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produce the rest。 The object then； is to fashion men capable of
physical； mental or moral labor； the most energetic； the most
persistent； the most skillful and most productive； now； we already
know the conditions of their formation。 It is essential and
sufficient； that the vivacious sources； described above； should flow
there； on the spot； each through its natural outlet； and under the
control of the owner。 On this condition the jet becomes more
vigorous； for the acquired impetus increases the original outflow； the
producer becomes more and more skillful； since 'practice makes
perfect。' Those around him likewise become better workmen； inasmuch as
they find encouragement in his success and avail themselves of his
discoveries。 … Thus； simply because the State respects； and enforces
respect； for these individual sources in private hands； it develops in
individuals； as well as in those around them； the will and the talent
for producing much and well； the faculty for； and desire to； keep on
producing more and better； in other words； all sorts of energies and
capacities； each of its own kind and in its own place； with all
compatible fullness and efficiency。 Such is the office； and the sole
office； of the State； first in relation to the turbid and frigid
springs issuing from selfishness and self…conceit； whose operations
demand its oversight； and next for still stronger reasons； in relation
to the warm and pure springs whose beneficence is unalloyed； as in the
family affections and private friendships； again； in relation to those
rarer and higher springs； such as the love of beauty； the yearning for
truth； the spirit of association； patriotism and love of mankind； and；
finally； for still stronger reasons； in relation to the two most
sacred and salutary of all springs； conscience which renders will
subject to duty； and honor which makes will the support of justice。
Let the State prevent； as well as abstain from； any interference with
either； let this be its object and nothing more； its abstention is as
necessary as its vigilance。 Let it guard both； and it will see
everywhere growing spontaneously； hourly； each in degree according to
conditions of time and place； the most diligent and most competent
workmen； the agriculturist； the manufacturer； the merchant； the
savant； the artist； the inventor； the propagandist； the husband and
wife； the father and mother； the patriot； the philanthropist and the
sister of charity。
On the contrary； if； like our Jacobins； the State seeks to confiscate
every natural force to its own profit； it seeks to make affection for
itself paramount； if it strives to suppress all other passions and
interests； if it tolerates no other preoccupation than that which
concerns the common weal； if it tries to forcibly convert every member
of society into a Spartan or Jesuit； then； at enormous cost； will it
not only destroy private fountains； and spread devastation over the
entire territory； but it will destroy its own fountain…head。 We honor
the State only for the services it renders to us； and proportionately
to these services and the security it affords us； and to the liberty
which it ensures us under the title of universal benefactor； when it
deliberately wounds us through our dearest interests and most tender
affections； when it goes so far as to attack our honor and conscience；
when it becomes the universal wrong…doer； our affection for it； in the
course of time； turns into hatred。 Let this system be maintained； and
patriotism； exhausted； dries up； and； one by one； all other beneficent
springs； until； finally； nothing is visible over the whole country；
but stagnant pools or overwhelming torrents； inhabited by passive
subjects or depredators。 As in the Roman empire in the fourth
century； in Italy in the seventeenth century； in the Turkish provinces
in our own day； naught remains but an ill…conducted herd of stunted；
torpid creatures； limited to their daily wants and animal instincts；
indifferent to the public welfare and to their own prospective
interests； so degenerate as to have lost sight of their own
discoveries； unlearned their own sciences； arts and industries； and；
in short； and worse than all； base； false； corrupted souls entirely
wanting in honor and conscience。 Nothing is more destructive than the
unrestricted meddling of the State； even when wise and paternal； in
Paraguay； under the discipline of Jesuits； so minute in its details；
〃Indian physiognomy appeared like that of animals taken in a trap。〃
They worked； ate； drank and gave birth by sound of bells； under watch
and ward； correctly and mechanically； but showing no liking for
anything； not even for their own existence； being transformed into so
may automatons； at least it may be said is that the means employed to
produce this result were gentle and that they； before their
transformation were mere brutes。 But those who the revolutionary…
Jesuit now undertakes to transform into robots； and by harsh means；
are human beings。
VIII。
Comparison between despotisms。 … Philip II and Louis XIV。 … Cromwell
and Frederick the Great。 … Peter the Great and the Sultans。 …
Relationship between the tasks the Jacobins are to carry out and the
assets at their disposal。 … Disproportion between the burdens they
are to carry and the forces at their disposal。 … Folly of their
undertaking。 … Physical force the only governmental force they
possess。 … They are compelled to exercise it。 … They are compelled
to abuse it。 … Character of their government。 … Character requisite
of their leaders。
Several times； in European history； despotism almost equally harsh
have born down heavily on human effort； but never have any of them
been so thoroughly inept； for none have ever attempted to raise so
heavy a mass with so short a lever。
And to start with； no matter how authoritative the despot might have
been； his intervention was limited。 … Philip II。 burned heretics；
persecuted Moors and drove out Jews； Louis XIV。 forcibly converted
the Protestants； but both used violence only against dissenters； about
a fifteenth or a twentieth of their subjects。 If Cromwell； on
becoming Protector； remained sectarian； and the compulsory servant of
an army of sectarians； he took good care not to impose on other
churches the theology； rites and discipline of his own church；＇18＇ on
the contrary； he repressed fanatical outrages； protected the
Anabaptists as well as his Independents。 He granted paid curates to
the Presbyterians as well as the public exercise of their worship； he
showed the Episcopalians a large tolerance and gave them the right to
worship in private； he maintained the two great Anglican universities
and allowed the Jews to erect a synagogue。 … Frederick II。 drafted
into his army every able…bodied peasant that he could feed； he kept
every man twenty years in the service； under a discipline worse than
slavery； with almost certain prospect of death； and in his last war；
he sacrificed about one sixth of his male subjects；＇19＇ but they were
serfs； and his conscription did not touch the bourgeois class。 He put
his hands in the pockets of the bourgeois and of every other man； and
took every crown they had； when driven to it； he adulterated coin and
stopped paying his functionaries； but； under the scrutiny of his eyes；
always open； the administration was honest； the police effective；
justice exact； toleration unlimited； and the freedom of the press
complete； the king allowed the publication of the most cutting
pamphlets against himself； and their public sale； even at Berlin。 … A
little earlier； in the great empire of the east； Peter the Great；＇20＇
with whip in hand； lashed his Muscovite bears and made them drill and
dance in European fashion； but were bears accustomed from father to
son to the whip and chain； moreover； he stood as the orthodox head of
their faith； and left their mir （the village commune） untouched。 …
Finally； at the other extremity of Europe； and even outside of Europe；
in the seventh century the caliph； in the fifteenth century a sultan；
a Mahomet or an Omar； a fanatical Arab or brutal Turk； who had just
overcome Christians with the sword； himself assigned the limits of his
own absolutism： if the vanquished were reduced to the condition of
heavily ransomed tributaries and of inferiors daily humiliated； he
allowed them their worship； civil laws and domestic usages； he left
them their institutions； their convents and their schools； he allowed
them to administer the affairs of their own community as they pleased
under the jurisdiction of their patriarch； or other natural
chieftains。 … Thus whatever the tyrant may have been； he did not
attempt to entirely recast Man； nor to subject all his subjects to the
recasting。 However penetrating the tyranny； it stopped in the soul at
a certain point； that point reached； the sentiments were left free。
No matter how co