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municipal officers； and from six to forty…two notables； in the
selection of twelve district administrators and thirty…six
departmental administrators； especially as the list must be of a
double length and contain twice as many officers as there are places
to fill； immediate agreement is impossible。 In every important
election the electors are sure to be in a state of agitation a month
beforehand； while four weeks of discussion and caucus is not too
much to give to inquiries about candidates； and to canvassing
voters。 Let us add； accordingly； this long preface to each of the
elections； so long and so often repeated； and now sum up the
troubles and disturbances； all this loss of time； all the labor
which the process demands。 Each convocation of the primary
assemblies； summons to the town…hall or principal town of the
canton； for one or for several days； about three million five
hundred thousand electors of the first degree。 Each convocation of
the assemblies of the second class compels the attendance and
sojourn at the principal town of the department； and again in the
principal town of the district； of about three hundred and fifty
thousand elected electors。 Each revision or re…election in the
National Guard gathers together on the public square； or subjects to
roll…call at the town…hall； three or four millions of National
Guards。 Each federation； after exacting the same gathering or the
same roll…call； sends delegates by hundreds of thousands to the
principal towns of the districts and departments； and tens of
thousands to Paris。 … The powers thus instituted at the cost of so
great an effort； require an equal effort to make them work； one
branch alone of the administration＇28＇ keeps 2；988 officials busy in
the departments； 6；950 in the districts； 1；175；000 in the communes …
in all； nearly one million two hundred thousand administrators；
whose places； as we have seen above； are no sinecures。 Never did a
political machine require so prodigious an expenditure of force to
set it up and keep it in motion。 In the United States； where it is
now （around 1875） deranged by its own action； it has been estimated
that； to meet the intentions of the law and keep each wheel in its
proper place； it would be necessary for each citizen to give one
whole day in each week； or on…sixth of his time； to public business。
In France； under the newly adopted system； where disorder is
universal； where the duty of National Guard is added to and
complicates that of elector and administrator； I estimate that two
days would be necessary。 This is what the Constitution comes to；
this is its essential and supreme requirement： each active citizen
has to give up one…third of his time to public affairs。
Now； these twelve hundred thousand administrators and three or four
million electors and National Guards； are just the men in France who
have the least leisure。 The class of active citizens； indeed；
comprises about all the men who labor with their hands or with their
heads。 The law exempts only domestics devoted to personal service
or common laborers who； possessing no property or income； earn less
than twenty…one sous a day。 Every journeyman…miller； the smallest
farmer； every village proprietor of a cottage or of a vegetable…
garden； any ordinary workman； votes at the primary meetings； and may
become a municipal officer。 Again； if he pays ten francs a year
direct tax； if he is a farmer or yeomen on any property which brings
him in four hundred francs； if his rent is one hundred and fifty
francs； he may become an elected elector and an administrator of the
district or department。 According to this standard the eligible are
innumerable； in Doubs； in 1790；＇29＇ they form two…thirds of the
active citizens。 Thus； the way to office is open to all； or almost
all； and the law has taken no precaution whatever to reserve or
provide places for the elite； who could best fill them。 On the
contrary； the nobles； the ecclesiastical dignitaries； the members of
the parliaments； the grand functionaries of the ancient regime； the
upper class of the bourgeoisie； almost all the rich who possess
leisure； are practically excluded from the elections by violence；
and from the various offices by public opinion： they soon retire
into private life； and； through discouragement or disgust； through
monarchical or religious scruples； abandon entirely a public career。
… The burden of the new system falls； accordingly； on the most
occupied portion of the community： on merchants； manufacturers；
agents of the law； employees； shopkeepers； artisans； and
cultivators。 They are the people who must give up one…third of
their time already appropriated； neglect private for public
business； leave their harvests； their bench； their shop； or their
briefs to escort convoys and patrol the highways； to run off to the
principal town of the canton； district； or department； and stay and
sit there in the town…hall；＇30＇ subject to a deluge of phrases and
papers； conscious that they are forced to gratuitous drudgery； and
that this drudgery is of little advantage to the public。 … For the
first six months they do it with good grace； their zeal in penning
memorials； in providing themselves with arms against 〃brigands；〃 and
in suppressing taxes； rents； and tithes； is active enough。 But now
that this much is obtained or extorted； decreed as a right； or
accomplished in fact； they must not be further disturbed。 They need
the whole of their time： they have their crops to get in； their
customers to serve； their orders to give； their books to make up；
their credits to adjust； all which are urgent matters； and neither
ought to be neglected or interrupted。 Under the lash of necessity
and of the crisis they have put their backs to it； and； if we take
their word for it； they hauled the public cart out of the mud； but
they had no idea of putting themselves permanently in harness to
drag it along themselves。 Confined as this class has been for
centuries to private life； each has his own wheelbarrow to trundle
along； and it is for this； before all and above all； that he holds
himself responsible。 From the beginning of the year 1790 the
returns of the votes taken show that as many are absent as present；
at Besan？on there are only nine hundred and fifty…nine voters out of
thirty…two hundred inscribed； four months after this more than one…
half of the electors fail to come to the polls；＇31＇ and throughout
France； even at Paris； the indifference to voting keeps on
increasing。 Puppets of such an administration as that of Louis XV。
and Louis XVI。 do not become Florentine or Athenian citizens in a
single night。 The hearts and heads of three or four millions of men
are not suddenly endowed with faculties and habits which render them
capable of diverting one…third of their energies to work which is
new； disproportionate； gratuitous； and supererogatory。 … A fallacy
of monstrous duplicity lies at the basis of the political theories
of the day and of those which were invented during the following ten
years。 Arbitrarily； and without any examination； a certain weight
and resistance are attributed to the human metal employed。 It is
found on trial to have ten times less resistance and twenty times
more weight than was supposed。
V。 The Ruling Minority。
The restless minority。 … Its elements。… The clubs。… Their
ascendancy。… How they interpret the Rights of Man。 … Their
usurpations and violence。
In default of the majority； who shirk their responsibilities； it is
the minority which does the work and assumes the power。 The
majority having resigned； the minority becomes sovereign； and public
business； abandoned by the hesitating； weak； and absent multitude；
falls into the hands of the resolute； energetic； ever…present few
who find the leisure and the disposition to assume the
responsibility。 In a system in which all offices are elective； and
in which elections are frequent； politics becomes a profession for
those who subordinate their private interests to it； and who find it
of personal advantage； every village contains five or six men of
this class； every borough twenty or thirty； every town its hundreds
and Paris its many thousands。＇32＇ These are veritable active
citizens They alone give all their time and attention to public
matters； correspond with the newspapers and with the deputies at
Paris； receive and spread abroad the party watchword on every
important question； hold caucuses； get up meetings； make motions；
draw up addresses； overlook； rebuke； or denounce the local
magistrates； form themselves into committees； publish and push
candidates； and go into the suburbs and the country to canvass for
votes。 They hold the power in recompense for their labor； for they
manage the elections； and are elected to office or provided with
places by the successful candidates。 There is a prodigious number
of these office