the origins of contemporary france-2-第49章

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aristocracy　is　subject　to　the　common　law；　when　it　is　occupied；

especially　when　its　occupation　is　in　conformity　with　its　aptitudes；

and　more　particularly　when　it　is　available　for　the　formation　of　an

upper　elective　chamber　or　an　hereditary　peerage；　it　is　a　vast

service。　　　In　any　case　it　cannot　be　irreversibly　suppressed；　for；

although　it　may　be　abolished　by　law；　it　is　reconstituted　by　facts。

The　legislator　must　necessarily　choose　between　two　systems；　that

which　lets　it　lie　fallow；　or　that　which　enables　it　to　be　productive；

that　which　drives　it　away　from；　or　that　which　rallies　it　round；　the

public　service。　　In　every　society　which　has　lived　for　any　length　of

time；　a　nucleus　of　families　always　exists　whose　fortunes　and

importance　are　of　ancient　date。　　Even　when；　as　in　France　in　1789；

this　class　seems　to　be　exclusive；　each　half　century　introduces　into

it　new　families；　judges；　governors；　rich　businessmen　or　bankers　who

have　risen　to　the　tope　of　the　social　ladder　through　the　wealth　they

have　acquired　or　through　the　important　offices　they　have　filled；　and

here；　in　the　medium　thus　constituted；　the　statesman　and　wise

counselor　of　the　people；　the　independent　and　able　politician　is　most

naturally　developed。　　…　Because；　on　the　one　hand；　thanks　to　his

fortune　and　his　rank；　a　man　of　this　class　is　above　all　vulgar

ambitions　and　temptations。　　He　is　able　to　serve　gratis；　he　is　not

obliged　to　concern　himself　about　money　or　about　providing　for　his

family　and　making　his　way　in　the　world。　　A　political　mission　is　no

interruption　to　his　career；　he　is　not　obliged；　like　the　engineer；

merchant；　or　physician；　to　sacrifice　either　his　business；　his

advancement；　or　his　clients。　　He　can　resign　his　post　without　injury

to　himself　or　to　those　dependent　on　him；　follow　his　own　convictions；

resist　the　noisy　deleterious　opinions　of　the　day；　and　be　the　loyal

servant；　not　the　low　flatterer　of　the　public。　　Whilst；　consequently；

in　the　inferior　or　average　conditions　of　life；　the　incentive　is

self…interest；　with　him　the　grand　motive　is　pride。　　Now；　amongst　the

deeper　feelings　of　man　there　is　none　which　is　more　adapted　for

transformation　into　probity；　patriotism；　and　conscientiousness；　for

the　first　requisite　of　the　high…spirited　man　is　self…respect；　and；

to　obtain　that；　he　is　induced　to　deserve　it。　　Compare；　from　this

point　of　view；　the　gentry　and　nobility　of　England　with　the

〃politicians〃　of　the　United　States。　　…　On　the　other　hand；　with　equal

talents；　a　man　who　belongs　to　this　sphere　of　life　enjoys

opportunities　for　acquiring　a　better　comprehension　of　public　affairs

than　a　poor　man　of　the　lower　classes。　　The　information　he　requires

is　not　the　erudition　obtained　in　libraries　and　in　private　study。　　He

must　be　familiar　with　living　men；　and；　besides　these；　with

agglomerations　of　men；　and　even　more　with　human　organizations；　with

States；　with　Governments；　with　parties；　with　administrative　systems；

at　home　and　abroad；　in　full　operation　and　on　the　spot。　　There　is　but

one　way　to　reach　this　end；　and　that　is　to　see　for　himself；　with　his

own　eyes；　at　once　in　general　outline　and　in　details；　by　intercourse

with　the　heads　of　departments；　with　eminent　men　and　specialists；　in

whom　are　gathered　up　the　information　and　the　ideas　of　a　whole　class。

Now　the　young　do　not　frequent　society　of　this　description；　either　at

home　or　abroad；　except　on　the　condition　of　possessing　a　name；

family；　fortune；　education　and　a　knowledge　of　social　observances。

All　this　is　necessary　to　enable　a　young　man　of　twenty　to　find　doors

everywhere　open　to　him　to　be　received　everywhere　on　an　equal

footing；　to　be　able　to　speak　and　to　write　three　or　four　living

languages；　to　make　long；　expensive；　and　instructive　sojourns　in

foreign　lands；　to　select　and　vary　his　position　in　the　different

branches　of　the　public　service；　without　pay　or　nearly　so；　and　with

no　object　in　view　but　that　of　his　political　culture　Thus　brought　up

a　man；　even　of　common　capacity；　is　worthy　of　being　consulted。　　If　he

is　of　superior　ability；　and　there　is　employment　for　him；　he　may

become　a　statesman　before　thirty；　he　may　acquire　ripe　capacities；

become　prime　Minister；　the　sole　pilot；　alone　able；　like　Pitt；

Canning；　or　Peel；　to　steer　the　ship　of　State　between　the　reefs；　or

give　in　the　nick　of　time　the　touch　to　the　helm　which　will　save　the

ship。　　　Such　is　the　service　to　which　an　upper　class　is　adapted。

Only　this　kind　of　specialized　stud　farm　can　furnish　a　regular　supply

of　racers；　and；　now　and　then；　the　favorite　winner　that　distances　all

his　competitors　in　the　European　field。



But　in　order　that　they　may　prepare　and　educate　themselves　for　this

career；　the　way　must　be　clear；　and　they　must　not　be　compelled　to

travel　too　repulsive　a　road。　　If　rank；　inherited　fortune；　personal

dignity；　and　refined　manners　are　sources　of　disfavor　with　the

people；　if；　to　obtain　their　votes；　he　is　forced　to　treat　as　equals

electoral　brokers　of　low　character；　if　impudent　charlatanism；　vulgar

declamation；　and　servile　flattery　are　the　sole　means　by　which　votes

can　be　secured；　then；　as　nowadays　in　the　United　States；　and　formerly

in　Athens；　the　aristocratic　body　will　retire　into　private　life　and

soon　settle　down　into　a　state　of　idleness。　　A　man　of　culture　and

refinement；　born　with　an　income　of　a　hundred　thousand　a　year；　is　not

tempted　to　become　either　manufacturer；　lawyer；　or　physician。　　For

want　of　other　occupation　he　loiters　about；　entertains　his　friends；

chats；　indulges　in　the　tastes　and　hobbies　of　an　amateur；　is　bored　or

enjoys　himself。　　As　a　result　one　of　society's　great　forces　is　thus

lost　to　the　nation。　　In　this　way　the　best　and　largest　acquisition　of

the　past；　the　heaviest　accumulation　of　material　and　of　moral

capital；　remain　unproductive。　　In　a　pure　democracy　the　upper

branches　of　the　social　tree；　not　only　the　old　ones　but　the　young

ones；　remain　sterile。　　When　a　vigorous　branch　passes　above　the　rest

and　reaches　the　top　it　ceases　to　bear　fruit。　　The　élite　of　the

nation　is　thus　condemned　to　constant　and　irremediable　failures

because　it　cannot　find　a　suitable　outlet　for　its　activity。　　It　wants

no　other　outlet；　for　in　all　directions　its　rival；　who　are　born　below

it；　can　serve　as　usefully　and　as　well　as　itself。　　But　this　one　it

must　have；　for　on　this　its　aptitudes　are　superior；　natural；　unique；

and　the　State　which　refuses　to　employ　it　resembles　the　gardener　who

in　his　fondness　for　a　plane　surface　would　repress　his　best

shoots。＇13＇　　Hence；　in　the　constructions　which　aim　to　utilize　the

permanent　forces　of　society　and　yet　maintain　civil　equality；　the

aristocracy　is　brought　to　take　a　part　in　public　affairs　by　the

duration　and　gratuitous　character　of　its　mission；　by　the　institution

of　an　hereditary　character；　by　the　application　of　various　machinery；

all　of　which　is　combined　so　as　to　develop　the　ambition；　the　culture；

and　the　political　capacity　of　the　upper　class；　and　to　place　power；

or　the　control　of　power；　in　its　hands；　on　the　condition　that　it

shows　itself　worthy　of　exercising　it。　　　　Now；　in　1789；　the　upper

class　was　not　unworthy　of　it。　　Members　of　the　parliaments；　the

noblemen；　bishops；　capitalists；　were　the　men　amongst　whom；　and

through　whom；　the　philosophy　of　the　eighteenth　century　was

propagated。　　Never　was　an　aristocracy　more　liberal；　more　humane；　and

more　thoroughly　converted　to　useful　reforms；＇14＇　many　of　them　remain

so　under　the　knife　of　the　guillotine。　　The　magistrates　of　the

superior　tribunals；　in　particular；　traditionally　and　by　virtue　of

their　institution；　were　the　enemies　of　excessive　expenditure　and　the

critics　of　arbitrary　acts。　　As　to　the　gentry　of　the　provinces；　〃they

were　so　weary；〃　says　one　of　them；＇15＇　〃of　the　Court　and　the

Ministers　that　most　of　them　were　democrats。〃　For　many　years；　in　the

Provincial　Assemblies；　the　whole　of　the　upper　class；　the　clergy；

nobles；　and　Third…Estate；　furnishes　abundant　evidence　of　its　good

disposition；　of　its　application　to　business；　its　capacity　and　even

generosity。　　Its　mode　of　stud