按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
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 offices and places； not only those of officers of the
National Guard and the administrators of the commune； the district；
and the department； whose duties are gratuitous； or little short of
it； but a quantity of others which are paid；＇33＇ … eighty…three
bishops； seven hundred and fifty deputies； four hundred criminal
judges； three thousand and seven civil judges； five thousand
justices of the peace； twenty thousand assessors forty thousand
communal collectors； forty…six thousand curés； without counting the
accessory or insignificant places which exist by tens and hundreds
of thousands； from secretaries； clerks； bailiffs and notaries； to
gendarmes； constables； office…clerks； beadles； grave…diggers； and
keepers of sequestered goods。 The pasture is vast for the
ambitious； it is not small for the needy； and they seize upon it。
Such is the rule in pure democracies： hence the swarm of politicians
in the United States。 When the law incessantly calls all citizens
to political action； there are only a few who devote themselves to
it； these become expert in this particular work； and； consequently；
preponderant。 But they must be paid for their trouble； and the
election secures to them their places because they manage the
elections。
Two sorts of men furnish the recruits for this dominant minority： on
the one hand the enthusiasts； and on the other those who have no
social position。 Towards the end of 1789； moderate people； who are
minding their own business； retire into privacy； and are daily less
disposed to show themselves。 The public square is occupied by
others who； through zeal and political passion； abandon their
pursuits； and by those who； finding themselves hampered in their
social sphere； or repelled from ordinary circles； were merely
awaiting a new opening to take a fresh start。 In these utopian and
revolutionary times； there is no lack of either class。 Flung out by
han