the ancien regime(古兵团)-第9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！
Well had it been； if the intermeddling of this bureaucracy had stopped
33
… Page 34…
THE ANCIEN REGIME
there。 But； by a process of evocation （as it was called）； more and more
causes； criminal as well as civil； were withdrawn from the regular
tribunals； to those of the intendants and the Council。 Before the intendant
all the lower order of people were generally sent for trial。 Bread…riots
were a common cause of such trials； and M。 de Tocqueville asserts that he
has found sentences； delivered by the intendant； and a local council chosen
by himself； by which men were condemned to the galleys； and even to
death。 Under such a system； under which an intendant must have felt it
his interest to pretend at all risks； that all was going right； and to regard
any disturbance as a dangerous exposure of himself and his chiefsone
can understand easily enough that scene which Mr。 Carlyle has dramatised
from Lacretelle； concerning the canaille； the masses； as we used to call
them a generation since：
〃A dumb generationtheir voice only an inarticulate cry。 Spokesman；
in the king's council； in the world's forum； they have none that finds
credence。 At rare intervals （as now； in 1775） they will fling down their
hoes； and hammers； and； to the astonishment of mankind； flock hither and
thither； dangerous； aimless； get the length even of Versailles。 Turgot is
altering the corn trade； abrogating the absurdest corn laws； there is dearth；
real； or were it even factitious； an indubitable scarcity of broad。 And so；
on the 2nd day of May； 1775； these waste multitudes do here； at Versailles
chateau； in widespread wretchedness； in sallow faces； squalor； winged
raggedness； present as in legible hieroglyphic writing their petition of
grievances。 The chateau…gates must be shut； but the king will appear on
the balcony and speak to them。 They have seen the king's face； their
petition of grievances has been； if not read； looked at。 In answer； two of
them are hanged； on a new gallows forty feet high； and the rest driven
back to their dens for a time。〃
Of course。 What more exasperating and inexpiable insult to the
ruling powers was possible than this？ To persist in being needy and
wretched； when a whole bureaucracy is toiling day and night to make
them prosperous and happy？ An insult only to be avenged in blood。
Remark meanwhile； that this centralised bureaucracy was a failure； that
after all the trouble taken to govern these masses； they were not governed；
34
… Page 35…
THE ANCIEN REGIME
in the sense of being made better； and not worse。 The truth is； that no
centralised bureaucracy； or so…called 〃paternal government；〃 yet invented
on earth； has been anything but a failure； or is it like to be anything else：
because it is founded on an error； because it regards and treats men as that
which they are not； as things； and not as that which they are； as persons。
If the bureaucracy were a mere Briareus giant； with a hundred hands；
helping the weak throughout the length and breadth of the empire； the
system might be at least tolerable。 But what if the Government were not
a Briareus with a hundred hands； but a Hydra with a hundred heads and
mouths； each far more intent on helping itself than on helping the people？
What if sub…delegates and other officials； holding office at the will of the
intendant； had to live； and even provide against a rainy day？ What if
intendants； holding office at the will of the Comptroller…General； had to do
more than live； and found it prudent to realise as large a fortune as
possible； not only against disgrace； but against success； and the dignity fit
for a new member of the Noblesse de la Robe？ Would not the system；
then； soon become intolerable？ Would there not be evil times for the
masses； till they became something more than masses？
It is an ugly name； that of 〃The Masses；〃 for the great majority of
human beings in a nation。 He who uses it speaks of them not as human
beings； but as things； and as things not bound together in one living body；
but lying in a fortuitous heap。 A swarm of ants is not a mass。 It has a
polity and a unity。 Not the ants but the fir… needles and sticks； of which
the ants have piled their nest； are a mass。
The term； I believe； was invented during the Ancien Regime。
Whether it was or not； it expresses very accurately the life of the many in
those days。 No one would speak； if he wished to speak exactly； of the
masses of the United States； for there every man is； or is presumed to be； a
personage； with his own independence； his own activities； his own rights
and duties。 No one； I believe； would have talked of the masses in the old
feudal times； for then each individual was someone's man； bound to his
master by ties of mutual service； just or unjust； honourable or base； but
still giving him a personality of duties and rights； and dividing him from
his class。
35
… Page 36…
THE ANCIEN REGIME
Dividing； I say。 The poor of the Middle Age had little sense of a
common humanity。 Those who owned allegiance to the lord in the next
valley were not their brothers； and at their own lord's bidding； they
buckled on sword and slew the next lord's men； with joyful heart and good
conscience。 Only now and then misery compressed them into masses；
and they ran together； as sheep run together to face a dog。 Some
wholesale wrong made them aware that they were brothers； at least in the
power of starving； and they joined in the cry which was heard； I believe； in
Mecklenburg as late as 1790： 〃Den Edelman wille wi dodschlagen。〃
Then； in Wat Tyler's insurrections； in Munster Anabaptisms； in Jacqueries；
they proved themselves to be masses； if nothing better； striking for awhile；
by the mere weight of numbers； blows terrible； though aimlesssoon to be
dispersed and slain in their turn by a disciplined and compact aristocracy。
Yet not always dispersed； if they could find a leader； as the Polish nobles
discovered to their cost in the middle of the seventeenth century。 Then
Bogdan the Cossack； a wild warrior； not without his sins； but having
deserved well of James Sobieski and the Poles； found that the
neighbouring noble's steward had taken a fancy to his windmill and his
farm upon the Dnieper。 He was thrown into prison on a frivolous charge；
and escaped to the Tatars； leaving his wife dishonoured； his house burnt；
his infant lost in the flames； his eldest son scourged for protesting against
the wrong。 And he returned； at the head of an army of Tatars； Socinians；
Greeks； or what not； to set free the serfs； and exterminate Jesuits； Jews；
and nobles； throughout Podolia； Volhynia； Red Russia； to desecrate the
altars of God； and slay his servants； to destroy the nobles by lingering
tortures； to strip noble ladies and maidens； and hunt them to death with the
whips of his Cossacks； and after defeating the nobles in battle after battle；
to inaugurate an era of misery and anarchy from which Poland never
recovered。
Thus did the masses of Southern Poland discover； for one generation at
least； that they were not many things； but one thing； a class； capable of
brotherhood and unity； though； alas！ only of such as belongs to a pack of
wolves。 But such outbursts as this were rare exceptions。 In general；
feudalism kept the people divided； and therefore helpless。 And as
36
… Page 37…
THE ANCIEN REGIME
feudalism died out； and with it the personal self…respect and loyalty which
were engendered by the old relations of master and servant； the division
still remained； and the people； in France especially； became merely masses；
a swarm of incoherent and disorganised things intent on the necessaries of
daily bread； like mites crawling over each other in a cheese。
Out of this mass were struggling upwards perpetually； all who had a
little ambition； a little scholarship； or a little money； endeavouring to
become members of the middle class by obtaining a Government
appointment。 〃A man；〃 says M。 de Tocqueville； 〃endowed with some
education and small means； thought it not decorous to die without having
been a Government officer。〃 〃Every man； according to his condition；〃
says a contemporary writer； 〃wants to be something by command of the
king。〃
It was not merely the 〃natural vanity〃 of which M。 de Tocqueville
accuses his countrymen； which stirred up in them this eagerness after
place； for we see the same eagerness in other nations of the Continent；
who cannot be accused （as wholes） of that weakness。 The fact is； a
Government place； or a Government decoration； cross； ribbon； or what not；
is； in a country where self…government is unknown or dead； the only
method； save literary fame； which is left to men in order to assert
themselves either to themselves or their fellow…men。
A British or American shopkeeper or farmer asks nothing of his
Government。 He can； if he chooses； be elected to some local office
（generally unsalaried） by the votes of his fellow…citizens。 But that is his
right； and adds
