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natural with the State； equally indispensable in their way； and；
therefore； as legitimate as itself； it allowed them only a life on
trust； derived from above and from the center。 But； since the State
created them； it might and ought to treat them as its creatures； keep
them indefinitely under its thumb； use them for its purposes； act
through them as through other agencies； and transform their chiefs
into functionaries of the central power。
III。 Brilliant Statesman and Administrator。
The Organizer。 … Influence of Napoleon's character and mind on his
internal and French system。 … Exigencies of his external and European
r？le。 … Suppression of all centers of combination and concord。 …
Extension of the public domain and what it embraces。 … Reasons for
maintaining the private domain。 … The part of the individual。 … His
reserved enclosure。 … Outlets for him beyond that。 … His talents are
enlisted in the service of public power。 … Special aptitude and
temporary vigor； lack of balance； and doubtful future of the social
body thus formed。
A new France； not the chimerical； communistic； equalized； and Spartan
France of Robespierre and Saint…Just； but a possible real； durable；
and yet leveled and uniform France； logically struck out at one blow；
all of a piece； according to one general principle； a France；
centralized； administrative； and； save the petty egoistic play of
individuals； managed in one entire body from top to bottom； … in
short； the France which Richelieu and Louis XIV。 had longed for； which
Mirabeau after 1790 had foreseen；＇23＇ is now the work which the
theories of the monarchy and of the Revolution had prepared； and
toward which the final concurrence of events； that is to say； 〃the
alliance of philosophy and the saber；〃 led the sovereign hands of the
First Consul。
Accordingly； considering his well…known character； the promptitude；
the activity； the reach； the universality； and the cast of his
intellect； he could not have proposed to himself a different work nor
reduced himself to a lower standard。 His need of governing and of
administrating was too great； his capacity for governing and
administrating was too great： his was an exacting genius。 … Moreover；
for the outward task that he undertook he required internally； not
only undisputed possession of all executive and legislative powers；
not only perfect obedience from all legal authorities； but； again； the
annihilation of all moral authority but his own； that is to say； the
silence of public opinion and the isolation of each individual； and
therefore the abolition； preventive and systematic； of any religious；
ecclesiastic； pedagogic； charitable； literary； departmental； or
communal initiative that might； now or in the future gather men
against him or alongside of him。 Like a good general he secures his
rear。 At strife with all Europe； he so arranges it as not to allow in
the France he drags along after him refractory souls or bodies which
might form platoons in his rear。 Consequently； and through precaution；
he suppresses in advance all eventual rallying points or centers of
combination Henceforth； every wire which can stir up and bring a
company of men together for the same object terminates in his hands；
he holds in his firm grasp all these combined wires； guards them with
jealous care； in order to strain them to the utmost。 Let no one
attempt to loosen them； and； above all； let no one entertain a thought
of getting hold of them； they belong to him and to him alone； and
compose the public domain； which is his domain proper。
But； alongside of his proper domain； he recognizes another in which he
himself assigns a limit to the complete absorption of all wills by his
own； he does not admit； of course in his own interest； that the public
power； at least in the civil order of things and in common practice；
should be illimitable nor； especially； arbitrary。＇24＇ … This is due to
his not being an utopian or a theorist； like his predecessors of the
Convention； but a perspicacious statesman； who is in the habit of
using his own eyes。 He sees things directly； in themselves； he does
not imagine them through book formulae or party phrases； by a process
of verbal reasoning； employing the gratuitous suppositions of
humanitarian optimism or the dogmatic prejudices of Jacobin nonsense。
He sees Man just as he is； not Man in himself； an abstract citizen；
the philosophic puppet of the Contrat Social； but the real individual；
the entire living man； with his profound instincts； his tenacious
necessities； which； whether tolerated or not by legislation； still
subsist and operate infallibly； and which the legislator must take
into consideration if he wants to turn them to account。 … This
individual； a civilized European and a modern Frenchman； constituted
as he is by several centuries of tolerable police discipline； of
respected rights and hereditary property； must have a private domain；
an enclosed area； large or small； which belongs and is reserved to him
personally； to which the public power interdicts access and before
which it mounts guard to prevent other individuals from intruding on
it。 Otherwise his condition seems intolerable to him； he is no longer
disposed to exert himself； to set his wits to work； or to enter upon
any enterprise。 Let us be careful not to snap or loosen this powerful
and precious spring of action； let him continue to work； to produce；
to economize； if only that he may be in a condition to pay taxes； let
him continue to marry； to bring forth and raise up sons； if only to
serve the conscription。 Let us ease his mind with regard to his
enclosure；＇25＇ let him exercise full proprietorship over it and enjoy
it exclusively； let him feel himself at home in his own house in
perpetuity； safe from any intrusion； protected by the code and by the
courts； not alone against his enemies； but against the administration
itself。 Let him in this well…defined； circumscribed abode be free to
turn round and range as he pleases； free to browse at will； and； if he
chooses； to consume all his hay himself。 It is not essential that his
meadows should be very extensive： most men live with their nose to the
ground； very few look beyond a very narrow circle； men are not much
troubled by being penned up； the egoism and urgent needs of daily life
are already for them ready…made limits： within these natural barriers
they ask for nothing but to be allowed to graze in security。 Let us
give them this assurance and leave them free to consult their own
welfare。 … As to the rest； in very small number； more or less
imaginative； energetic； and ardent； there is； outside the enclosure；
an issue expressly provided for them： the new administrative and
military professions offer an outlet to their ambition and to their
vanity which； from the start； keeps on expanding until； suddenly； the
first Consul points to an infinite perspective on the horizon。＇26＇
According to an expression attributed to h