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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。
Complete triumph and last excesses of classic reason。 … How it
becomes monomania。 … Why its work is not enduring。
These articles are all inevitable consequences of the social
contract。 The moment I enter the corporation I abandon my own
personality； I abandon； by this act； my possessions； my children； my
church； and my opinions。 I cease to be proprietor； father； Christian
and philosopher。 The state is my substitute in all these functions。 In
place of my will； there is henceforth the public will； that is to say；
in theory； the mutable absolutism of a majority counted by heads；
while in fact； it is the rigid absolutism of the assembly； the
faction； the individual who is custodian of the public authority。 …
On this principle an outburst of boundless conceit takes place。 The
very first year Grégoire states in the tribune of the Constituent
Assembly； 〃we might change religion if we pleased； but we have no such
desire。〃 A little later the desire comes； and it is to be carried out；
that of Holbach is proposed； then that of Rousseau； and they dare go
much farther。 In the name of Reason； of which the State alone is the
representative and interpreter； they undertake to unmake and make
over； in conformity with Reason and with Reason only； all customs；
festivals； ceremonies； and costumes； the era； the calendar； weights
and measures； the names of the seasons； months； weeks and days； of
places and monuments； family and baptismal names； complimentary
titles； the tone of discourse； the mode of salutation； of greeting； of
speaking and of writing； in such a fashion； that the Frenchman； as
formerly with the puritan or the Quaker； remodeled even in his inward
substance； exposes； through the smallest details of his conduct and
exterior； the dominance of the all…powerful principle which refashions
his being and the inflexible logic which controls his thoughts。 This
constitutes the final result and complete triumph of the classic
spirit。 Installed in narrow brains； incapable of entertaining two
related ideas； it is to become a cold or furious monomania； fiercely
and unrelentingly destroying a past it curses； and attempting to
establish a millennium； and all in the name of an illusory contract；
at once anarchical and despotic； which unfetters insurrection and
justifies dictatorship； all to end in a conflicting social order
resembling sometimes a drunken orgy of demons； and sometimes a Spartan
convent； all aimed at replacing the real human being； slowly formed by
his past with an improvised robot； who； through its own debility； will
collapse when the external and mechanical force that keeps it up will
no longer sustain it。
____________________________________________________________________
Notes：
＇1＇ Barrère； 〃Point du jour；〃 No。 1； （June 15； 1789）。 〃 You are
summoned to give history a fresh start。〃
＇2＇ Condorcet； ibid。； 〃Tableau des progrès de l'esprit humain；〃 the
tenth epoch。 〃The methods of the mathematical sciences； applied to new
objects； have opened new roads to the moral and political sciences。〃 …
Cf。 Rousseau； in the 〃Contrat Social；〃 the mathematical calculation of
the fraction of sovereignty to which each individual is entitled。
＇3＇ Saint…Lambert； 〃Catéchisme universel；〃 the first dialogue； p。
17。
＇4＇ Condorcet； ibid。； ninth epoch。 〃From this single truth the
publicists have been able to derive the rights of man。〃
＇5＇ Rousseau still entertained admiration for Montesquieu but； at
the same time； with some reservation； afterwards； however； the theory
developed itself； every historical right being rejected。 〃Then；〃 says
Condorcet； （ibid。； ninth epoch）； 〃they found themselves obliged
abandon a false and crafty policy which； forgetful of men deriving
equal rights through their nature； attempted at one time to estimate
those allowed to them according to extent of territory； the
temperature of the climate； the national character； the wealth of the
populatio