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he was chosen by 5；500；000 votes。
Very soon at odds with the Chamber； the prince decided on a coup
d'etat。 The Assembly was dissolved； 30；000 persons were
arrested； 10；000 deported； and a hundred deputies were exiled。
This coup d'etat； although summary； was very favourably
received； for when submitted to a plebiscite it received
7；500；000 votes out of 8；000；000。
On the 2nd of November； 1852； Napoleon had himself named Emperor
by an even greater majority： The horror which the generality of
Frenchmen felt for demagogues and Socialists had restored the
Empire。
In the first part of its existence it constituted an absolute
Government； and during the latter half a liberal Government。
After eighteen years of rule the Emperor was overthrown by the
revolution of the 4th of September； 1870； after the capitulation
of Sedan。
Since that time revolutionary movements have been rare； the only
one of importance was the revolution of March； 1871； which
resulted in the burning of many of the monuments of Paris and the
execution of about 20；000 insurgents。
After the war of 1870 the electors； who； amid so many disasters；
did not know which way to turn； sent a great number of Orleanist
and legitimist deputies to the Constituent Assembly。 Unable to
agree upon the establishment of a monarchy； they appointed M。
Thiers President of the Republic； later replacing him by Marshal
MacMahon。 In 1876 the new elections； like all those that have
followed； sent a majority of republicans to the Chamber。
The various assemblies which have succeeded to this have always
been divided into numerous parties； which have provoked
innumerable changes of ministry。
However； thanks to the equilibrium resulting from this division
of parties； we have for forty years enjoyed comparative quiet。
Four Presidents of the Republic have been overthrown without
revolution； and the riots that have occurred； such as those of
Champagne and the Midi； have not had serious consequences。
A great popular movement； in 1888； did nearly overthrow the
Republic for the benefit of General Boulanger； but it has
survived and triumphed over the attacks of all parties。
Various reasons contribute to the maintenance of the present
Republic。 In the first place； of the conflicting factions
none is strong enough to crush the rest。 In the second place；
the head of the State being purely decorative； and possessing no
power； it is impossible to attribute to him the evils from which
the country may suffer； and to feel sure that matters would be
different were he overthrown。 Finally； as the supreme power is
distributed among thousands of hands； responsibilities are so
disseminated that it would be difficult to know where to begin。
A tyrant can be overthrown； but what can be done against a host
of little anonymous tyrannies？
If we wished to sum up in a word the great transformations which
have been effected in France by a century of riots and
revolutions； we might say that individual tyranny； which was weak
and therefore easily overthrown； has been replaced by collective
tyrannies； which are very strong and difficult to destroy。 To a
people avid of equality and habituated to hold its Governments
responsible for every event individual tyranny seemed
insupportable； while a collective tyranny is readily endured；
although generally much more severe。
The extension of the tyranny of the State has therefore been the
final result of all our revolutions； and the common
characteristic of all systems of government which we have known
in France。 This form of tyranny may be regarded as a racial
ideal； since successive upheavals of France have only fortified
it。 Statism is the real political system of the Latin peoples；
and the only system that receives all suffrages。 The other forms
of governmentrepublic； monarchy； empirerepresent empty
labels； powerless shadows。
PART III
THE RECENT EVOLUTION OF THE REVOLUTIONARY PRINCIPLES
CHAPTER I
THE PROGRESS OF DEMOCRATIC BELIEFS SINCE THE REVOLUTION
1。 Gradual Propagation of Democratic Ideas after the Revolution。
Ideas which are firmly established； incrusted； as it were； in
men's minds； continue to act for several generations。 Those
which resulted from the French Revolution were； like others；
subject to this law。
Although the life of the Revolution as a Government was short；
the influence of its principles was； on the contrary； very long…
lived。 Becoming a form of religious belief； they profoundly
modified the orientation of the sentiments and ideas of several
generations。
Despite a few intervals； the French Revolution has continued up
to the present； and still survives。 The role of Napoleon
was not confined to overturning the world； changing the map of
Europe； and remaking the exploits of Alexander。 The new rights
of the people； created by the Revolution and established by its
institutions； have exercised a profound influence。 The military
work of the conqueror was soon dissolved； but the revolutionary
principles which he contributed to propagate have survived him。
The various restorations which followed the Empire caused men at
first to become somewhat forgetful of the principles of the
Revolution。 For fifty years this propagation was far from rapid。
One might almost have supposed that the people had forgotten
them。 Only a small number of theorists maintained their
influence。 Heirs to the ‘‘simplicist'' spirit of the Jacobins；
believing； like them； that societies can be remade from top to
bottom by the laws； and persuaded that the Empire had only
interrupted the task of revolution； they wished to resume it。
While waiting until they could recommence； they attempted to
spread the principles of the Revolution by means of their
writings。 Faithful imitators of the men of the Revolution； they
never stopped to ask if their schemes for reform were in
conformity with human nature。 They too were erecting a
chimerical society for an ideal man； and were persuaded that the
application of their dreams would regenerate the human species。
Deprived of all constructive power； the theorists of all the ages
have always been very ready to destroy。 Napoleon at St。 Helena
stated that ‘‘if there existed a monarchy of granite the
idealists and theorists would manage to reduce it to powder。''
Among the galaxy of dreamers such as Saint…Simon； Fourier； Pierre
Leroux； Louis Blanc； Quinet； &c。； we find that only Auguste Comte
understood that a transformation of manners and ideas must
precede political reorganisation。
Far from favouring the diffusion of democratic ideas； the
projects of reform of the theorists of this period merely impeded
their progress。 Communistic Socialism； which several of
them professed would restore the Revolution； finally alarmed the
bourgeoisie and even the working…classes。 We have already seen
that the fear of