按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
f Achilles is double that of Ajax： the former's share is eight； the latter four。 There is no arithmetical equality； but a proportional equality。 It is this comparison of merits； rationum； that Aristotle calls distributive justice。 It is a geometrical proportion。〃Toullier： French Law according to the Code。
Are Achilles and Ajax associated； or are they not？ Settle that； and you settle the whole question。 If Achilles and Ajax； instead of being associated； are themselves in the service of Agamemnon who pays them； there is no objection to Aristotle's method。 The slave…owner； who controls his slaves； may give a double allowance of brandy to him who does double work。 That is the law of despotism； the right of slavery。
But if Achilles and Ajax are associated； they are equals。 What matters it that Achilles has a strength of four； while that of Ajax is only two？ The latter may always answer that he is free； that if Achilles has a strength of four； five could kill him； finally； that in doing personal service he incurs as great a risk as Achilles。 The same argument applies to Thersites。 If he is unable to fight； let him be cook； purveyor； or butler。 If he is good for nothing； put him in the hospital。 In no case wrong him； or impose upon him laws。
Man must live in one of two states： either in society； or out of it。 In society； conditions are necessarily equal； except in the degree of esteem and consideration which each one may receive。 Out of society； man is so much raw material； a capitalized tool； and often an incommodious and useless piece of furniture。
2。 Equite； justice； and society； can exist only between individuals of the same species。 They form no part of the relations of different races to each other；for instance； of the wolf to the goat； of the goat to man； of man to God； much less of God to man。 The attribution of justice； equity； and love to the Supreme Being is pure anthropomorphism； and the adjectives just； merciful； pitiful； and the like； should be stricken from our litanies。 God can be regarded as just； equitable； and good； only to another God。 Now； God has no associate； consequently； he cannot experience social affections；such as goodness； equite； and justice。 Is the shepherd said to be just to his sheep and his dogs？ No： and if he saw fit to shear as much wool from a lamb six months old； as from a ram of two years； or； if he required as much work from a young dog as from an old one；they would say； not that he was unjust； but that he was foolish。 Between man and beast there is no society； though there may be affection。 Man loves the animals as THINGS；as SENTIENT THINGS； if you will；but not as PERSONS。 Philosophy； after having eliminated from the idea of God the passions ascribed to him by superstition； will then be obliged to eliminate also the virtues which our liberal piety awards to him。＇1＇
＇1＇ Between woman and man there may exist love； passion； ties of custom； and the like； but there is no real society。 Man and woman are not companions。 The difference of the sexes places a barrier between them； like that placed between animals by a difference of race。 Consequently； far from advocating what is now called the emancipation of woman； I should incline； rather； if there were no other alternative； to exclude her from society。
The rights of woman and her relations with man are yet to be determined Matrimonial legislation； like civil legislation； is a matter for the future to settle。
If God should come down to earth； and dwell among us； we could not love him unless he became like us； nor give him any thing unless he produced something； nor listen to him unless he proved us mistaken； nor worship him unless he manifested his power。 All the laws of our nature； affectional； economical； and intellectual； would prevent us from treating him as we treat our fellow…men；that is； according to reason； justice； and equite。
I infer from this that； if God should wish ever to put himself into immediate communication with man； he would have to become a man。
Now； if kings are images of God； and executors of his will； they cannot receive love； wealth； obedience； and glory from us； unless they consent to labor and associate with usproduce as much as they consume； reason with their subjects； and do wonderful things。 Still more； if； as some pretend； kings are public functionaries； the love which is due them is measured by their personal amiability； our obligation to obey them； by the wisdom of their commands； and their civil list； by the total social production divided by the number of citizens。
Thus； jurisprudence； political economy； and psychology agree in admitting the law of equality。 Right and duty the due reward of talent and laborthe outbursts of love and enthusiasm；all are regulated in advance by an invariable standard； all depend upon number and balance。 Equality of conditions is the law of society； and universal solidarity is the ratification of this law。
Equality of conditions has never been realized； thanks to our passions and our ignorance； but our opposition to this law has made it all the more a necessity。 To that fact history bears perpetual testimony； and the course of events reveals it to us。 Society advances from equation to equation。 To the eyes of the economist； the revolutions of empires seem now like the reduction of algebraical quantities； which are inter…deducible； now like the discovery of unknown quantities； induced by the inevitable influence of time。 Figures are the providence of history。 Undoubtedly there are other elements in human progress； but in the multitude of hidden causes which agitate nations； there is none more powerful or constant； none less obscure； than the periodical explosions of the proletariat against property。 Property； acting by exclusion and encroachment； while population was increasing； has been the life…principle and definitive cause of all revolutions。 Religious wars； and wars of conquest； when they have stopped short of the extermination of races； have been only accidental disturbances； soon repaired by the mathematical progression of the life of nations。 The downfall and death of societies are due to the power of accumulation possessed by property。
In the middle ages； take Florence；a republic of merchants and brokers； always rent by its well…known factions； the Guelphs and Ghibellines； who were； after all； only the people and the proprietors fighting against each other；Florence； ruled by bankers； and borne down at last by the weight of her debts；＇1＇ in ancient times； take Rome； preyed upon from its birth by usury； flourishing； nevertheless； as long as the known world furnished its terrible proletaires with LABOR stained with blood by civil war at every interval of rest； and dying of exhaustion when the people lost； together with their former energy； their last spark of moral sense； Carthage； a commercial and financial city； continually divided by internal competition； Tyre； Sidon； Jerusalem； Nineveh； Babylon； ruined； in turn； by commercial rivalry and； as we now express it； by panics in the market；do not these famous examples show clearly enough the fate which awaits modern nations； unless the people； unless France； with a sudden burst of her powerful voice； proclaims in thunder…tones the abolition of the regime of property？
＇1＇ 〃The strong…box of Cosmo de Medici was the grave of Florentine liberty；〃 said M。 Michelet to the College of France。
Here my task should end。 I have proved the right of the poor； I have shown the usurpation of the rich。 I demand justice； it is not my business to execute the sentence。 If it should be arguedin order to prolong for a few years an illegitimate privilegethat it is not enough to demonstrate equality； that it is necessary also to organize it； and above all to establish it peacefully； I might reply： The welfare of the oppressed is of more importance than official composure。 Equality of conditions is a natural law upon which public economy and jurisprudence are based。 The right to labor； and the principle of equal distribution of wealth； cannot give way to the anxieties of power。 It is not for the proletaire to reconcile the contradictions of the codes； still l