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unique; predominates:
* The aim of the monk is to please God at any sacrifice。
* The soldier makes every sacrifice to obtain a victory。
Accordingly; each renounces every other desire and entirely abandons
himself; the monk to his rules and the soldier to his drill。 In like
manner; in the antique world; two preoccupations were of supreme
importance。 In the first place; the city had its gods who were both
its founders and protectors: it was therefore obliged to worship these
in the most reverent and particular manner; otherwise; they abandoned
it。 The neglect of any insignificant rite might offend them and ruin
it。 In the second place; there was incessant warfare; and the spoils
of war were atrocious; on a city being taken every citizen might
expect to be killed or maimed; or sold at auction; and see his
children and wife sold to the highest bidder。'2' In short; the antique
city; with its acropolis of temples and its fortified citadel
surrounded by implacable and threatening enemies; resembles for us the
institution of the Knights of St。 John on their rocks at Rhodes or
Malta; a religious and military confraternity encamped around a
church。 … Liberty; under such conditions; is out of the question:
public convictions are too imperious; public danger is too great。
With this pressure upon him; and thus hampered; the individual gives
himself up to the community; which takes full possession of him;
because; to maintain its own existence; it needs the whole man。
Henceforth; no one may develop apart and for himself; no one may act
or think except within fixed lines。 The type of Man is distinctly and
clearly marked out; if not logically at least traditionally; each
life; as well as each portion of each life must conform to this type;
otherwise public security is compromised: any falling off in gymnastic
education weakens the army; passing the images of the gods and
neglecting the usual libation draws down celestial vengeance on the
city。 Consequently; to prevent all deviations; the State; absolute
master; exercises unlimited jurisdiction; no freedom whatever is left
to the individual; no portion of himself is reserved to himself; no
sheltered corner against the strong hand of public force; neither his
possessions; his children; his personality; his opinions or his
conscience。'3' If; on voting days; he shares in the sovereignty; he is
subject all the rest of the year; even to his private sentiments。
Rome; to serve these ends; had two censors。 One of the archons of
Athens was inquisitor of the faith。 Socrates was put to death for not
believing in the gods in which the city believed。'4' … In reality; not
only in Greece and in Rome; but in Egypt; in China; in India; in
Persia; in Judea; in Mexico; in Peru; during the first stages of
civilization;'5' the principle of human communities is still that of
gregarious animals: the individual belongs to his community the same
as the bee to its hive and the ant to its ant…hill; he is simply an
organ within an organism。 Under a variety of structures and in
diverse applications authoritative socialism alone prevails。
Just the opposite in modern society; what was once the rule has now
become the exception; the antique system survives only in temporary
associations; like that of an army; or in special associations; as in
a convent。 Gradually; the individual has liberated himself; and
century after century; he has extended his domain and the two chains
which once bound him fast to the community; have snapped or been
lightened。
In the first place; public power has ceased to consist of a militia
protecting a cult。 In the beginning; through the institution of
Christianity; civil society and religious society have become two
distinct empires; Christ himself having separated the two
jurisdictions;
〃Render unto C?sar the things which are C?sar's; and unto God the
things that are God's。〃
Additionally; through the rise of Protestantism; the great Church is
split into numerous sects which; unable to destroy each other; have
been so compelled to live together and the State; even when preferring
one of them; has found it necessary to tolerate the others。 Finally;
through the development of Protestantism; philosophy and the sciences;
speculative beliefs have multiplied。 There are almost as many faiths
now…a…days as there are thinking men; and; as thinking men are
becoming daily more numerous; opinions are daily becoming more
numerous。 So should the State try to impose any one of these on
society; this would excite opposition from an infinity of others;
hence the wisdom in governing is found; first; in remaining neutral;
and; next; in acknowledging that it is not qualified to interfere。
In the second place; war has become less frequent and less destructive
because men have not so many motives for waging it; nor the same
motives to push it to the same extremes。 Formerly; war was the main
source of wealth; through victories Man acquired slaves; subjects and
tributaries; he turned these to the best account; he leisurely enjoyed
their forced labor。 Nothing of this kind is seen now…a…days; people
no longer think of providing themselves human cattle; they have
discovered that; of all animals; these are the most troublesome; the
least productive; and the most dangerous。 Comforts and security are
obtained much more readily through free labor and machinery; the great
object no is not to conquer; but to produce and interchange。 Every
day; man; pressing forward more eagerly in civil careers; is less
disposed to put up with any obstacle that interferes with his aims; if
he still consents to be a soldier it is not to become an invader; but
to provide against invasion。 Meanwhile; war has become more
scientific and; through the complications of its machinery; more
costly; the State can no longer call out and enlist for life every
able…bodied man without ruining itself; nor put too many obstacles in
the way of the free industry which; through taxation; provides for its
expenses; however short…sighted the State may be; it consults civil
interests; even in its military interest。 … Thus; of the two nets in
which it has enveloped all human activity; one is rent asunder and the
other has slackened its meshes。 There is no longer any reason for
making the community omnipotent; the individual need not alienate
himself entirely; he may; without inconvenience; reserve to himself a
part of himself; and; if now called upon to sign a social contract;
you may be sure that he would make this reservation。
II
Changed minds。 … Conscience and its Christian origin。 … Honor and
its feudal origin。 … The individual of to…day refuses to surrender
himself entirely。 … His motives。 … Additional motives in modern
democracy。 … Character of the elective process and the quality of the
representative。
And so have not only outward circumstances changed; but the very human
attitud