the origins of contemporary france-5-第87节

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ever。　Some；　even；　have　a　secular　history；　and　their　age　predicts　their

longevity。　In　the　countless　fleet　of　boats　which　so　constantly　sink；

and　which　are　so　constantly　replaced　by　others；　they　last　like　top

rated　liners。　The　men　from　the　flotilla　now　and　then　sign　on　these

large　vessels；　and　the　result　of　their　labor　is　not；　as　it　is　at　home；

futile　or　short…lived；　it　will　remain　above　the　surface　after　he　and

his　boat　have　disappeared。　It　has　entered　into　the　common　mass　of　work

which　owes　its　protection　to　its　mass；　undoubtedly　the　portion　he

contributes　may　be　worked　over　again　later　on；　but　its　substance

remains；　and　often　also　its　form：



*　like　a　precept　of　Jesus；

*　like　Archimedes'　theorem



which　rests　a　definite　acquisition；　intact　and　permanently　fixed　for

two　thousand　years；　immortal　from　the　first　day。　…　Consequently；　the

individual　may　take　an　interest；　no　longer　merely　in　his　own　boat；　but

again　in　some　ship；　in　this　or　that　particular　one；　in　this　or　that

association　or　community；　according　to　his　preferences　and　his

aptitudes；　according　to　attractiveness；　proximity；　and　convenience　of

access；　all　of　which　is　a　new　motivation　for　his　activities；　opposing

his　egoism；　which；　powerful　as　it　may　be；　may　still　be　overcome；　since

a　soul　might　be　very　generous　or　qualified　by　long　and　special

discipline。　Out　of　this　issues　every　sacrifice；　the　surrender　of

one's…self　to　one's　work　or　to　a　cause；



*　the　devotion　of　the　sister　of　charity　or　of　the　missionary；

*　the　abnegation　of　the　scientist　who　buries　himself　for　twenty　years

in　the　minutia　of　a　thankless　task；

*　the　heroism　of　the　explorer　who　risks　himself　on　a　desert　or　among

savages；

*　the　courage　of　the　soldier　who　stakes　his　life　in　defense　of　his

flag。



But　these　cases　are　rare；　with　the　mass　of　men；　and　in　most　of　their

actions；　personal　interest　prevails　against　common　interest；　while

against　the　egoistic　instinct　the　social　instinct　is　feeble。　Hence　the

danger　of　weakening　this。　The　temptation　of　the　individual　to　prefer

his　own　boat　to　the　large　ship　is　only　too　great；　if　it　is　desirable

for　him　to　go　aboard　and　work　there；　he　must　be　provided　with　the

facilities　and　motives　which　prompt　him　to　go　aboard　and　do　the　work；

at　the　very　least；　he　must　not　be　deprived　of　them。　Now；　that　depends

on　the　State；　a　sort　of　central　flag…ship；　the　only　one　that　is　armed；

and　which　has　all　subordinate　vessels　under　its　guns；　for；　whatever

the　society　may　be；　provincial　or　municipal；　educational　or

charitable；　religious　or　laic；　it　is　the　State　which　sanctions　or

adopts　its　statues；　good　or　bad；　and　which；　by　its　laws；　tribunals；

and　police；　insures　their　execution；　whether　rigidly　or　carelessly。

Therefore；　on　this　point；　it　is　responsible；　it　must　adopt　or　impose

the　proper　statute；　the　most　suitable　social　form　for　strengthening

the　social　instinct；　for　maintaining　disinterested　zeal；　for　the

encouragement　of　voluntary　and　gratuitous　labor。



This　form；　of　course；　differs　according　to　different　societies；　the

same　charter　or　constitution　is　not　proper　for　a　church　system　and　a

commune；　nor　for　a　Protestant　church　and　a　Catholic　church；　nor　for　a

town　of　one　hundred　thousand　inhabitants　and　a　village　of　five

hundred。　Each　association　has　its　own　peculiar　and　distinctive

features；　which　grade　it　according　to　its　kind；　according　to　its

spiritual　or　temporal　aims；　according　to　its　liberal　or　authoritative

spirit；　according　to　is　small　or　large　dimensions；　according　to　the

simplicity　or　complexity　of　its　affairs；　according　to　the　capacity　or

incapacity　of　its　members：　features　which　within　it　are　both　efficient

and　permanent；　whatever　the　legislator　may　do；　these　will　remain　and

will　regulate　all　activity。　Thus　let　him；　in　each　case；　keep　this　in

mind。　But　in　all　cases　his　office　is　the　same；　always；　on　drawing　up

and　countersigning　a　statute；　he　intervenes　in　the　coming　conflict

between　the　social　instinct　and　the　egoistic　instinct；　every　provision

which　he　enacts　will　contribute；　nearby　or　at　a　distance；　to　the　final

ascendancy　of　the　former　or　of　the　latter。　Now；　the　legislator　the

natural　ally　of　the　former；　for　the　former　is　his　indispensable

auxiliary。　In　every　work　or　enterprise　of　public　utility；　if　the

legislator　is　the　external　promoter；　social　instinct　is　the　internal

promoter；　and　on　the　inner　spring　becoming　weak　or　breaking；　the

impulsion　from　outside　remains　without　effect。　Hence　it　is　that；　if

the　legislator　would　accomplish　anything；　otherwise　than　on　paper；　he

must；　before　any　object　or　interest；　concern　himself　with　the　social

instinct＇1＇；　thus　preserving　and　humoring　it；　find　room　for　it　and　its

usefulness；　let　it　have　full　play；　getting　all　the　service　it　is

capable　of　rendering；　and　especially　not　twist　or　release　it。　…　In

this　respect；　any　blunder　might　prove　disastrous；　and　in　every　statute

for　each　society；　for　each　of　the　human　vessels　which　gather　together

and　serve　as　a　retinue　of　individual　vessels；　there　are　two　capital

errors。　On　the　one　hand；　if　the　statute；　in　fact　and　practically；　is

or　becomes　too　grossly　unjust；　if　the　rights　and　benefits　which　it

confers　are　not　compensated　by　the　duties　and　obligations　it　imposes；

if　it　multiplies　excessive　burdens　for　some　and　sinecures　for　others；

if；　at　last；　the　exploited　individual　discovers　that　he　is　overcharged

beyond　his　due；　…　thereafter　he　refuses　on　his　own　to　add　voluntarily

to　his　load。　Let　others；　let　the　favored　and　the　privileged　bear　the

gratuitous；　extra　weight。　Far　from　stepping　forward　and　offering　his

shoulders；　he　gets　out　of　the　way；　hides　himself；　and　lightens　his

load　as　much　as　he　can；　he　even　rebels　when　he　has　a　chance；　and

violently　casts　off　every　legal　burden；　be　it　tax　or　due　of　any　kind。

Thus　did　the　ancient　régime　perish。　…　On　the　other　hand；　if　the

statute　withdraws　the　management　of　the　ship　from　those　who　are

concerned；　if；　on　this　vessel；　which　belongs　to　them；　it　permanently

installs　a　foreign　crew；　which　assumes　and　exercises　all　command；　then

the　owner　of　the　vessel；　reduced　to　the　humble　condition　of　a　mere

subject　and　quiescent　taxpayer；　will　no　longer　feel　concerned。　Since

the　intruders　exercise　all　authority；　let　them　have　all　the　trouble；

the　working　of　the　ship　concerns　them　and　not　him；　he　looks　on　as　a

spectator；　without　any　idea　of　lending　a　hand；　he　folds　his　arms；

remains　idle；　and　becomes　critical。　…　Against　the　first　defect；　the

new　régime　is　on　its　guard：　there　must　be　neither　the　preferred　nor

the　disgraced；　neither　favors　nor　exemptions；　neither　exclusions　nor

releases；　no　more　misappropriation；　embezzlement；　or　robbery；　not

alone　in　the　State；　but　elsewhere　in　any　direction；　…　in　the

department；　in　the　commune；　in　the　Church；　or　in　educational　and

benevolent　institutions。　It　excels　in　practicing　distributive　justice。

The　second　defect　is　its　hidden　flaw：　the　legislator　having　introduced

this　into　all　local　and　special　statutes；　its　effects　differ　according

to　different　societies；　but　all　these　effects　converge；　paralyzing　in

the　nation　the　best　half　of　the　soul；　and；　worse　still；　to　leading　the

will　astray　and　perverting　the　public　mind；　transforming　generous

impulses　into　evil　outbursts；　and　organizing　lasting　inertia；　ennui；

discontent；　discord；　feebleness；　and　sterility。＇2＇



II。　Local　Community。



Local　societies。　…　Their　principal　and　distinctive　character。　…　Their

type　on　a　small　scale。　…　A　dwelling…house　in　Annecy　or　Grenoble。　…

Compulsory　association　of　its　inmates。　…　Its　object　and　limits。　…

Private　in　character。



Let　us　first　consider　local　society　whether　a　province；　a　department；

or　a　county。　For　the　past　ten　years　（1789…99）；　the　legislator　has

unceasingly　deformed　and　assaulted。　On　his　side；　he　refuses　to　open

his　eyes；　preoccupied　with　theories；　he　will　not　recognize　it　for　what

it　is　in　reality；　a　society　of　a　distinct　species；　different　from　the

State；　with　its　own　peculiar　aims；　its　limits　marked　out；　its　members

prescribed；　its　statutes　drawn　up；　everything　formed　and　defined

beforehand。　As　it　is　local；　it　is　founded　on　the　greater　or　less

proximity　of　its　habitations。　Thus；　to　comprehend　it；　we　must　take　a

case　in　which　this　proximity　is　greatest　that　of　certain　houses　in

some　of　our　southeastern　towns；　as；　for　example；　Grenoble　and　Annecy。

Here；　a　house　often　belongs　to　several　distinct　owners；　each

possessing　his　story；　or　apartment　on　a　story；　one　owning　the　cellar

and　another　the　attic；　each　enjoying　all　the　rights　of　property　over

his　portion；　the　right　of　renting　it；　selling　it；　bequeathing　it；　and

mortgaging　it；　but　all　holding　it　in　common　for　the　maintenance　of　the

roof　and　the　main　walls。　…　Evidently；　their　association　is　not　a　free

one；　willingly　or　not；　each　forms　a　member　of　it；　for；　willingly　or

not；　each　benefits　or　suffers　through　the　good　or　bad　state　of　the

roof　and　the　principal　walls：　therefore；　a