democracy in america-1-第63章

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e　country　which　may　some　day　prove　fatal　to　its　liberties。

Power　Exercised　By　The　Majority　In　America　Upon　Opinion

In　America；　when　the　majority　has　once　irrevocably　decided　a　question；　all　discussion　ceases　…　Reason　of　this　…　Moral　power　exercised　by　the　majority　upon　opinion　…　Democratic　republics　have　deprived　despotism　of　its　physical　instruments　…　Their　despotism　sways　the　minds　of　men。

It　is　in　the　examination　of　the　display　of　public　opinion　in　the　United　States　that　we　clearly　perceive　how　far　the　power　of　the　majority　surpasses　all　the　powers　with　which　we　are　acquainted　in　Europe。　　Intellectual　principles　exercise　an　influence　which　is　so　invisible；　and　often　so　inappreciable；　that　they　baffle　the　toils　of　oppression。　　At　the　present　time　the　most　absolute　monarchs　in　Europe　are　unable　to　prevent　certain　notions；　which　are　opposed　to　their　authority；　from　circulating　in　secret　throughout　their　dominions；　and　even　in　their　courts。　　Such　is　not　the　case　in　America；　as　long　as　the　majority　is　still　undecided；　discussion　is　carried　on；　but　as　soon　as　its　decision　is　irrevocably　pronounced；　a　submissive　silence　is　observed；　and　the　friends；　as　well　as　the　opponents；　of　the　measure　unite　in　assenting　to　its　propriety。　　The　reason　of　this　is　perfectly　clear：　no　monarch　is　so　absolute　as　to　combine　all　the　powers　of　society　in　his　own　hands；　and　to　conquer　all　opposition　with　the　energy　of　a　majority　which　is　invested　with　the　right　of　making　and　of　executing　the　laws。

The　authority　of　a　king　is　purely　physical；　and　it　controls　the　actions　of　the　subject　without　subduing　his　private　will；　but　the　majority　possesses　a　power　which　is　physical　and　moral　at　the　same　time；　it　acts　upon　the　will　as　well　as　upon　the　actions　of　men；　and　it　represses　not　only　all　contest；　but　all　controversy。　　I　know　no　country　in　which　there　is　so　little　true　independence　of　mind　and　freedom　of　discussion　as　in　America。　　In　any　constitutional　state　in　Europe　every　sort　of　religious　and　political　theory　may　be　advocated　and　propagated　abroad；　for　there　is　no　country　in　Europe　so　subdued　by　any　single　authority　as　not　to　contain　citizens　who　are　ready　to　protect　the　man　who　raises　his　voice　in　the　cause　of　truth　from　the　consequences　of　his　hardihood。　If　he　is　unfortunate　enough　to　live　under　an　absolute　government；　the　people　is　upon　his　side；　if　he　inhabits　a　free　country；　he　may　find　a　shelter　behind　the　authority　of　the　throne；　if　he　require　one。　　The　aristocratic　part　of　society　supports　him　in　some　countries；　and　the　democracy　in　others。　　But　in　a　nation　where　democratic　institutions　exist；　organized　like　those　of　the　United　States；　there　is　but　one　sole　authority；　one　single　element　of　strength　and　of　success；　with　nothing　beyond　it。

In　America　the　majority　raises　very　formidable　barriers　to　the　liberty　of　opinion：　within　these　barriers　an　author　may　write　whatever　he　pleases；　but　he　will　repent　it　if　he　ever　step　beyond　them。　　Not　that　he　is　exposed　to　the　terrors　of　an　auto…da…fe；　but　he　is　tormented　by　the　slights　and　persecutions　of　daily　obloquy。　　His　political　career　is　closed　forever；　since　he　has　offended　the　only　authority　which　is　able　to　promote　his　success。　Every　sort　of　compensation；　even　that　of　celebrity；　is　refused　to　him。　Before　he　published　his　opinions　he　imagined　that　he　held　them　in　common　with　many　others；　but　no　sooner　has　he　declared　them　openly　than　he　is　loudly　censured　by　his　overbearing　opponents；　whilst　those　who　think　without　having　the　courage　to　speak；　like　him；　abandon　him　in　silence。　　He　yields　at　length；　oppressed　by　the　daily　efforts　he　has　been　making；　and　he　subsides　into　silence；　as　if　he　was　tormented　by　remorse　for　having　spoken　the　truth。

Fetters　and　headsmen　were　the　coarse　instruments　which　tyranny　formerly　employed；　but　the　civilization　of　our　age　has　refined　the　arts　of　despotism　which　seemed；　however；　to　have　been　sufficiently　perfected　before。　　The　excesses　of　monarchical　power　had　devised　a　variety　of　physical　means　of　oppression：　the　democratic　republics　of　the　present　day　have　rendered　it　as　entirely　an　affair　of　the　mind　as　that　will　which　it　is　intended　to　coerce。　Under　the　absolute　sway　of　an　individual　despot　the　body　was　attacked　in　order　to　subdue　the　soul；　and　the　soul　escaped　the　blows　which　were　directed　against　it　and　rose　superior　to　the　attempt；　but　such　is　not　the　course　adopted　by　tyranny　in　democratic　republics；　there　the　body　is　left　free；　and　the　soul　is　enslaved。　　The　sovereign　can　no　longer　say；　〃You　shall　think　as　I　do　on　pain　of　death；〃　but　he　says；　〃You　are　free　to　think　differently　from　me；　and　to　retain　your　life；　your　property；　and　all　that　you　possess；　but　if　such　be　your　determination；　you　are　henceforth　an　alien　among　your　people。　You　may　retain　your　civil　rights；　but　they　will　be　useless　to　you；　for　you　will　never　be　chosen　by　your　fellow…citizens　if　you　solicit　their　suffrages；　and　they　will　affect　to　scorn　you　if　you　solicit　their　esteem。　　You　will　remain　among　men；　but　you　will　be　deprived　of　the　rights　of　mankind。　　Your　fellow…creatures　will　shun　you　like　an　impure　being；　and　those　who　are　most　persuaded　of　your　innocence　will　abandon　you　too；　lest　they　should　be　shunned　in　their　turn。　　Go　in　peace！　　I　have　given　you　your　life；　but　it　is　an　existence　in　comparably　worse　than　death。〃

Monarchical　institutions　have　thrown　an　odium　upon　despotism；　let　us　beware　lest　democratic　republics　should　restore　oppression；　and　should　render　it　less　odious　and　less　degrading　in　the　eyes　of　the　many；　by　making　it　still　more　onerous　to　the　few。

Works　have　been　published　in　the　proudest　nations　of　the　Old　World　expressly　intended　to　censure　the　vices　and　deride　the　follies　of　the　times；　Labruyere　inhabited　the　palace　of　Louis　XIV　when　he　composed　his　chapter　upon　the　Great；　and　Moliere　criticised　the　courtiers　in　the　very　pieces　which　were　acted　before　the　Court。　　But　the　ruling　power　in　the　United　States　is　not　to　be　made　game　of；　the　smallest　reproach　irritates　its　sensibility；　and　the　slightest　joke　which　has　any　foundation　in　truth　renders　it　indignant；　from　the　style　of　its　language　to　the　more　solid　virtues　of　its　character；　everything　must　be　made　the　subject　of　encomium。　　No　writer；　whatever　be　his　eminence；　can　escape　from　this　tribute　of　adulation　to　his　fellow…citizens。　The　majority　lives　in　the　perpetual　practice　of　self…applause；　and　there　are　certain　truths　which　the　Americans　can　only　learn　from　strangers　or　from　experience。

If　great　writers　have　not　at　present　existed　in　America；　the　reason　is　very　simply　given　in　these　facts；　there　can　be　no　literary　genius　without　freedom　of　opinion；　and　freedom　of　opinion　does　not　exist　in　America。　　The　Inquisition　has　never　been　able　to　prevent　a　vast　number　of　anti…religious　books　from　circulating　in　Spain。　　The　empire　of　the　majority　succeeds　much　better　in　the　United　States；　since　it　actually　removes　the　wish　of　publishing　them。　　Unbelievers　are　to　be　met　with　in　America；　but；　to　say　the　truth；　there　is　no　public　organ　of　infidelity。　　Attempts　have　been　made　by　some　governments　to　protect　the　morality　of　nations　by　prohibiting　licentious　books。　　In　the　United　States　no　one　is　punished　for　this　sort　of　works；　but　no　one　is　induced　to　write　them；　not　because　all　the　citizens　are　immaculate　in　their　manners；　but　because　the　majority　of　the　community　is　decent　and　orderly。　


In　these　cases　the　advantages　derived　from　the　exercise　of　this　power　are　unquestionable；　and　I　am　simply　discussing　the　nature　of　the　power　itself。　This　irresistible　authority　is　a　constant　fact；　and　its　judicious　exercise　is　an　accidental　occurrence。

Effects　Of　The　Tyranny　Of　The　Majority　Upon　The　National　Character　Of　The　Americans

Effects　of　the　tyranny　of　the　majority　more　sensibly　felt　hitherto　in　the　manners　than　in　the　conduct　of　society　…　They　check　the　development　of　leading　characters　…　Democratic　republics　organized　like　the　United　States　bring　the　practice　of　courting　favor　within　the　reach　of　the　many　…　Proofs　of　this　spirit　in　the　United　States　…　Why　there　is　more　patriotism　in　the　people　than　in　those　who　govern　in　its　name。

The　tendencies　which　I　have　just　alluded　to　are　as　yet　very　slightly　perceptible　in　political　society；　but　they　already　begin　to　exercise　an　unfavorable　influence　upon　the　national　character　of　the　Americans。　　I　am　inclined　to　attribute　the　singular　paucity　of　distinguished　political　characters　to　the　ever…increasing　activity　of　the　despotism　of　the　majority　in　the　United　States。　　When　the　American　Revolution　broke　out　they　arose　in　great　numbers；　for　public　opinion　then　served；　not　to　tyrannize　over；　but　to　direct　the　exertions　of　individuals。　　Those　celebrated　men　took　a　full　part　in　the　general　agitation　of　mind　common　at　that　period；　and　they　attained　a　high　degree　of　personal　fame；　which　was　reflected　back　upon　the　nation；　but　which　was　by　no　means　borrowed　from　it。　

In　absolute　governments　the　great　nobles　who　are　nearest　to　the　throne　flatter　the　passions　of　the　sovereign；　and　voluntarily　truckle　to　his　caprices。　　But　the　mass　of　the　nation　does　not　degrade　itself　by　servitude：　it　often　submits　from　weakness；　from　habit；　or　from　ignorance；　and　sometimes　from　loyalty。　　Some　nations　have　been　known　to　sacrifice　their　own　desires　to　those　of　the　sovereign　with　pleasure　and　with　pride；　thus　exhibiting　a　sort　of　independence　in　the　very　act　of　submission。　　These　peoples　are　miserable；　but　they　are　not　degraded。　　There　is　a　great　difference　between　doing　what　one　does　not　approve　and　feigning　to　approve　what　one　does；　the　one　is　the　necessary　case　of　a　weak　person；　the　other　befits　the　temper　of　a　lackey。

In　free　countries；　where　everyone　is　more　or　less　called　upon　to　give　his　opinion　in　the　affairs　of　state；　in　democratic　republics；　where　public　life　is　incessantly　commingled　with　domestic　affairs；　where　the　sovereign　authority　is　accessible　on　every　side；　and　where　its　attention　can　almost　always　be　attracted　by　vociferation；　more　persons　are　to　be　met　with　who　speculate　upon　its　foibles　and　live　at　the　cost　of　its　passions　than　in　absolute　monarchies。　Not　because　men　are　naturally　worse　in　these　States　than　elsewhere；　but　the　temptation　is　stronger；　and　of　easier　access　at　the　same　time。　　The　result　is　a　far　more　extensive　debasement　of　the　characters　of　citizens。


Democratic　republics　extend　the　practice　of　currying　favor　with　the　many；　and　they　introduce　it　into　a　greater　number　of　classes　at　once：　this　is　one　of　the　most　serious　reproaches　that　can　be　addressed　to　them。　　In　democratic　States　organized　on　the　principles　of　the　American　republics；　this　is　more　especially　the　case；　where　the　authority　of　the　majority　is　so　absolute　and　so　irresistible　that　a　man　must　give　up　his　rights　as　a　citizen；　and　almost　abjure　his　quality　as　a　human　being；　if　te　intends　to　stray　from　the　track　which　it　lays　down。

In　that　immense　crowd　which　throngs　the　avenues　to　power　in　the　United　States　I　found　very　few　men　who　displayed　any　of　that　manly　candor　and　that　masculine　independence　of　opinion　which　frequently　distinguished　the　Americans　in　former　times；　and　which　constitutes　the　leading　feature　in　distinguished　characters；　wheresoever　they　may　be　found。　　It　seems；　at　first　sight；　as　if　all　the　m