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labor to be carried out； a militia to raise； the poor are the most
eligible。 It always bears burdens from which its wealthier neighbor
with influence secures exemption。 At the least accident to a poor man
everybody abandons him。 Let his cart topple over and I regard him as
fortunate if he escapes the insults of the smart companions of a young
duke passing by。 In a word all assistance free of charge is withheld
from him in time of need； precisely because he cannot pay for it。 I
regard him as a lost man if he is so unfortunate as to be honest and
have a pretty daughter and a powerful neighbor。 Let us sum up in
a few words the social pact of the two estates：
You need me because I am rich and you are poor： let us then make an
agreement together。 I will allow you the honor of serving me on
condition that you give me the little that remains to you for the
trouble I have in governing you。〃
This shows the spirit； the aim and the effect of political society。
At the start； according to Rousseau； it consisted of an unfair
bargain； made by an adroit rich man with a poor dupe； 〃providing new
fetters for the weak and fresh power for the rich；〃 and； under the
title of legitimate property； consecrating the usurpation of the soil。
To day the contract is still more unjust 〃 by means of which a
child may govern an old man； a fool lead the wise； and a handful of
people live in abundance whilst a famished multitude lack the
necessities for life。〃 It is the nature of inequality to grow； hence
the authority of some increases along with the dependence of the rest；
so that the two conditions； having at last reached their extremes； the
hereditary and perpetual objection of the people seems to be a divine
right equally with the hereditary and perpetual despotism of the king。
This is the present situation and； any change； will be for the
worse。 〃For；＇41＇ the occupation of all kings； or of those charged with
their functions； consists wholly of two objects； to extend their sway
abroad and to render it more absolute at home。〃 When they plead some
other cause it is only a pretext。 〃The terms public good； happiness of
subjects； the glory of the nation； so heavily employed in government
announcements； never denote other than disastrous commands； and the
people shudder beforehand when its masters allude to their paternal
solicitude。〃 However； this fatal point once reached； 〃the
contract with the government is dissolved； the despot is master only
while remaining the most powerful； and； as soon as he can be expelled；
it is useless for him to cry out against violence。〃 Because right can
only exist through consent； and no consent nor right can exist between
master and slave。
Whether between one man and another man； or between one man and a
people； the following is an absurd address： ' I make an agreement with
you wholly at your expense and to my advantage which I shall respect
as long as I please and which you shall respect as long as it pleases
me。' 〃
Only madmen may sign such a treaty； but； as madmen； they are not in
a condition to negotiate and their signature is not binding。 Only the
vanquished on the ground； with swords pointed at their throats； may
accept such conditions but； being under constraint； their promise is
null and void。 Madmen and the conquered may for a thousand years have
bound over all subsequent generations； but a contract for a minor is
not a contract for an adult； and on the child arriving at the age of
Reason he belongs to himself。 We at last have become adults； and we
have only to make use of our rights to reduce the pretensions of this
self…styled authority to their just value。 It has power on its side
and nothing more。 But 〃a pistol in the hand of a brigand is also
power；〃 but do you think that I should be morally obliged to give him
my purse？ I obey only compelled by force and I will have my purse
back as soon as I can take his pistol away from him。
VII： THE LOST CHILDREN。
The lost children of the philosophic party。 … Naigeon； Sylvain
Maréchal； Mably； Morelly。 … The entire discredit of traditions and
institutions derived from it。
We stop here。 It is pointless to follow the lost children of the
party； Naigeon and Sylvain Maréchal； Mably and Morelly； the fanatics
that set atheism up as an obligatory dogma and a superior duty； the
socialists who； to suppress egoism； propose a community of property；
and who found a republic in which any man that proposes to re…
establish 〃detestable ownership〃 shall be declared an enemy of
humanity； treated as a 〃raging maniac〃 and shut up in a dungeon for
life。 It is sufficient to have studied the operations of large armies
and of great campaigns。 With different gadgets and opposite
tactics； the various attacks have all had the same results； all the
institutions have been undermined from below。 The governing ideology
has withdrawn all authority from custom； from religion； from the
State。 Not only is it assumed that tradition in itself is false； but
again that it is harmful through its works； that it builds up
injustice on error； and that by rendering man blind it leads him to
oppress。 Henceforth it is outlawed。 Let this 〃loathsome thing〃 with
its supporters be crushed out。 It is the great evil of the human
species； and； when suppressed； only goodness will remain。
〃The time will then come＇42＇ when the sun will shine only on free
men recognizing no other master than Reason； when tyrants and slaves；
and priests with their senseless or hypocritical instruments will
exist only in history and on the stage； when attention will no longer
be bestowed on them except to pity their victims and their dupes；
keeping oneself vigilant and useful through horror of their excesses；
and able to recognize and extinguish by the force of Reason the first
germs of superstition and of tyranny； should they ever venture to
reappear。〃
The millennium is dawning and it is once more Reason； which should
set it up。 In this way we shall owe everything to its salutary
authority； the foundation of the new order of things as well as the
destruction of the old one。
_______________________________________________________________
NOTES ：
＇1＇ 〃Discours de la Methode。〃
＇2＇This is evident with Descartes in the second step he takes。 （The
theory of pure spirit； the idea of God； the proof of his existence；
the veracity of our intelligence demonstrated the veracity of God；
etc。）
＇3＇ See Pascal； 〃Pensées〃 （on the origin of property and rank）。 The
〃Provinciales〃 （on homicide and the right to kill）。 Nicole；
〃Deuxième traité de la charité； et de l'amour…propre〃 （on the natural
man and the object of society）。 Bossuet； 〃Politique tirée de
l'Ecriture sainte。〃 La Bruyère； 〃Des Esprits forts。〃
＇4＇ Cf。 Sir。 John Lubbock； 〃Origine de la Civilisation。〃
Gerand…Teulon； 〃Les Origines de la famille。〃
＇5＇ The principle of caste in India； we see this in the contrast
between the Aryans and the aborigines； the Soudras and the Pariahs。
＇6＇ In accordance with this principle the inhabitants of the
Sandwich Islands passed a law forbidding the sale of liquor to the
natives and allowing it to Europeans。 （De Varigny； 〃Quatorze ans aux
iles Sandwich。〃）
＇7＇ Cf。 Le Play； 〃De l'Organization de la famille；〃 （the history of
a domain in the Pyrenees。）
＇8＇ See； especially； in Brahmin literature the great metaphysical
poems and the Puranas。
＇9＇ Montaigne （1533…92） apparently also had 'sympathetic
imagination' when he wrote： 〃I am most tenderly symphathetic towards
the afflictions of others；〃 （〃On Cruelty〃）。 （SR。）
＇10＇ Voltaire； 〃Dic。 Phil。〃 the article on Punishments。
＇11＇ 〃Resumé des cahiers；〃 by Prud'homme； preface； 1789。
＇12＇ Voltaire； Dialogues； Entretiens entre A。 B。 C。
＇13＇ Voltaire； 〃Dict。Phil。；〃 the article on Religion。 〃If there is
a hamlet to be governed it must have a religion。〃
＇14＇ 〃Le rêve de d'Alembert；〃 by Diderot； passim。
＇15＇ 〃If a misanthrope （a hater of mankind） had proposed to himself
to injure humanity what could he have invented better than faith in an
incomprehensible being； about which men never could come to any
agreement； and to which they would attach more importance than to
their own existence？〃 Diderot； 〃Entretien d'un philosophe avec la
Maréchale de 。。。。。〃 （And that is just what our Marxist sociologist；
psychologists etc have done in inventing a human being bereft of those
emotions which in other animals force them to give in to their
maternal； paternal and leadership instincts thereby making them happy
in the process。。 SR。）
＇16＇ Cf。 〃Catéchisme Universel；〃 by Saint…Lambert； and the 〃Loi
naturelle ou Catéchisme du citoyen fran？ais；〃 by Volney。
＇17＇ 〃Supplément au voyage de Bougainville。〃
＇18＇ Cf。 〃Mémoires de Mm。 D'Epinay；〃 a conversation with Duclos