the psychology of revolution-第61章

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organisation；　and　are　simply　using　the　new　doctrine　in　an　attempt

to　destroy　modern　society。　　Socialists；　Syndicalists；　and

anarchists；　although　directed　by　entirely　different　conceptions；

are　thus　collaborating　in　the　same　eventual　aimthe　violent

suppression　of　the　ruling　classes　and　the　pillage　of　their

wealth。



The　Syndicalist　doctrine　does　not　in　any　way　derive　from　the

principles　of　Revolution。　　On　many　points　it　is　entirely　in

contradiction　with　the　Revolution。　　Syndicalism　represents　rather

a　return　to　certain　forms　of　collective　organisation　similar　to

the　guilds　or　corporations　proscribed　by　the　Revolution。　　It　thus

constitutes　one　of　those　federations　which　the　Revolution

condemned。　　It　entirely　rejects　the　State　centralisation　which

the　Revolution　established。



Syndicalism　cares　nothing　for　the　democratic　principles　of

liberty；　equality；　and　fraternity。　　The　Syndicalists　demand　of

their　members　an　absolute　discipline　which　eliminates　all

liberty。



Not　being　as　yet　strong　enough　to　exercise　mutual　tyranny；　the

syndicates　so　far　profess　sentiments　in　respect　of　one　another

which　might　by　a　stretch　be　called　fraternal。　　But　as　soon　as

they　are　sufficiently　powerful；　when　their　contrary　interests

will　necessarily　enter　into　conflict；　as　during　the　Syndicalist

period　of　the　old　Italian　republicsFlorence　and　Siena；　for

examplethe　present　fraternity　will　speedily　be　forgotten；　and

equality　will　be　replaced　by　the　despotism　of　the　most　powerful。



Such　a　future　seems　near　at　hand。　　The　new　power　is　increasing

very　rapidly；　and　finds　the　Governments　powerless　before　it；　able

to　defend　themselves　only　by　yielding　to　every　demandan　odious

policy；　which　may　serve　for　the　moment；　but　which　heavily

compromises　the　future。



It　was；　however；　to　this　poor　recourse　that　the　English

Government　recently　resorted　in　its　struggle　against　the　Miners'

Union；　which　threatened　to　suspend　the　industrial　life　of

England。　　The　Union　demanded　a　minimum　wage　for　its　members；　but

they　were　not　bound　to　furnish　a　minimum　of　work。



Although　such　a　demand　was　inadmissible；　the　Government　agreed　to

propose　to　Parliament　a　law　to　sanction　such　a　measure。　　We　may

profitably　read　the　weighty　words　pronounced　by　Mr。　Balfour

before　the　House　of　Commons：



‘‘The　country　has　never　in　its　so　long　and　varied　history　had　to

face　a　danger　of　this　nature　and　this　importance。



‘‘We　are　confronted　with　the　strange　and　sinister　spectacle　of　a

mere　organisation　threatening　to　paralyseand　paralysing　in　a

large　measurethe　commerce　and　manufactures　of　a　community　which

lives　by　commerce　and　manufacture。



‘‘The　power　possessed　by　the　miners　is　in　the　present　state　of

the　law　almost　unlimited。　　Have　we　ever　seen　the　like　of　it？　　Did

ever　feudal　baron　exert　a　comparable　tyranny？　　Was　there

ever　an　American　trust　which　served　the　rights　which　it　holds

from　the　law　with　such　contempt　of　the　general　interest？　　The

very　degree　of　perfection　to　which　we　have　brought　our　laws；　our

social　organisation；　the　mutual　relation　between　the　various

professions　and　industries；　exposes　us　more　than　our　predecessors

in　ruder　ages　to　the　grave　peril　which　at　present　threatens

society。　。　。　。　　We　are　witnesses　at　the　present　moment　of　the

first　manifestation　of　the　power　of　elements　which；　if　we　are　not

heedful；　will　submerge　the　whole　of　society。　。　。　。　　The　attitude

of　the　Government　in　yielding　to　the　injunction　of　the　miners

gives　some　appearance　of　reality　to　the　victory　of　those　who　are

pitting　themselves　against　society。''





3。　　Why　certain　modern　Democratic　Governments　are　gradually

being　transformed　into　Governments　by　Administrative　Castes。





Anarchy　and　the　social　conflicts　resulting　from　democratic　ideas

are　to…day　impelling　some　Governments　towards　an　unforeseen

course　of　evolution　which　will　end　by　leaving　them　only　a　nominal

power。　　This　development；　of　which　I　shall　briefly　denote　the

effects；　is　effected　spontaneously　under　the　stress　of　those

imperious　necessities　which　are　still　the　chief　controlling　power

of　events。



The　Governments　of　democratic　countries　to…day　consist　of　the

representatives　elected　by　universal　suffrage。　　They　vote　laws；

and　appoint　and　dismiss　ministers　chosen　from　themselves；　and

provisionally　entrusted　with　the　executive　power。　　These

ministers　are　naturally　often　replaced；　since　a　vote　will　do

it。　　Those　who　follow　them；　belonging　to　a　different

party；　will　govern　according　to　different　principles。



It　might　at　first　seem　that　a　country　thus　pulled　to　and　fro　by

various　influences　could　have　no　continuity　or　stability。　　But　in

spite　of　all　these　conditions　of　instability　a　democratic

Government　like　that　of　France　works　with　fair　regularity。　　How

explain　such　a　phenomenon？



Its　interpretation；　which　is　very　simple；　results　from　the　fact

that　the　ministers　who　have　the　appearance　of　governing　really

govern　the　country　only　to　a　very　limited　extent。　　Strictly

limited　and　circumscribed；　their　power　is　exercised　principally

in　speeches　which　are　hardly　noticed　and　in　a　few　inorganic

measures。



But　behind　the　superficial　authority　of　ministers；　without　force

or　duration；　the　playthings　of　every　demand　of　the　politician；　an

anonymous　power　is　secretly　at　work　whose　might　is　continually

increasing　the　administrations。　　Possessing　traditions；　a

hierarchy；　and　continuity；　they　are　a　power　against　which；　as　the

ministers　quickly　realise；　they　are　incapable　of　struggling。＇14＇　

Responsibility　is　so　divided　in　the　administrative　machine　that　a

minister　may　never　find　himself　opposed　by　any　person　of

importance。　　His　momentary　impulses　are　checked　by　a　network　of

regulations；　customs；　and　decrees；　which　are　continually　quoted

to　him；　and　which　he　knows　so　little　that　he　dare　not　infringe

them。







＇14＇　The　impotence　of　ministers　in　their　own　departments　has　been

well　described　by　one　of　them；　M。　Cruppi；　in　a　recent　book。　　The

most　ardent　wishes　of　the　minister　being　immediately　paralysed　by

his　department；　he　promptly　ceases　to　struggle　against　it。









This　diminution　of　the　power　of　democratic　Governments　can

only　develop。　　One　of　the　most　constant　laws　of　history　is　that

of　which　I　have　already　spoken：　　Immediately　any　one　class

becomes　preponderantnobles；　clergy；　army；　or　the　peopleit

speedily　tends　to　enslave　others。　　Such　were　the　Roman　armies；

which　finally　appointed　and　overthrew　the　emperors；　such　were　the

clergy；　against　whom　the　kings　of　old　could　hardly　struggle；　such

were　the　States　General；　which　at　the　moment　of　Revolution

speedily　absorbed　all　the　powers　of　government；　and　supplanted

the　monarchy。



The　caste　of　functionaries　is　destined　to　furnish　a　fresh　proof

of　the　truth　of　this　law。　　Preponderant　already；　they　are

beginning　to　speak　loudly；　to　make　threats；　and　even　to　indulge

in　strikes；　such　as　that　of　the　postmen；　which　was　quickly

followed　by　that　of　the　Government　railway　employees。　　The

administrative　power　thus　forms　a　little　State　within　the　State；

and　if　its　present　rate　of　revolution　continues　it　will　soon

constitute　the　only　power　in　the　State。　　Under　a　Socialist

Government　there　would　be　no　other　power。　　All　our　revolutions

would　then　have　resulted　in　stripping　the　king　of　his　powers　and

his　throne　in　order　to　bestow　them　upon　the　irresponsible；

anonymous　and　despotic　class　of　Government　clerks。



To　foresee　the　issue　of　all　the　conflicts　which　threaten　to　cloud

the　future　is　impossible。　　We　must　steer　clear　of　pessimism　as　of

optimism；　all　we　can　say　is　that　necessity　will　always　finally

bring　things　to　an　equilibrium。　　The　world　pursues　its　way

without　bothering　itself　with　our　speeches；　and　sooner　or　later

we　manage　to　adapt　ourselves　to　the　variations　of　our

environment。　　The　difficulty　is　to　do　so　without　too　much

friction；　and　above　all　to　resist　the　chimerical　concepti