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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 comprehensive this tyranny may have been； it affected
only one class of men； the others； outside the net； remained free。
When it wounded all at once all sensitive chords； it did so only to a
limited minority； unable to defend themselves。 As far as the
majority； able to protect itself； their main sensibilities were
respected； especially the most sensitive； this one or that one； as the
case might be； now the conscience which binds man to his religion； now
that amour…propre on which honor depends； and now the habits which
make man cling to customs； hereditary usages and outward observances。
As far as the others were concerned； those which relate to property；
personal welfare； and social position； it proceeded cautiously and
with moderation。 In this way the discretion of the ruler lessened the
resistance of the subject； and a daring enterprise； even mischievous；
was not outrageous； it might be carried out； nothing was required but
a force in hand equal to the resistance it provoked。
Again； and on the other hand； the tyrant possessed this force。 Very
many and very strong arms stood behind the prince ready to cooperate
with him and countervail any resistance。 … Behind Philip II。 or
Louis XIV。 ready to drive the dissidents out or at least to consent
to their oppression； stood the Catholic majority； as fanatical or as
illiberal as their king。 Behind Philip II。； Louis XIV。； Frederick
II。； and Peter the Great； stood the entire nation； equally violent；
rallied around the sovereign through his consecrated title and
uncontested right； through tradition and custom； through a rigid
sentiment of duty and the vague idea of public security。 … Peter the
Great counted among his auxiliaries every eminent and cultivated man
in the country； Cromwell had his disciplined and twenty…times
victorious army； the caliph or sultan brought along with him his
military and privileged population。 … Aided by cohorts of this stamp；
it was easy to raise a heavy mass； and even maintain it in a fixed
position。 Once the operation was concluded there followed a sort of
equilibrium； the mass； kept in the air by a permanent counterbalance；
only required a little daily effort to prevent it from falling。
It is just the opposite with the Jacobin enterprise。 When it is put
into operation； the theory； more exacting； adds an extra weight to the
uplifted mass； and； finally； a burden of almost infinite weight。 … At
first； the Jacobin confined his attacks to royalty； to nobility； to
the Church； to parliaments； to privileges； to ecclesiastical and
feudal possessions； in short； to medieval foundations。 Then he
attacks yet more ancient and more solid foundations； positive
religion； property and the family。 … For four years he has been
satisfied with demolition and now he wants to construct。 His object
is not merely to do away with a positive faith and suppress social
inequality； to proscribe revealed dogmas； hereditary beliefs； an
established cult； the supremacy of rank and superiority of fortunes；
wealth； leisure； refinement and elegance； but he wants； in addition to
all this； to re…fashion the citizen。 He wants to create new
sentiments； impose natural religion on the individual； civic
education； uniform ways and habits； Jacobin conduct； Spartan virtue；
in short； nothing is to be left in a human being that is not
prescribed； enforced and constrained。 … Henceforth； there is opposed
to the Revolution； not alone the partisans of the ancient régime …
priests； nobles； parliamentarians； royalists； and Catholics … but；
again； every person imbued with European civilization； every member of
a regular family； any possessor of a capital； large or small； every
kind or degree of proprietor； farmer； manufacturer； merchant； artisan
or farmer； even most of the revolutionaries。 Nearly all the
revolutionaries count on escaping the constraints they impose； and who
only like the strait jacket when it is on another's back。 … The
influence of resistant wills at this moment becomes incalculable： it
would be easier to raise a mountain； and； just at this moment； the
Jacobins have deprived themselves of every moral force through which a
political engineer acts on human wills。
Unlike Philip II。 and Louis XIV。 they are not supported by the
intolerance of a vast majority； for； instead of fifteen or twenty
orthodox against one heretic； they count in their church scarcely more
than one orthodox against fifteen or twenty heretics。＇21＇ … They are
not； like legitimate sovereigns； supported by the stubborn loyalty of
an entire population； following in the steps of its chieftain out of
the prestige of hereditary right and through habits of ancient fealty。
On the contrary； their reign is only a day old and they themselves are
interlopers。 At first installed by a coup d'état and afterwards by
the semblance of an election； they have extorted or obtaine