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‘‘Nothing is more dreadful than to govern men in this enlightened
century； when every cobbler reasons and criticises the
Government。''
To tell the truth； the objections are not always as great as they
appear。 The laws of the psychology of crowds being admitted； it
is very doubtful whether a limited suffrage would give a much
better choice of men than that obtained by universal suffrage。
These same psychological laws also show us that so…called
universal suffrage is in reality a pure fiction。 The crowd； save
in very rare cases； has no opinion but that of its leaders。
Universal suffrage really represents the most limited of
suffrages。
There justly resides its real danger。 Universal suffrage is made
dangerous by the fact that the leaders who are its masters are
the creatures of little local committees analogous to the clubs
of the Revolution。 The leader who canvasses for a mandate is
chosen by them。
Once nominated； he exercises an absolute local power； on
condition of satisfying the interests of his committees。 Before
this necessity the general interest of the country disappears
almost totally from the mind of the elected representative。
Naturally the committees； having need of docile servants； do not
choose for this task individuals gifted with a lofty intelligence
nor； above all； with a very high morality。 They must have men
without character； without social position； and always docile。
By reason of these necessities the servility of the deputy in
respect of these little groups which patronise him； and without
which he would be no one； is absolute。 He will speak and vote
just as his committee tells him。 His political ideal may be
expressed in a few words： it is to obey； that he may retain his
post。
Sometimes； rarely indeed； and only when by name or position or
wealth he has a great prestige； a superior character may impose
himself upon the popular vote by overcoming the tyranny of the
impudent minorities which constitute the local committees。
Democratic countries like France are only apparently governed by
universal suffrage。 For this reason is it that so many measures
are passed which do not interest the people and which the people
never demanded。 Such were the purchase of the Western railways；
the laws respecting congregations； &c。 These absurd
manifestations merely translated the demands of fanatical local
committees； and were imposed upon deputies whom they had chosen。
We may judge of the influence of these committees when we see
moderate deputies forced to patronise the anarchical
destroyers of arsenals； to ally themselves with anti…militarists；
and； in a word； to obey the most atrocious demands in order to
ensure re…election。 The will of the lowest elements of democracy
has thus created among the elected representatives manners and a
morality which we can but recognise are of the lowest。 The
politician is the man in public employment； and as Nietzsche
says：
‘‘Where public employment begins there begins also the clamour of
the great comedians and the buzzing of venomous flies。 。 。 。 The
comedian always believes in that which makes him obtain his best
effects； in that which impels the people to believe in him。 To…
morrow he will have a new faith； and the day after to…morrow yet
another。 。 。 。 All that is great has its being far from public
employment and glory。''
4。 The Craving for Reforms。
The craze for reforms imposed suddenly by means of decrees is one
of the most disastrous conceptions of the Jacobin spirit； one of
the formidable legacies left by the Revolution。 It is among the
principal factors of all the incessant political upheavals of the
last century in France。
One of the psychological causes of this intense thirst for
reforms arises from the difficulty of determining the real causes
of the evils complained of。 The need of explanation creates
fictitious causes of the simplest nature。 Therefore the remedies
also appear simple。
For forty years we have incessantly been passing reforms； each of
which is a little revolution in itself。 In spite of all these；
or rather because of them； the French have evolved almost
as little as any race in Europe。
The slowness of our actual evolution may be seen if we compare
the principal elements of our social lifecommerce； industry；
&c。with those of other nations。 The progress of other
nationsof the Germans especiallythen appears enormous； while
our own has been very slow。
Our administrative； industrial； and commercial organisation is
considerably out of date； and is no longer equal to our new
needs。 Our industry is not prospering； our marine is declining。
Even in our own colonies we cannot compete with foreign
countries； despite the enormous pecuniary subventions accorded by
the State。 M。 Cruppi； an ex…Minister of Commerce； has insisted
on this melancholy decline in a recent book。 Falling into the
usual errors； he believed it easy to remedy this inferiority by
new laws。
All politicians share the same opinion； which is why we progress
so slowly。 Each party is persuaded that by means of reforms all
evils could be remedied。 This conviction results in struggles
such as have made France the most divided country in the world
and the most subject to anarchy。
No one yet seems to understand that individuals and their
methods； not regulations； make the value of a people。 The
efficacious reforms are not the revolutionary reforms but the
trifling ameliorations of every day accumulated in course of
time。 The great social changes； like the great geological
changes； are effected by the daily addition of minute causes。
The economic history of Germany during the last forty
years proves in a striking manner the truth of this law。
Many important events which seem to depend more or less on
hazardas battles； for exampleare themselves subject to this
law of the accumulation of small causes。 No doubt the decisive
struggle is sometimes terminated in a day or less； but many
minute efforts； slowly accumulated； are essential to victory。 We
had a painful experience of this in 1870； and the Russians have
learned it more recently。 Barely half an hour did Admiral Togo
need to annihilate the Russian fleet； at the battle of Tsushima；
which finally decided the fate of Japan； but thousands of little
factors； small and remote； determined that success。 Causes not
less numerous engendered the defeat of the Russiansa
bureaucracy as complicated as ours； and as irresponsible；
lamentable material； although paid for by its weight in gold； a
system of graft at every degree of the social hierarchy； and
general indifference to the interests of the country。
Unhappily the progress in little things which by their total make
up the greatness of a nation is rarely apparent； produces no
impression on the public； and cannot serve the interests of
politicians at elections