the origins of contemporary france-1-第85章

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by　right　but　in　fact　and　even　unjustly　if　I　had　large　possessions；

for；　〃every　man　has　naturally　a　right　to　whatever　he　needs；〃　and　I

have　robbed　other　men　of　all　that　I　possessed　beyond　my　subsistence。

Hence；　so　far　from　the　State　being　under　obligation　to　me；　I　am　under

obligation　to　it；　the　property　which　it　returns　to　me　not　being　mine

but　that　with　which　the　State　favors　me。　　It　follows；　accordingly；　that

the　State　may　impose　conditions　on　its　gift；　limit　the　use　I　may　make

of　it；　according　to　its　fancy；　restrict　and　regulate　my　disposition　of

it；　my　right　to　bequeath　it。　　〃According　to　nature；＇22＇　the　right　of

property　does　not　extend　beyond　the　life　of　its　owner；　the　moment　he

dies　his　possessions　are　no　longer　his　own。　　Thus；　to　prescribe　the

conditions　on　which　he　may　dispose　of　it　is　really　less　to　change　his

right　in　appearance　than　to　extend　it　in　effect。〃　In　any　event　as　my

title　is　an　effect　of　the　social　contract　it　is　precarious　like　the

contract　itself；　a　new　stipulation　suffices　to　limit　it　or　to　destroy

it。　　〃The　sovereign＇23＇　may　legitimately　appropriate　to　himself　all

property；　as　was　done　in　Sparta　in　the　time　of　Lycurgus。〃　In　our　lay

convent　whatever　each　monk　possesses　is　only　a　revocable　gift　by　the

convent。



In　the　second　place；　this　convent　is　a　seminary。　　I　have　no　right　to

bring　up　my　children　in　my　own　house　and　in　my　own　way。



〃As　the　reason　of　each　man＇24＇　must　not　be　the　sole　arbiter　of　his

rights；　so　much　less　should　the　education　of　children；　which　is　of

more　consequence　to　the　State　than　to　fathers；　be　left　to　the

intelligence　and　prejudice　of　their　fathers。〃　〃If　public　authority；　by

taking　the　place　of　fathers；　by　assuming　this　important　function；　then

acquires　their　rights　through　fulfilling　their　duties；　they　have　so

much　the　less　reason　to　complain　inasmuch　as　they　merely　undergo　a

change　of　name；　and；　under　the　title　of　citizens；　exercise　in　common

the　same　authority　over　their　children　that　they　have　separately

exercised　under　the　title　of　fathers。〃



In　other　words　you　cease　to　be　a　father；　but；　in　exchange；　become　a

school　inspector；　one　is　as　good　as　the　other；　and　what　complaint　have

you　to　make？　Such　was　the　case　in　that　perpetual　army　called　Sparta；

there；　the　children；　genuine　regimental　children；　equally　obeyed　all

properly　formed　men。



〃Thus　public　education；　within　laws　prescribed　by　the　government

and　under　magistrates　appointed　by　sovereign　will；　is　one　of　the

fundamental　maxims　of　popular　or　legitimate　government。〃



Through　this　the　citizen　is　formed　in　Advance。



〃The　government　gives　the　national　form　to　souls。＇25＇　Nations；　in

the　long　run；　are　what　the　government　makes　them　…　soldiers；　citizens；

men　when　so　disposed；　a　populace；　canaille　if　it　pleases；〃　being

fashioned　by　their　education。　　〃Would　you　obtain　an　idea　of　public

education？　Read　Plato's　'Republic。'＇26＇。。。。　　The　best　social

institutions　are　those　the　best　qualified　to　change　man's　nature；　to

destroy　his　absolute　being；　to　give　him　a　relative　being；　and　to

convert　self　into　the　common　unity；　so　that　each　individual　may　not

regard　himself　as　one　by　himself；　but　a　part　of　the　unity；　and　no

longer　sensitive　but　through　the　whole。　　An　infant；　on　opening　its

eyes；　must　behold　the　common　patrimony　and；　to　the　day　of　its　death；

behold　that　only。。。。　　He　should　be　disciplined　so　as　never　to

contemplate　the　individual　except　in　his　relations　with　the　body　of

the　State。〃



Such　was　the　practice　of　Sparta；　and　the　sole　aim　of　the　〃great

Lycurgus。〃…



　〃All　being　equal　through　the　law；　they　must　be　brought　up　together

and　in　the　same　manner。〃　〃The　law　must　regulate　the　subjects；　the

order　and　the　form　of　their　studies。〃　They　must；　at　the　very　least；

take　part　in　public　exercises；　in　horse…races；　in　the　games　of

strength　and　of　agility　instituted　〃to　accustom　them　to　law；　equality；

fraternity；　and　competition；〃　to　teach　them　how　〃to　live　under　the

eyes　of　their　fellow…citizens　and　to　crave　public　applause。〃



　Through　these　games　they　become　democrats　from　their　early　youth；

since；　the　prizes　being　awarded；　not　through　the　arbitrariness　of

masters；　but　through　the　cheers　of　spectators；　they　accustom

themselves　to　recognizing　as　sovereign　the　legitimate　sovereignty；

consisting　of　the　verdict　of　the　assembled　people。　　The　foremost

interest　of　the　State　is；　always；　to　form　the　wills　of　those　by　which

it　lasts；　to　prepare　the　votes　that　are　to　maintain　it；　to　uproot

passions　in　the　soul　that　might　be　opposed　to　it；　to　implant　passions

that　will　prove　favorable　to　it；　to　fix　firmly　with　the　breasts　of　its

future　citizens　the　sentiments　and　prejudices　it　will　at　some　time

need。＇27＇　If　it　does　not　secure　the　children　it　will　not　possess　the

adults；　Novices　in　a　convent　must　be　as　monks；　otherwise；　when　they

grow　up；　the　convent　will　no　longer　exist。



Finally；　our　lay　convent　has　its　own　religion；　a　lay　religion。　　If　I

possess　any　other　it　is　through　its　condescension　and　under

restrictions。　　It　is；　by　nature；　hostile　to　other　associations　than　its

own；　they　are　rivals；　they　annoy　it；　they　absorb　the　will　and　pervert

the　votes　of　its　members。



〃To　ensure　a　full　declaration　of　the　general　will　it　is　an

important　matter　not　to　allow　any　special　society　in　the　State；　and

that　each　citizen　should　pronounce　according　to　it　alone。〃＇28＇

〃Whatever　breaks　up　social　unity　is　worthless；〃　and　it　would　be　better

for　the　State　if　there　were　no　Church。　　…



Not　only　is　every　church　suspicious　but；　if　I　am　a　Christian；　my

belief　is　regarded　unfavorably。　　According　to　this　new　legislator

〃nothing　is　more　opposed　to　the　social　spirits　than　Christianity。　　。　　。

。　　A　society　of　true　Christians　would　no　longer　form　a　society　of　men。〃

For；　〃the　Christian　patrimony　is　not　of　this　world。〃　It　cannot

zealously　serve　the　State；　being　bound　by　its　conscience　to　support

tyrants。　　Its　law　〃preaches　only　servitude　and　dependence。　　。　　。　　it　is

made　for　a　slave；〃　and　never　will　a　citizen　be　made　out　of　a　slave。

〃Christian　Republic；　each　of　these　two　words　excludes　the　other。〃

Therefore；　if　the　future　Republic　assents　to　my　profession　of

Christianity；　it　is　on　the　understood　condition　that　my　doctrine　shall

be　shut　up　in　my　mind；　without　even　affecting　my　heart。　　If　I　am　a

Catholic；　（and　twenty…five　out　of　twenty…six　million　Frenchmen　are

like　me）；　my　condition　is　worse。　　For　the　social　pact　does　not　tolerate

an　intolerant　religion；　any　sect　that　condemns　other　sects　is　a　public

enemy；　〃whoever　presumes　to　say　that　there　is　no　salvation　outside　the

church；　must　be　driven　out　of　the　State。〃



　Should　I　be；　finally；　a　free…thinker；　a　positivist　or　skeptic；　my

situation　is　little　better。



〃There　is　a　civil　religion；〃　a　catechism；　〃a　profession　of　faith；

of　which　the　sovereign　has　the　right　to　dictate　the　articles；　not

exactly　as　religious　dogmas　but　as　sentiments　of　social　import　without

which　we　cannot　be　a　good　citizen　or　a　loyal　subject。〃　These　articles

embrace　〃the　existence　of　a　powerful；　intelligent；　beneficent；

foreseeing　and　provident　divinity；　the　future　life；　the　happiness　of

the　righteous；　the　punishment　of　the　wicked；　the　sacredness　of　the

social　contract　and　of　the　laws。＇29＇　Without　forcing　anyone　to　believe

in　this　creed；　whoever　does　not　believe　in　it　must　be　expelled　from

the　State；　it　is　necessary　to　banish　such　persons　not　on　account　of

impiety；　but　as　unsociable　beings；　incapable　of　sincerely　loving　law

and　justice　and；　if　need　be；　of　giving　up　life　for　duty。〃



Take　heed　that　this　profession　of　faith　be　not　a　vain　one；　for　a

new　inquisition　is　to　test　its　sincerity。



〃Should　any　person；　after　having　publicly　recognized　these　dogmas；

act　as　an　unbeliever；　let　him　be　punished　with　death。　　He　has　committed

the　greatest　of　crimes：　he　has　lied　before　the　law。〃



Truly；　as　I　said　above；　we　are　in　a　convent







V。　　SOCIAL　CONTRACT；　SUMMARY。



Com