the psychology of revolution-第58章

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escape　this　tendency。　　Never　were　so　many　books　written　to

depreciate　the　merit　of　famous　men；　men　who　were　formerly

regarded　as　the　most　precious　patrimony　of　their　country。



Envy　and　hatred　seem　from　all　time　to　have　been　inseparable　from

democratic　theories；　but　the　spread　of　these　sentiments　has　never

been　so　great　as　to…day。　　It　strikes　all　observers。



‘‘There　is　a　low　demagogic　instinct；''　writes　M。　Bourdeau；

‘‘without　any　moral　inspiration；　which　dreams　of　pulling　humanity

down　to　the　lowest　level；　and　for　which　any　superiority；　even　of

culture；　is　an　offence　to　society。　。　。　it　is　the　sentiment　of

ignoble　equality　which　animated　the　Jacobin　butchers　when　they

struck　off　the　head　of　a　Lavoisier　or　a　Chenier。



This　hatred　of　superiority；　the　most　prominent　element　in　the

modern　progress　of　Socialism；　is　not　the　only　characteristic　of

the　new　spirit　created　by　democratic　ideas。



Other　consequences；　although　indirect；　are　not　less　profound。　

Such；　for　example；　are　the　progress　of　‘‘statism；''　the

diminution　of　the　power　of　the　bourgeoisie；　the　increasing

activity　of　financiers；　the　conflict　of　the　classes；　the

vanishing　of　the　old　social　constraints；　and　the　degradation　

of　morality。



All　these　effects　are　displayed　in　a　general　insubordination　and

anarchy。　　The　son　revolts　against　the　father；　the　employee

against　his　patron；　the　soldier　against　his　officers。　

Discontent；　hatred；　and　envy　reign　throughout。



A　social　movement　which　continues　is　necessarily　like　a　machine

in　movement　which　accelerates　its　motion。　　We　shall　therefore

find　that　the　results　of　this　mentality　will　become　yet　more

important。　　It　is　betrayed　from　time　to　time　by　incidents　whose

gravity　is　daily　increasingrailway　strikes；　postmen's　strikes；

explosions　on　board　ironclads；　&c。　　A　propos　of　the　destruction

of　the　Liberte；　which　cost　more　than　two　million　pounds　and

slew　two　hundred　men　in　the　space　of　a　minute；　an　ex…Minister　of

Marine；　M。　de　Lanessan；　expresses　himself　as　follows：



''The　evil　that　is　gnawing　at　our　fleet　is　the　same　as　that　which

is　devouring　our　army；　our　public　administrations；　our

parliamentary　system；　our　governmental　system；　and　the　whole

fabric　of　our　society。　　This　evil　is　anarchythat　is　to　say；

such　a　disorder　of　minds　and　things　that　nothing　is　done　as

reason　would　dictate；　and　no　one　behaves　as　his　professional　or

moral　duty　should　require　him　to　behave。''



On　the　subject　of　the　catastrophe　of　the　Liberte；　which

followed　that　of　the　Iena；　M。　Felix　Roussel　said；　in　a

speech　delivered　as　president　of　the　municipal　council　of

Paris：



‘‘The　causes　of　the　evil　are　not　peculiar　to　our　day。　　The　evil

is　more　general；　and　bears　a　triple　name：　irresponsibility；

indiscipline；　and　anarchy。''



These　quotations；　which　state　facts　with　which　everyone　is

familiar；　show　that　the　staunchest　upholders　of　the　republican

system　themselves　recognise　the　progress　of　social

disorganisation。＇12＇　　Everyone　sees　it；　while　he　is　conscious　of

his　own　impotence　to　change　anything。　　It　results；　in　fact；　from

mental　influences　whose　power　is　greater　than　that　of　our　wills。







＇12＇　This　disorder　is　the　same　in　all　the　Government　departments

Interesting　examples　will　be　found　in　a　report　of　M。　Dausset　to

the　Municipal　Council：



‘‘The　service　of　the　public　highways；　which　ought　above　all　to　be

noted　for　its　rapid　execution；　is；　on　the　contrary；　the　very　type

of　red…tape；　bureaucratic；　and　ink…slinging　administration；

possessing　men　and　money　and　wasting　both　in　tasks　which　are

often　useless；　for　lack　of　order；　initiative；　and　methodin　a

word；　of　organisation。



Speaking　then　of　the　directors　of　departments；　each　of　whom　works

as　he　pleases；　and　after　his　own　fashion；　he　adds：



‘‘These　important　persons　completely　ignore　one　another；　they

prepare　and　execute　their　plans　without　knowing　anything　of　what

their　neighbours　are　doing；　there　is　no　one　above　them　to　group

and　co…ordinate　their　work。''　　This　is　why　a　road　is　often　torn

up；　repaired；　and　then　torn　up　again　a　few　days　later；　because

the　departments　dealing　with　the　supply　of　water；　gas；

electricity；　and　the　sewers　are　mutually　jealous；　and　never

attempt　to　work　together。　　This　anarchy　and　indiscipline

naturally　cost　enormous　sums　of　money；　and　a　private　firm　which

operated　in　this　manner　would　soon　find　itself　bankrupt。







3。　　Universal　Suffrage　and　its　Representatives。





Among　the　dogmas　of　democracy　perhaps　the　most　fundamental　of　all

and　the　most　attractive　is　that　of　universal　suffrage。　　It　gives

the　masses　the　idea　of　equality；　since　for　a　moment　at　least　rich

and　poor；　learned　and　ignorant；　are　equal　before　the　electoral

urn。　　The　minister　elbows　the　least　of　his　servants；　and　during

this　brief　moment　the　power　of　one　is　as　great　as　the　others。



All　Governments；　including　that　of　the　Revolution；　have　feared

universal　suffrage。　　At　a　first　glance；　indeed；　the　objections

which　suggests　themselves　are　numerous。　　The　idea　that　the

multitude　could　usefully　choose　the　men　capable　of　governing；

that　individuals　of　indifferent　morality；　feeble　knowledge；　and

narrow　minds　should　possess；　by　the　sole　fact　of　number；　a

certain　talent　for　judging　the　candidate　proposed　for　its

selection　is　surely　a　shocking　one。



From　a　rational　point　of　view　the　suffrage　of　numbers　is　to　a

certain　extent　justified　if　we　think　with　Pascal。



‘‘Plurality　is　the　best　way；　because　it　is　visible　and　has

strength　to　make　itself　obeyed；　it　is；　however；　the　advice　of　the

less　able。''



As　universal　suffrage　cannot　in　our　times　be　replaced　by　any

other　institution；　we　must　accept　it　and　try　to　adapt　it。　　It　is

accordingly　useless　to　protest　against　it　or　to　repeat　with　the

queen　Marie　Caroline；　at　the　time　of　her　struggle　with　Napoleon：　

‘‘Nothing　is　more　dreadful　than　to　govern　men　in　this　enlightened

century；　when　every　cobbler　reasons　and　criticises　the

Government。''



To　tell　the　truth；　the　objections　are　not　always　as　great　as　they

appear。　　The　laws　of　the　psychology　of　crowds　being　admitted；　it

is　very　doubtful　whether　a　limited　suffrage　would　give　a　much

better　choice　of　men　than　that　obtained　by　universal　suffrage。



These　same　psychological　laws　also　show　us　that　so…called

universal　suffrage　is　in　reality　a　pure　fiction。　　The　crowd；　save

in　very　rare　cases；　has　no　opinion　but　that　of　its　leaders。　

Universal　suffrage　really　represents　the　most　limited　of

suffrages。



There　justly　resides　its　real　danger。　　Universal　suffrage　is　made

dangerous　by　the　fact　that　the　leaders　who　are　its　masters　are

the　creatures　of　little　local　committees　analogous　to　the　clubs

of　the　Revolution。　　The　leader　who　canvasses　for　a　mandate　is

chosen　by　them。



Once　nominated；　he　exercises　an　absolute　local　power；　on

condition　of　satisfying　the　interests　of　his　committees。　　Before

this　necessity　the　general　interest　of　the　country　disappears

almost　totally　from　the　mind　of　the　elected　representative。



Naturally　the　committees；　having　need　of　docile　servants；　do　not

choose　for　this　task　individuals　gifted　with　a　lofty　intelligence

nor；　above　all；　with　a　very　high　morality。　　They　must　have　men

without　character；　without　social　position；　and　always　docile。



By　reason　of　these　necessities　the　servility　of　the　deputy　in

respect　of　these　little　groups　which　patronise　him；　and　without

which　he　would　be　no　one；　is　absolute。　　He　will　speak　and　vote

just　as　his　committee　tells　him。　　His　political　ideal　may　be

expressed　in　a　few　words：　it　is　to　obey；　that　he　may　retain　his

post。



Sometimes；　rarely　indeed；　and　only　when　by　name　or　position　or

wealth　he　has　a　great　prestige；　a　superior　character　may　impose

himself　upon　the　popular　vote　by　overcoming　the　tyranny　of　the

impudent　minorities　which　constitute　the　local　committees。



Democratic　countries　like　France　are　only　apparently　govern