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this chaste ignorance is the very best evidence of the purity of his heart。 Religion never has encouraged early marriages； and the kind of PRUDENCE which it condemns is that described in this Latin sentence from Sanchez；_An licet ob metum liberorum semen extra vas ejicere_？
Destutt de Tracy seems to dislike prudence in either form。 He says： 〃I confess that I no more share the desire of the moralists to diminish and restrain our pleasures； than that of the politicians to increase our procreative powers； and accelerate reproduction。〃 He believes； then； that we should love and marry when and as we please。 Widespread misery results from love and marriage； but this our philosopher does not heed。 True to the dogma of the necessity of evil； to evil he looks for the solution of all problems。 He adds： 〃The multiplication of men continuing in all classes of society； the surplus members of the upper classes are supported by the lower classes； and those of the latter are destroyed by poverty。〃 This philosophy has few avowed partisans； but it has over every other the indisputable advantage of demonstration in practice。 Not long since France heard it advocated in the Chamber of Deputies； in the course of the discussion on the electoral reform；POVERTY WILL ALWAYS EXIST。 That is the political aphorism with which the minister of state ground to powder the arguments of M。 Arago。 POVERTY WILL ALWAYS EXIST！ Yes； so long as property does。
The FourieristsINVENTORS of so many marvellous contrivances could not； in this field； belie their character。 They invented four methods of checking increase of population at will。
1。 THE VIGOR OF WOMEN。 On this point they are contradicted by experience； for； although vigorous women may be less likely to conceive； nevertheless they give birth to the healthiest children； so that the advantage of maternity is on their side。
2。 INTEGRAL EXERCISE； or the equal development of all the physical powers。 If this development is equal； how is the power of reproduction lessened？
3。 THE GASTRONOMIC REGIME； or； in plain English； the philosophy of the belly。 The Fourierists say； that abundance of rich food renders women sterile； just as too much sapwhile enhancing the beauty of flowersdestroys their reproductive capacity。 But the analogy is a false one。 Flowers become sterile when the stamensor male organsare changed into petals； as may be seen by inspecting a rose； and when through excessive dampness the pollen loses its fertilizing power。 Then；in order that the gastronomic regime may produce the results claimed for it；not only must the females be fattened； but the males must be rendered impotent。
4。 PHANEROGAMIC MORALITY； or public concubinage。 I know not why the phalansterians use Greek words to convey ideas which can be expressed so clearly in French。 This methodlike the preceding oneis copied from civilized customs。 Fourier； himself； cites the example of prostitutes as a proof。 Now we have no certain knowledge yet of the facts which he quotes。 So states Parent Duchatelet in his work on 〃Prostitution。〃
From all the information which I have been able to gather； I find that all the remedies for pauperism and fecundity sanctioned by universal practice； philosophy； political economy； and the latest reformersmay be summed up in the following list： masturbation； onanism；＇1＇ sodomy； tribadie； polyandry；＇2＇ prostitution； castration； continence； abortion； and infanticide。＇3＇
＇1＇ _Hoc inter se differunt onanismus et manuspratio； nempe quod haec a solitario exercetur； ille autem a duobus reciprocatur； masculo scilicet et faemina。 Porro foedam hanc onanismi venerem ludentes uxoria mariti habent nunc omnigm suavissimam_
＇2＇ Polyandry；plurality of husbands。
＇3＇ Infanticide has just been publicly advocated in England； in a pamphlet written by a disciple of Malthus。 He proposes an ANNUAL MASSACRE OF THE INNOCENTS in all families containing more children than the law allows； and he asks that a magnificent cemetery； adorned with statues； groves； fountains； and flowers； be set apart as a special burying…place for the superfluous children。 Mothers would resort to this delightful spot to dream of the happiness of these little angels； and would return； quite comforted； to give birth to others； to be buried in their turn。
All these methods being proved inadequate； there remains proscription。
Unfortunately； proscription； while decreasing the number of the poor； increases their proportion。 If the interest charged by the proprietor upon the product is equal only to one…twentieth of the product （by law it is equal to one…twentieth of the capital）； it follows that twenty laborers produce for nineteen only； because there is one among them； called proprietor； who eats the share of two。 Suppose that the twentieth laborerthe poor oneis killed： the production of the following year will be diminished one…twentieth； consequently the nineteenth will have to yield his portion； and perish。 For； since it is not one…twentieth of the product of nineteen which must be paid to the proprietor； but one…twentieth of the product of twenty （see third proposition）； each surviving laborer must sacrifice one…twentieth PLUS one four…hundredth of his product； in other words； one man out of nineteen must be killed。 Therefore； while property exists； the more poor people we kill； the more there are born in proportion。
Malthus； who proved so clearly that population increases in geometrical progression； while production increases only in arithmetical progression； did not notice this PAUPERIZING power of property。 Had he observed this； he would have understood that； before trying to check reproduction； the right of increase should be abolished； because； wherever that right is tolerated； there are always too many inhabitants； whatever the extent or fertility of the soil。
It will be asked； perhaps； how I would maintain a balance between population and production； for sooner or later this problem must be solved。 The reader will pardon me； if I do not give my method here。 For； in my opinion； it is useless to say a thing unless we prove it。 Now； to explain my method fully would require no less than a formal treatise。 It is a thing so simple and so vast； so common and so extraordinary； so true and so misunderstood； so sacred and so profane； that to name it without developing and proving it would serve only to excite contempt and incredulity。 One thing at a time。 Let us establish equality； and this remedy will soon appear； for truths follow each other； just as crimes and errors do。
SIXTH PROPOSITION。
Property is impossible； because it is the Mother of Tyranny。
What is government？ Government is public economy； the supreme administrative power over public works and national possessions。
Now； the nation is like a vast society in which all the； citizens are stockholders。 Each one has a deliberative voice in the assembly； and； if the shares are equal； has one vote at his disposal。 But； under the regime of property； there is great inequality between the shares of the stockholders； therefore； one may have several hundred votes； while another has only one。 If； for example； I enjoy an income of one million； that is； if I am the proprietor of a fortune of thirty or forty millions well invested； and if this fortune constitutes 1/30000 of the national capital；it is clear that the public administration of my property would form 1/30000 of the duties of the government； and； if the nation had a population of thirty…four millions； that I should have as many votes as one thousand one hundred and thirty… three simple stockholders。
Thus； when M。 Arago demands the right of suffrage for all members of the National Guard； he is perfectly right； since every citizen is enrolled for at least one national share； which entitles him to one vote。 But the illustrious orator ought at the same time to demand that each elector shall have as many votes as he has shares； as is the case in commercial associations。 For to do otherwise is to pretend that the nation has a right to dispose of the property of individuals without consulting them； which is contrary to the right of property。 In a country where property exists； e