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sell only at an exorbitant rate； and worse still； stop selling and
store their goods or products； in the expectation of selling them
dearer。 In this way； they speculate on another's wants； they augment
the general distress and become public enemies。 Nearly all the
agriculturists； manufacturers and tradesmen of the day； little and
big； are public enemies … farmers； tenant farmers； market…gardeners；
cultivators of every degree； as well as foremen； shopkeepers；
especially wine…dealers； bakers and butchers。
〃All merchants are essentially anti…revolutionaries； and would sell
their country to gain a few pennies。〃＇78＇
We will not tolerate this legal brigandage。 Since 〃agriculture has
done nothing for liberty and has sought only its own gain；〃＇79＇ we
will put it under surveillance； and； if necessary； under control。
Since 〃commerce has become a species of miserly tyrant；〃 since 〃it has
become self…paralyzed；〃 and； 〃through a sort of anti…revolutionary
contempt； neglected the manufacture； handling and expedition of
diverse materials；〃 we will thwart 〃the calculations of its barbarous
arithmetic； and purge it of the aristocratic and corrupting
fermentation which oppresses it。〃 We make monopoly 〃a capital
crime；〃＇80＇ we call him a monopolist who 〃takes food and wares of
prime necessity out of circulation；〃 and 〃keeps them stored without
daily and publicly offering them for sale。〃 Penalty of death against
whoever； within eight days； does not make a declaration； or if he
makes a false one。 Penalty of death against the dealer who does not
post up the contents of his warehouse； or who does not keep open shop。
Penalty of death against any person who keeps more bread on hand than
he needs for his subsistence。＇81＇ Penalty of death against the
cultivator who does not bring his grain weekly to market。 Penalty of
death against the dealer who does not post up the contents of his
warehouse； or who does not keep open shop。 Penalty of death against
the manufacturer who does not verify the daily use of his workable
material。 … As to prices； we intervene authoritatively between buyer
and seller； we fix the maximum price for all objects which； near or
remotely； serve to feed； warm and clothe man； we will imprison whoever
offers or demands anything more。 Whether the dealer or manufacturer
pays expenses at this rate； matters not； if； after the maximum is
fixed； he closes factory； or gives up business； we declare him a
〃suspect；〃 we chain him down to his pursuit； we oblige him to lose by
it。 … This is the way to clip the claws of beasts of prey； little and
big！ But the claws grow out again； and； instead of paring them down；
it would probably be better to pull them out。 Some amongst us have
already thought of that； the right of pre…emption shall be applied to
every article； 〃in each department； national storehouse might be
established where farmers； land…owners and manufacturers would be
obliged to deposit at a fixed price； paid down； the surplus of their
consumption of every species of merchandise。 The nation would
distribute this merchandise to wholesale dealers； reserving a profit
of six per cent。 The profit of the wholesale dealer would be fixed at
eight per cent and that of the retailer at twelve per cent。〃＇82＇ In
this way ； farmers； manufacturers； and merchants would all become
clerks of the State； appointed on a premium or a discount； unable to
gain a great deal； they would not be tempted to gain too much； they
would cease to be greedy and soon cease to be egoists。＇83＇ … Since；
fundamentally； egoism is the capital vice and individual
proprietorship the food that nourishes it； why not suppress individual
proprietorship altogether？ Our extreme logicians； with Bab？uf at the
head of them； go as far as that； and Saint…Just seems to be of that
opinion。＇84＇ We are not concerned with the enacting of an Agrarian；
the nation may reserve the soil to itself and divide among
individuals； not the soil； but its lease。 The outcome of this
principle affords us a glimpse of an order of things in which the
State； sole proprietor of real…estate； sole capitalist； sole
manufacturer； sole trader； having all Frenchmen in its pay and
service； would assign to each one his task according to his aptitude；
and distribute to each one his rations according to his wants。＇85＇
These various uncompleted plans still float in a hazy distance but
their common purpose is clearly distinguishable。
〃All which tends to center human passions on the vile； individual ego
must be repudiated or repressed；〃＇86＇
We should annihilate special interests； deprive the individual of the
motives and means for self…isolation； suppress preoccupations and
ambitions by which Man makes himself a focal point at the expense of
the real center； in short； to detach him from himself in order to
attach him wholly to the State。
This is why； disregarding the narrow egoism through which the
individual prefers himself to the community； we strive towards the
enlarged egoism by which the individual prefers the community to the
group of which he forms a part。 Under no pretext must he separate
himself from the whole； at no price； must he be allowed to form for
himself a small homeland within the large one； for； by the affection
he entertains for the small one； he frustrates the objects of the
large one。 Nothing is worse than political； civil； religious and
domestic federalism； we combat it under all its forms。＇87＇ In this
particular； the Constituent Assembly has paved the way for us； since
it has broken up all the principal historic or material groups by
which men have separated themselves from the masses and formed a band
apart； provinces； clergy； nobles； parliaments； religious orders and
trades…unions。 We complete its work； we destroy churches； we suppress
literary or scientific associations； educational or benevolent
societies； even down to financial companies。＇88＇ We prohibit any
departmental or commercial 〃local spirit：〃 we find
〃odious and opposed to all principles； that； amongst municipalities；
some should be rich and others poor； that one should have immense
patrimonial possessions and another nothing but debts。〃＇89＇
We regard these possessions as the nation's； and we place
indebtedness to the nation's account。 We take grain from rich
communes and departments； to feed poor communes and departments。 We
build bridges； roads and canals of each district； at the expense of
the State； 〃we centralize the labor of the French people in a broad；
opulent fashion。〃＇90＇ We want no more local interests； recollections；
dialects； idioms and patriotisms。 Only one bond should subsist
between individuals； that which attaches them to the social body。 We
sunder all others； we do not tolerate any special aggregation； we do
the best we can to break up the most tenacious of all； the family。 …
We therefore give marriage the status of an ordinary contract： we
render this loose and p