republics。　　As　there　is　no　common　centre　to　the　country；　vast　capital　cities；　colossal　wealth；　abject　poverty；　and　sudden　revolutions　are　alike　unknown；　and　political　passion；　instead　of　spreading　over　the　land　like　a　torrent　of　desolation；　spends　its　strength　against　the　interests　and　the　individual　passions　of　every　State。

Nevertheless；　all　commodities　and　ideas　circulate　throughout　the　Union　as　freely　as　in　a　country　inhabited　by　one　people。　　Nothing　checks　the　spirit　of　enterprise。　　Government　avails　itself　of　the　assistance　of　all　who　have　talents　or　knowledge　to　serve　it。　　Within　the　frontiers　of　the　Union　the　profoundest　peace　prevails；　as　within　the　heart　of　some　great　empire；　abroad；　it　ranks　with　the　most　powerful　nations　of　the　earth；　two　thousand　miles　of　coast　are　open　to　the　commerce　of　the　world；　and　as　it　possesses　the　keys　of　the　globe；　its　flags　is　respected　in　the　most　remote　seas。　　The　Union　is　as　happy　and　as　free　as　a　small　people；　and　as　glorious　and　as　strong　as　a　great　nation。

Why　The　Federal　System　Is　Not　Adapted　To　All　Peoples；　And　How　The　Anglo…Americans　Were　Enabled　To　Adopt　It

Every　Federal　system　contains　defects　which　baffle　the　efforts　of　the　legislator　…　The　Federal　system　is　complex　…　It　demands　a　daily　exercise　of　discretion　on　the　part　of　the　citizens　…　Practical　knowledge　of　government　common　amongst　the　Americans　…　Relative　weakness　of　the　Government　of　the　Union；　another　defect　inherent　in　the　Federal　system　…　The　Americans　have　diminished　without　remedying　it　…　The　sovereignty　of　the　separate　States　apparently　weaker；　but　really　stronger；　than　that　of　the　Union　…　Why？　…Natural　causes　of　union　must　exist　between　confederate　peoples　besides　the　laws　…　What　these　causes　are　amongst　the　Anglo…Americans　…　Maine　and　Georgia；　separated　by　a　distance　of　a　thousand　miles；　more　naturally　united　than　Normandy　and　Brittany　…　War；　the　main　peril　of　confederations　…　This　proved　even　by　the　example　of　the　United　States　…　The　Union　has　no　great　wars　to　fear　…　Why？　…　Dangers　to　which　Europeans　would　be　exposed　if　they　adopted　the　Federal　system　of　the　Americans。

When　a　legislator　succeeds；　after　persevering　efforts；　in　exercising　an　indirect　influence　upon　the　destiny　of　nations；　his　genius　is　lauded　by　mankind；　whilst；　in　point　of　fact；　the　geographical　position　of　the　country　which　he　is　unable　to　change；　a　social　condition　which　arose　without　his　co…operation；　manners　and　opinions　which　he　cannot　trace　to　their　source；　and　an　origin　with　which　he　is　unacquainted；　exercise　so　irresistible　an　influence　over　the　courses　of　society　that　he　is　himself　borne　away　by　the　current；　after　an　ineffectual　resistance。　　Like　the　navigator；　he　may　direct　the　vessel　which　bears　him　along；　but　he　can　neither　change　its　structure；　nor　raise　the　winds；　nor　lull　the　waters　which　swell　beneath　him。

I　have　shown　the　advantages　which　the　Americans　derive　from　their　federal　system；　it　remains　for　me　to　point　out　the　circumstances　which　rendered　that　system　practicable；　as　its　benefits　are　not　to　be　enjoyed　by　all　nations。　　The　incidental　defects　of　the　Federal　system　which　originate　in　the　laws　may　be　corrected　by　the　skill　of　the　legislator；　but　there　are　further　evils　inherent　in　the　system　which　cannot　be　counteracted　by　the　peoples　which　adopt　it。　These　nations　must　therefore　find　the　strength　necessary　to　support　the　natural　imperfections　of　their　Government。

The　most　prominent　evil　of　all　Federal　systems　is　the　very　complex　nature　of　the　means　they　employ。　　Two　sovereignties　are　necessarily　in　presence　of　each　other。　　The　legislator　may　simplify　and　equalize　the　action　of　these　two　sovereignties；　by　limiting　each　of　them　to　a　sphere　of　authority　accurately　defined；　but　he　cannot　combine　them　into　one；　or　prevent　them　from　coming　into　collision　at　certain　points。　　The　Federal　system　therefore　rests　upon　a　theory　which　is　necessarily　complicated；　and　which　demands　the　daily　exercise　of　a　considerable　share　of　discretion　on　the　part　of　those　it　gove