ToestablishsomesortofcompromisebetweentheancienregimeandthenewidealswasthemostdifficultoftheproblemswhichBonapartehadtoresolve。HehadtodiscoverinstitutionswhichwouldsuitthetwomentalitiesintowhichFrancewasdivided。Hesucceeded,aswehaveseen,byconciliatorymeasures,andalsobydressingveryancientthingsinnewnames。
  HisreignwasoneofthoserareperiodsofFrenchhistoryduringwhichthementalunityofFrancewascomplete。
  Thisunitycouldnotoutlivehim。Onthemorrowofhisfallalltheoldpartiesreappeared,andhavesurviveduntilthepresentday。Someattachthemselvestotraditionalinfluences;othersviolentlyrejectthem。
  Ifthislongconflicthadbeenbetweenbelieversandtheindifferent,itcouldnothavelasted,forindifferenceisalwaystolerant;butthestrugglewasreallybetweentwodifferentbeliefs。ThelayChurchverysoonassumedareligiousaspect,anditspretendedrationalismhasbecome,especiallyinrecentyears,abarelyattenuatedformofthenarrowestclericalspirit。Now,wehaveshownthatnoconciliationispossiblebetweendissimilarreligiousbeliefs。Theclericalswheninpowercouldnotthereforeshowthemselvesmoretoleranttowardsfreethinkersthantheselatterareto—daytowardtheclericals。
  Thesedivisions,determinedbydifferencesofbelief,werecomplicatedbytheadditionofthepoliticalconceptionsderivedfromthosebeliefs。
  ManysimplesoulshaveforlongbelievedthattherealhistoryofFrancebeganwiththeyearI。oftheRepublic。Thisrudimentaryconceptionisatlastdyingout。Eventhemostrigidrevolutionariesrenounceit,[10]andarequitewillingtorecognisethatthepastwassomethingbetterthananepochofblackbarbarismdominatedbylowsuperstitions。
  [10]WemayjudgeoftherecentevolutionofideasuponthispointbythefollowingpassagefromaspeechbyM。Jaures,deliveredintheChamberofDeputies:``Thegreatnessofto—dayisbuiltoftheeffortsofpastcenturies。Franceisnotcontainedinadaynorinanepoch,butinthesuccessionofalldays,allperiods,allhertwilightsandallherdawns。’’
  ThereligiousoriginofmostofthepoliticalbeliefsheldinFranceinspirestheiradeptswithaninextinguishablehatredwhichalwaysstrikesforeignerswithamazement。
  ``Nothingismoreobvious,nothingismorecertain,’’writesMr。
  Barret—Wendell,inhisbookonFrance,``thanthisfact:thatnotonlyhavetheroyalists,revolutionaries,andBonapartistsalwaysbeenmortallyopposedtooneanother,butthat,owingtothepassionateardouroftheFrenchcharacter,theyhavealwaysentertainedaprofoundintellectualhorrorforoneanother。Menwhobelievethemselvesinpossessionofthetruthcannotrefrainfromaffirmingthatthosewhodonotthinkwiththemareinstrumentsoferror。
  ``Eachpartywillgravelyinformyouthattheadvocatesoftheadversecauseareafflictedbyadensestupidityorareconsciouslydishonest。Yetwhenyoumeettheselatter,whowillsayexactlythesamethingsastheirdetractors,youcannotbutrecognise,inallgoodfaith,thattheyareneitherstupidnordishonest。’’
  ThisreciprocalexecrationofthebelieversofeachpartyhasalwaysfacilitatedtheoverthrowofGovernmentsandministersinFrance。Thepartiesintheminoritywillneverrefusetoallythemselvesagainstthetriumphantparty。WeknowthatagreatnumberofrevolutionarySocialistshavebeenelectedtothepresentChamberonlybytheaidofthemonarchists,whoarestillasunintelligentastheywereatthetimeoftheRevolution。
  OurreligiousandpoliticaldifferencesdonotconstitutetheonlycauseofdissensioninFrance。TheyareheldbymenpossessingthatparticularmentalitywhichIhavealreadydescribedunderthenameoftherevolutionarymentality。Wehaveseenthateachperiodalwayspresentsacertainnumberofindividualsreadytorevoltagainsttheestablishedorderofthings,whateverthatmaybe,eventhoughitmayrealisealltheirdesires。
  TheintoleranceofthepartiesinFrance,andtheirdesiretoseizeuponpower,arefurtherfavouredbytheconviction,soprevalentundertheRevolution,thatsocietiescanberemadebymeansoflaws。ThemodernState,whateveritsleader,hasinheritedintheeyesofthemultitudesandtheirleadersthemysticpowerattributedtotheancientkings,whentheselatterwereregardedasanincarnationoftheDivinewill。NotonlythepeopleisinspiredbythisconfidenceinthepowerofGovernment;
  allourlegislatorsentertainitalso。[11]
  [11]Afterthepublicationofanarticleofmineconcerninglegislativeillusions,Ireceivedfromoneofourmosteminentpoliticians,M。Boudenotthesenator,aletterfromwhichI
  extractthefollowingpassage:``TwentyyearspassedintheChamberandtheSenatehaveshownmehowrightyouare。HowmanytimesIhaveheardmycolleaguessay:`TheGovernmentoughttopreventthis,orderthat,’&c。Whatwouldyouhave?therearefourteencenturiesofmonarchicalatavisminourblood。’’
  Legislatingalways,politiciansneverrealisethatasinstitutionsareeffects,andnotcauses,theyhavenovirtueinthemselves。Heirstothegreatrevolutionaryillusion,theydonotseethatmaniscreatedbyapastwhosefoundationswearepowerlesstoreshape。
  TheconflictbetweentheprinciplesdividingFrance,whichhaslastedmorethanacentury,willdoubtlesscontinueforalongtimeyet,andnoonecanforeseewhatfreshupheavalsitmayengender。NodoubtifbeforeoureratheAthenianscouldhavedivinedthattheirsocialdissensionswouldhaveledtotheenslavementofGreece,theywouldhaverenouncedthem;buthowcouldtheyhaveforeseenasmuch?M。Guiraudjustlywrites:``A
  generationofmenveryrarelyrealisesthetaskwhichitisaccomplishing。Itispreparingforthefuture;butthisfutureisoftenthecontraryofwhatitwishes。’’
  2。SummaryofaCentury’sRevolutionaryMovementinFrance。
  ThepsychologicalcausesoftherevolutionarymovementswhichFrancehasseenduringthepastcenturyhavingbeenexplained,itwillnowsufficetopresentasummarypictureofthesesuccessiverevolutions。
  ThesovereignsincoalitionhavingdefeatedNapoleon,theyreducedFrancetoherformerlimits,andplacedLouisXVIII。,theonlypossiblesovereign,onthethrone。
  Byaspecialcharterthenewkingacceptedthepositionofaconstitutionalmonarchunderarepresentativesystemofgovernment。HerecognisedalltheconquestsoftheRevolution:
  thecivilCode,equalitybeforethelaw,libertyofworship,irrevocabilityofthesaleofnationalproperty,&c。Therightofsuffrage,however,waslimitedtothosepayingacertainamountintaxes。
  ThisliberalConstitutionwasopposedbytheultra—royalists。
  Returnedemigres,theywantedtherestitutionofthenationalproperty,andthere—establishmentoftheirancientprivileges。
  Fearingthatsuchareactionmightcauseanewrevolution,LouisXVIII。wasreducedtodissolvingtheChamber。Theelectionhavingreturnedmoderatedeputies,hewasabletocontinuetogovernwiththesameprinciples,understandingverywellthatanyattempttogoverntheFrenchbytheancienregimewouldbeenoughtoprovokeageneralrebellion。
  Unfortunately,hisdeath,in1824,placedCharlesX。,formerlyComted’Artois,onthethrone。Extremelynarrow,incapableofunderstandingthenewworldwhichsurroundedhim,andboastingthathehadnotmodifiedhisideassince1789,hepreparedaseriesofreactionarylaws——alawbywhichanindemnityoffortymillionssterlingwastobepaidtoemigres;alawofsacrilege;
  andlawsestablishingtherightsofprimogeniture,thepreponderanceoftheclergy,&c。
  Themajorityofthedeputiesshowingthemselvesdailymoreopposedtohisprojects,in1830heenactedOrdinancesdissolvingtheChamber,suppressingthelibertyofthePress,andpreparingfortherestorationoftheancienregime。
  Theeffectwasimmediate。Thisautocraticactionprovokedacoalitionoftheleadersofallparties。Republicans,Bonapartists,Liberals,Royalists——allunitedinordertoraisetheParisianpopulace。FourdaysafterthepublicationoftheOrdinancestheinsurgentsweremastersofthecapital,andCharlesX。fledtoEngland。
  Theleadersofthemovement——Thiers,Casimir—Perier,LaFayette,&c。——summonedtoParisLouis—Philippe,ofwhoseexistencethepeoplewerescarcelyaware,anddeclaredhimkingoftheFrench。
  Betweentheindifferenceofthepeopleandthehostilityofthenobles,whohadremainedfaithfultothelegitimatedynasty,thenewkingreliedchieflyuponthebourgeoisie。Anelectorallawhavingreducedtheelectorstolessthan200,000,thisclassplayedanexclusivepartinthegovernment。
  Thesituationofthesovereignwasnoteasy。HehadtostrugglesimultaneouslyagainstthelegitimistsupportersofHenryV。thegrandsonofCharlesX。,andtheBonapartists,whorecognisedastheirheadLouis—Napoleon,theEmperor’snephew,andfinallyagainsttherepublicans。
  Bymeansoftheirsecretsocieties,analogoustotheclubsoftheRevolution,thelatterprovokednumerousriotsatvariousintervalsbetween1830and1840,butthesewereeasilyrepressed。
  Theclericalsandlegitimists,ontheirside,didnotceasetheirintrigues。TheDuchessdeBerry,themotherofHenryV。,triedinvaintoraisetheVendee。Astotheclergy,theirdemandsfinallymadethemsointolerablethataninsurrectionbrokeout,inthecourseofwhichthepalaceofthearchbishopofPariswassacked。
  Therepublicansasapartywerenotverydangerous,astheChambersidedwiththekinginthestruggleagainstthem。TheministerGuizot,whoadvocatedastrongcentralpower,declaredthattwothingswereindispensabletogovernment——``reasonandcannon。’’Thefamousstatesmanwassurelysomewhatdeludedastothenecessityorefficacyofreason。
  Despitethisstrongcentralpower,whichinrealitywasnotstrong,therepublicans,andabovealltheSocialists,continuedtoagitate。Oneofthemostinfluential,LouisBlanc,claimedthatitwasthedutyoftheGovernmenttoprocureworkforeverycitizen。TheCatholicparty,ledbyLacordaireandMontalembert,unitedwiththeSocialists——asto—dayinBelgium——toopposetheGovernment。
  Acampaigninfavourofelectoralreformendedin1848inafreshriot,whichunexpectedlyoverthrewLouis—Philippe。
  HisfallwasfarlessjustifiablethanthatofCharlesX。Therewaslittlewithwhichhecouldbereproached。Doubtlesshewassuspiciousofuniversalsuffrage,buttheFrenchRevolutionhadmorethanoncebeenquitesuspiciousofit。Louis—Philippenotbeing,liketheDirectory,anabsoluteruler,couldnot,asthelatterhaddone,annulunfavourableelections。
  AprovisionalGovernmentwasinstalledintheHoteldeVille,toreplacethefallenmonarchy。ItproclaimedtheRepublic,establisheduniversalsuffrage,anddecreedthatthepeopleshouldproceedtotheelectionofaNationalAssemblyofninehundredmembers。
  FromthefirstdaysofitsexistencethenewGovernmentfounditselfthevictimofsocialisticmanoeuvresandriots。
  ThepsychologicalphenomenaobservedduringthefirstRevolutionwerenowtobewitnessedagain。Clubswereformed,whoseleaderssentthepeoplefromtimetotimeagainsttheAssembly,forreasonswhichweregenerallyquitedevoidofcommonsense——forexample,toforcetheGovernmenttosupportaninsurrectioninPoland,&c。
  InthehopeofsatisfyingtheSocialists,everydaymorenoisyandexigent,theAssemblyorganisednationalworkshops,inwhichtheworkerswereoccupiedinvariousformsoflabour。Inthese100,000mencosttheStatemorethanL40,000weekly。TheirclaimtoreceivepaywithoutworkingforitforcedtheAssemblytoclosetheworkshops。
  Thismeasurewastheoriginofaformidableinsurrection,50,000
  workersrevolting。TheAssembly,terrified,confidedalltheexecutivepowerstoGeneralCavaignac。Therewasafour—daysbattlewiththeinsurgents,duringwhichthreegeneralsandtheArchbishopofPariswerekilled;3,000prisonersweredeportedbytheAssemblytoAlgeria,andrevolutionarySocialismwasannihilatedforaspaceoffiftyyears。
  TheseeventsbroughtGovernmentstockdownfrom116to50francs。
  Businesswasatastandstill。Thepeasants,whothoughtthemselvesthreatenedbytheSocialists,andthebourgeois,whosetaxestheAssemblyhadincreasedbyhalf,turnedagainsttheRepublic,andwhenLouis—Napoleonpromisedtore—establishorderhefoundhimselfwelcomedwithenthusiasm。AcandidateforthepositionofPresidentoftheRepublic,whoaccordingtothenewConstitutionmustbeelectedbythewholebodyofcitizens,hewaschosenby5,500,000votes。
  VerysoonatoddswiththeChamber,theprincedecidedonacoupd’etat。TheAssemblywasdissolved;30,000personswerearrested,10,000deported,andahundreddeputieswereexiled。
  Thiscoupd’etat,althoughsummary,wasveryfavourablyreceived,forwhensubmittedtoaplebisciteitreceived7,500,000votesoutof8,000,000。
  Onthe2ndofNovember,1852,NapoleonhadhimselfnamedEmperorbyanevengreatermajority:ThehorrorwhichthegeneralityofFrenchmenfeltfordemagoguesandSocialistshadrestoredtheEmpire。
  InthefirstpartofitsexistenceitconstitutedanabsoluteGovernment,andduringthelatterhalfaliberalGovernment。
  AftereighteenyearsofruletheEmperorwasoverthrownbytherevolutionofthe4thofSeptember,1870,afterthecapitulationofSedan。
  Sincethattimerevolutionarymovementshavebeenrare;theonlyoneofimportancewastherevolutionofMarch,1871,whichresultedintheburningofmanyofthemonumentsofParisandtheexecutionofabout20,000insurgents。
  Afterthewarof1870theelectors,who,amidsomanydisasters,didnotknowwhichwaytoturn,sentagreatnumberofOrleanistandlegitimistdeputiestotheConstituentAssembly。Unabletoagreeupontheestablishmentofamonarchy,theyappointedM。
  ThiersPresidentoftheRepublic,laterreplacinghimbyMarshalMacMahon。In1876thenewelections,likeallthosethathavefollowed,sentamajorityofrepublicanstotheChamber。
  Thevariousassemblieswhichhavesucceededtothishavealwaysbeendividedintonumerousparties,whichhaveprovokedinnumerablechangesofministry。
  However,thankstotheequilibriumresultingfromthisdivisionofparties,wehaveforfortyyearsenjoyedcomparativequiet。
  FourPresidentsoftheRepublichavebeenoverthrownwithoutrevolution,andtheriotsthathaveoccurred,suchasthoseofChampagneandtheMidi,havenothadseriousconsequences。
  Agreatpopularmovement,in1888,didnearlyoverthrowtheRepublicforthebenefitofGeneralBoulanger,butithassurvivedandtriumphedovertheattacksofallparties。
  VariousreasonscontributetothemaintenanceofthepresentRepublic。Inthefirstplace,oftheconflictingfactionsnoneisstrongenoughtocrushtherest。Inthesecondplace,theheadoftheStatebeingpurelydecorative,andpossessingnopower,itisimpossibletoattributetohimtheevilsfromwhichthecountrymaysuffer,andtofeelsurethatmatterswouldbedifferentwereheoverthrown。Finally,asthesupremepowerisdistributedamongthousandsofhands,responsibilitiesaresodisseminatedthatitwouldbedifficulttoknowwheretobegin。
  Atyrantcanbeoverthrown,butwhatcanbedoneagainstahostoflittleanonymoustyrannies?
  IfwewishedtosumupinawordthegreattransformationswhichhavebeeneffectedinFrancebyacenturyofriotsandrevolutions,wemightsaythatindividualtyranny,whichwasweakandthereforeeasilyoverthrown,hasbeenreplacedbycollectivetyrannies,whichareverystronganddifficulttodestroy。ToapeopleavidofequalityandhabituatedtoholditsGovernmentsresponsibleforeveryeventindividualtyrannyseemedinsupportable,whileacollectivetyrannyisreadilyendured,althoughgenerallymuchmoresevere。
  TheextensionofthetyrannyoftheStatehasthereforebeenthefinalresultofallourrevolutions,andthecommoncharacteristicofallsystemsofgovernmentwhichwehaveknowninFrance。Thisformoftyrannymayberegardedasaracialideal,sincesuccessiveupheavalsofFrancehaveonlyfortifiedit。StatismistherealpoliticalsystemoftheLatinpeoples,andtheonlysystemthatreceivesallsuffrages。Theotherformsofgovernment——republic,monarchy,empire——representemptylabels,powerlessshadows。
  PARTIII
  THERECENTEVOLUTIONOFTHEREVOLUTIONARYPRINCIPLES
  CHAPTERI
  THEPROGRESSOFDEMOCRATICBELIEFSSINCETHEREVOLUTION
  1。GradualPropagationofDemocraticIdeasaftertheRevolution。
  Ideaswhicharefirmlyestablished,incrusted,asitwere,inmen’sminds,continuetoactforseveralgenerations。ThosewhichresultedfromtheFrenchRevolutionwere,likeothers,subjecttothislaw。
  AlthoughthelifeoftheRevolutionasaGovernmentwasshort,theinfluenceofitsprincipleswas,onthecontrary,verylong—
  lived。Becomingaformofreligiousbelief,theyprofoundlymodifiedtheorientationofthesentimentsandideasofseveralgenerations。
  Despiteafewintervals,theFrenchRevolutionhascontinueduptothepresent,andstillsurvives。TheroleofNapoleonwasnotconfinedtooverturningtheworld,changingthemapofEurope,andremakingtheexploitsofAlexander。Thenewrightsofthepeople,createdbytheRevolutionandestablishedbyitsinstitutions,haveexercisedaprofoundinfluence。Themilitaryworkoftheconquerorwassoondissolved,buttherevolutionaryprincipleswhichhecontributedtopropagatehavesurvivedhim。
  ThevariousrestorationswhichfollowedtheEmpirecausedmenatfirsttobecomesomewhatforgetfuloftheprinciplesoftheRevolution。Forfiftyyearsthispropagationwasfarfromrapid。
  Onemightalmosthavesupposedthatthepeoplehadforgottenthem。Onlyasmallnumberoftheoristsmaintainedtheirinfluence。Heirstothe``simplicist’’spiritoftheJacobins,believing,likethem,thatsocietiescanberemadefromtoptobottombythelaws,andpersuadedthattheEmpirehadonlyinterruptedthetaskofrevolution,theywishedtoresumeit。
  Whilewaitinguntiltheycouldrecommence,theyattemptedtospreadtheprinciplesoftheRevolutionbymeansoftheirwritings。FaithfulimitatorsofthemenoftheRevolution,theyneverstoppedtoaskiftheirschemesforreformwereinconformitywithhumannature。Theytoowereerectingachimericalsocietyforanidealman,andwerepersuadedthattheapplicationoftheirdreamswouldregeneratethehumanspecies。
  Deprivedofallconstructivepower,thetheoristsofalltheageshavealwaysbeenveryreadytodestroy。NapoleonatSt。Helenastatedthat``ifthereexistedamonarchyofgranitetheidealistsandtheoristswouldmanagetoreduceittopowder。’’
  AmongthegalaxyofdreamerssuchasSaint—Simon,Fourier,PierreLeroux,LouisBlanc,Quinet,&c。,wefindthatonlyAugusteComteunderstoodthatatransformationofmannersandideasmustprecedepoliticalreorganisation。
  Farfromfavouringthediffusionofdemocraticideas,theprojectsofreformofthetheoristsofthisperiodmerelyimpededtheirprogress。CommunisticSocialism,whichseveralofthemprofessedwouldrestoretheRevolution,finallyalarmedthebourgeoisieandeventheworking—classes。WehavealreadyseenthatthefearoftheirideaswasoneoftheprincipalcausesoftherestorationoftheEmpire。
  Ifnoneofthechimericallucubrationsofthewritersofthefirsthalfofthenineteenthcenturydeservetobediscussed,itisnonethelessinterestingtoexaminetheminordertoobservethepartplayedbyreligiousandmoralideaswhichto—dayareregardedwithcontempt。Persuadedthatanewsocietycouldnot,anymorethanthesocietiesofold,bebuiltupwithoutreligiousandmoralbeliefs,thereformerswerealwaysendeavouringtofoundsuchbeliefs。
  Butonwhatcouldtheybebased?Evidentlyonreason。Bymeansofreasonmencreatecomplicatedmachines:whynotthereforeareligionandamorality,thingswhichareapparentlysosimple?
  Notoneofthemsuspectedthefactthatnoreligiousormoralbeliefeverhadrationallogicasitsbasis。AugusteComtesawnomoreclearly。Weknowthathefoundedaso—calledpositivistreligion,whichstillhasafewfollowers。ScientistsweretoformaclergydirectedbyanewPope,whowastoreplacetheCatholicPope。
  Alltheseconceptions——political,religious,ormoral——had,I
  repeat,nootherresultsforalongtimethantoturnthemultitudeawayfromdemocraticprinciples。
  Iftheseprinciplesdidfinallybecomewidespread,itwasnotonaccountofthetheorists,butbecausenewconditionsoflifehadarisen。Thankstothediscoveriesofscience,industrydevelopedandledtotheerectionofimmensefactories。EconomicnecessitiesincreasinglydominatedthewillsofGovernmentsandthepeopleandfinallycreatedafavourablesoilfortheextensionofSocialism,andaboveallofSyndicalism,themodernformsofdemocraticideas。
  2。TheUnequalInfluenceoftheThreeFundamentalPrinciplesoftheRevolution。
  TheheritageoftheRevolutionissummedupinitsentiretyintheonephrase——Liberty,equality,andFraternity。Theprincipleofequality,aswehaveseen,hasexertedapowerfulinfluence,butthetwoothersdidnotshareitslot。
  Althoughthesenseofthesetermsseemsclearenough,theywerecomprehendedinverydifferentfashionsaccordingtomenandtimes。Weknowthatthevariousinterpretationofthesamewordsbypersonsofdifferentmentalityhasbeenoneofthemostfrequentcausesoftheconflictsofhistory。
  TothememberoftheConventionlibertysignifiedmerelytheexerciseofitsunlimiteddespotism。Toayoungmodern``intellectual’’thesamewordmeansageneralreleasefromeverythingirksome:tradition,law,superiority,&c。TothemodernJacobinlibertyconsistsespeciallyintherighttopersecutehisadversaries。
  Althoughpoliticaloratorsstilloccasionallymentionlibertyintheirspeeches,theyhavegenerallyceasedtoevokefraternity。
  Itistheconflictofthedifferentclassesandnottheiralliancethattheyteachto—day。Neverdidamoreprofoundhatreddividethevariousstrataofsocietyandthepoliticalpartieswhichleadthem。
  Butwhilelibertyhasbecomeverydoubtfulandfraternityhascompletelyvanished,theprincipleofequalityhasgrownunchecked。IthasbeensupremeinallthepoliticalupheavalsofwhichFrancehasbeenthestageduringthelastcentury,andhasreachedsuchadevelopmentthatourpoliticalandsociallife,ourlaws,manners,andcustomsareatleastintheorybasedonthisprinciple。ItconstitutesthereallegacyoftheRevolution。Thecravingforequality,notonlybeforethelaw,butinpositionandfortune,istheverypivotofthelastproductofdemocracy:Socialism。Thiscravingissopowerfulthatitisspreadinginalldirections,althoughincontradictionwithallbiologicalandeconomiclaws。Itisanewphaseoftheinterruptedstruggleofthesentimentsagainstreason,inwhichreasonsorarelytriumphs。
  2。TheDemocracyofthe``Intellectuals’’andPopularDemocracy。
  Allideasthathavehithertocausedanupheavaloftheworldofmenhavebeensubjecttotwolaws:theyevolveslowly,andtheycompletelychangetheirsenseaccordingtothementalitiesinwhichtheyfindreception。
  Adoctrinemaybecomparedtoalivingbeing。Itsubsistsonlybyprocessoftransformation。Thebooksarenecessarilysilentuponthesevariations,sothatthephaseofthingswhichtheyestablishbelongsonlytothepast。Theydonotreflecttheimageoftheliving,butofthedead。Thewrittenstatementofadoctrineoftenrepresentsthemostnegligiblesideofthatdoctrine。
  Ihaveshowninanotherworkhowinstitutions,arts,andlanguagesaremodifiedinpassingfromonepeopletoanother,andhowthelawsofthesetransformationsdifferfromthetruthasstatedinbooks。Ialludetothismatternowmerelytoshowwhy,inexaminingthesubjectofdemocraticideas,weoccupyourselvessolittlewiththetextofdoctrines,andseekonlyforthepsychologicalelementsofwhichtheyconstitutethevestment,andthereactionswhichtheyprovokeinthevariouscategoriesofmenwhohaveacceptedthem。
  Modifiedrapidlybymenofdifferentmentalities,theoriginaltheoryissoonnomorethanalabelwhichdenotessomethingquiteunlikeitself。
  Applicabletoreligiousbeliefs,theseprinciplesareequallysotopoliticalbeliefs。Whenamanspeaksofdemocracy,forexample,mustweinquirewhatthiswordmeanstovariouspeoples,andalsowhetherinthesamepeoplethereisnotagreatdifferencebetweenthedemocracyofthe``intellectuals’’andpopulardemocracy。
  Inconfiningourselvesnowtotheconsiderationofthislatterpointweshallreadilyperceivethatthedemocraticideastobefoundinbooksandjournalsarepurelythetheoriesofliterarypeople,ofwhichthepeopleknownothing,andbytheapplicationofwhichtheywouldhavenothingtogain。Althoughtheworking—