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It has been proved； by means of documents； that the Girondists
were no less sanguinary than the Montagnards。 They were the
first to declare； with Petion； that the vanquished parties
should perish。 They also； according to M。 Aulard； attempted to
justify the massacres of September。 The Terror must not be
considered simply as a means of defence； but as the general
process of destruction to which triumphant believers have always
treated their detested enemies。 Men who can put up with the
greatest divergence of ideas cannot tolerate differences of
belief。
In religious or political warfare the vanquished can hope for no
quarter。 From Sulla； who cut the throats of two hundred senators
and five or six thousand Romans； to the men who suppressed the
Commune； and shot down more than twenty thousand after
their victory； this bloody law has never failed。 Proved over and
over again in the past； it will doubtless be so in the future。
The hatreds of the Revolution did not arise entirely from
divergence of belief。 Other sentimentsenvy； ambition； and
self…lovealso engendered them。 The rivalry of individuals
aspiring to power led the chiefs of the various groups in
succession to the scaffold。
We must remember； moreover； that the need of division and the
hatred resulting therefrom seem to be constituent elements of the
Latin mind。 They cost our Gaulish ancestors their independence；
and had already struck Caesar。
‘‘No city；'' he said； ‘‘but was divided into two factions； no
canton； no village； no house in which the spirit of party did not
breathe。 It was very rarely that a year went by without a city
taking up arms to attack or repulse its neighbours。''
As man has only recently entered upon the age of knowledge； and
has always hitherto been guided by sentiments and beliefs； we may
conceive the vast importance of hatred as a factor of his
history。
Commandant Colin； professor at the College of War； remarks in the
following terms on the importance of this feeling during certain
wars：
‘‘In war more than at any other time there is no better inspiring
force than hatred； it was hatred that made Blucher victorious
over Napoleon。 Analyse the most wonderful manoeuvres； the most
decisive operations； and if they are not the work of an
exceptional man； a Frederick or a Napoleon； you will find they
are inspired by passion more than by calculation。 What
would the war of 1870 have been without the hatred which we bore
the Germans？''
The writer might have added that the intense hatred of the
Japanese for the Russians； who had so humiliated them； might be
classed among the causes of their success。 The Russian soldiers；
ignorant of the very existence of the Japanese； had no animosity
against them； which was one of the reasons of their failure。
There was assuredly a good deal of talk of fraternity at the time
of the Revolution； and there is even more to…day。 Pacificism；
humanitarianism； and solidarity have become catchwords of the
advanced parties； but we know how profound are the hatreds
concealed beneath these terms； and what dangers overhang our
modern society。
Fear。Fear plays almost as large a part in revolutions as
hatred。 During the French Revolution there were many examples of
great individual courage and many exhibitions of collective
cowardice。
Facing the scaffold； the men of the Convention were always brave
in the extreme； but before the threats of the rioters who invaded
the Assembly they constantly exhibited an excessive
pusillanimity； obeying the most absurd injunctions； as we shall
see if we re…read the history of the revolutionary Assemblies。
All the forms of fear were observed at this period。 One of the
most widespread was the fear of appearing moderate。 Members of
the Assemblies； public prosecutors； representatives ‘‘on
mission；'' judges of the revolutionary tribunals； &c。； all sought
to appear more advanced than their rivals。 Fear was one of the
principal elements of the crimes committed at this period。
If by some miracle it could have been eliminated from the
revolutionary Assemblies； their conduct would have been quite
other than it was； and the Revolution itself would have taken a
very different direction。
Ambition； Envy； Vanity； &c。In normal times the influence of
these various affective elements is forcibly contained by social
necessities。 Ambition； for instance； is necessarily limited in a
hierarchical form of society。 Although the soldier does
sometimes become a general； it is only after a long term of
service。 In time of revolution； on the other hand； there is no
need to wait。 Every one may reach the upper ranks almost
immediately； so that all ambitions are violently aroused。 The
humblest man believes himself fitted for the highest employments；
and by this very fact his vanity grows out of all measure。
All the passions being more or less aroused； including ambition
and vanity； we see the development of jealousy and envy of those
who have succeeded more quickly than others。
The effect of jealousy； always important in times of revolution；
was especially so during the great French Revolution。 Jealousy
of the nobility constituted one of its most important factors。
The middle classes had increased in capacity and wealth； to the
point of surpassing the nobility。 Although they mingled with the
nobles more and more； they felt； none the less； that they were
held at a distance； and this they keenly resented。 This frame of
mind had unconsciously made the bourgeoisie keen supporters of
the philosophic doctrine of equality。
Wounded self…love and jealousy were thus the causes of
hatreds that we can scarcely conceive today； when the social
influence of the nobility is so small。 Many members of the
ConventionCarrier； Marat； and othersremembered with anger
that they had once occupied subordinate positions in the
establishments of great nobles。 Mme。 Roland was never able to
forget that； when she and her mother were invited to the house of
a great lady under the ancien regime； they had been sent to
dine in the servants' quarters。
The philosopher Rivarol has very well described in the following
passage； already cited by Taine； the influence of wounded self…
love and jealousy upon the revolutionary hatreds：
‘‘It is not；'' he writes； ‘‘the taxes； nor the lettres de
cachet； nor any of the other abuses of authority； it is not the
sins of the intendants； nor the long and ruinous delays of
justice； that has most angered the nation； it is the prejudices
of the nobility for which it has exhibited the greatest hatred。
What proves this clearly is the fact that it is the bourgeois；
the men of letters； the men of money； in fact all those who are
jealous of the nobility； who have raised the poorer inhabitants
of the cities against them； and the peasants in the country
districts。''
This very true statement partly justif