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！
dgment； and content ourselves with placing before the clergy the teachings of history。
＇1＇ ｛GREEK； ？n n ‘｝；greater property。 The Vulgate translates it avaritia。
When Lycurgus undertook to make laws for Sparta； in what condition did he find this republic？ On this point all historians agree。 The people and the nobles were at war。 The city was in a confused state； and divided by two parties；the party of the poor； and the party of the rich。 Hardly escaped from the barbarism of the heroic ages； society was rapidly declining。 The proletariat made war upon property； which； in its turn； oppressed the proletariat。 What did Lycurgus do？ His first measure was one of general security； at the very idea of which our legislators would tremble。 He abolished all debts； then； employing by turns persuasion and force； he induced the nobles to renounce their privileges； and re…established equality。
Lycurgus； in a word； hunted property out of Lacedaemon； seeing no other way to harmonize liberty； equality； and law。 I certainly should not wish France to follow the example of Sparta； but it is remarkable that the most ancient of Greek legislators； thoroughly acquainted with the nature and needs of the people； more capable than any one else of appreciating the legitimacy of the obligations which he； in the exercise of his absolute authority； cancelled； who had compared the legislative systems of his time； and whose wisdom an oracle had proclaimed； it is remarkable； I say； that Lycurgus should have judged the right of property incompatible with free institutions； and should have thought it his duty to preface his legislation by a coup d'etat which destroyed all distinctions of fortune。
Lycurgus understood perfectly that the luxury； the love of enjoyments； and the inequality of fortunes； which property engenders； are the bane of society； unfortunately the means which he employed to preserve his republic were suggested to him by false notions of political economy； and by a superficial knowledge of the human heart。 Accordingly； property； which this legislator wrongly confounded with wealth； reentered the city together with the swarm of evils which he was endeavoring to banish； and this time Sparta was hopelessly corrupted。
〃The introduction of wealth；〃 says M。 Pastoret； 〃was one of the principal causes of the misfortunes which they experienced。 Against these； however； the laws had taken extraordinary precautions； the best among which was the inculcation of morals which tended to suppress desire。〃
The best of all precautions would have been the anticipation of desire by satisfaction。 Possession is the sovereign remedy for cupidity； a remedy which would have been the less perilous to Sparta because fortunes there were almost equal； and conditions were nearly alike。 As a general thing； fasting and abstinence are bad teachers of moderation。
〃There was a law；〃 says M。 Pastoret again； 〃to prohibit the rich from wearing better clothing than the poor； from eating more delicate food； and from owning elegant furniture； vases； carpets； fine houses；〃 &c。 Lycurgus hoped； then； to maintain equality by rendering wealth useless。 How much wiser he would have been if； in accordance with his military discipline； he had organized industry and taught the people to procure by their own labor the things which he tried in vain to deprive them of。 In that case； enjoying happy thoughts and pleasant feelings； the citizen would have known no other desire than that with which the legislator endeavored to inspire him；love of honor and glory； the triumphs of talent and virtue。
〃Gold and all kinds of ornaments were forbidden the women。〃 Absurd。 After the death of Lycurgus； his institutions became corrupted； and four centuries before the Christian era not a vestige remained of the former simplicity。 Luxury and the thirst for gold were early developed among the Spartans in a degree as intense as might have been expected from their enforced poverty and their inexperience in the arts。 Historians have accused Pausanias； Lysander； Agesilaus； and others of having corrupted the morals of their country by the introduction of wealth obtained in war。 It is a slander。 The morals of the Spartans necessarily grew corrupt as soon as the Lacedaemonian poverty came in contact with Persian luxury and Athenian elegance。 Lycurgus； then； made a fatal mistake in attempting to inspire generosity and modesty by enforcing vain and proud simplicity。
〃Lycurgus was not frightened at idleness！ A Lacedemonian； happening to be in Athens （where idleness was forbidden） during the punishment of a citizen who had been found guilty； asked to see the Athenian thus condemned for having exercised the rights of a free man。 。 。 。 It was one of the principles of Lycurguss； acted upon for several centuries； that free men should not follow lucrative professions。 。 。 。 The women disdained domestic labor； they did not spin their wool themselves； as did the other Greeks ＇they did not； then； read Homer！＇； they left their slaves to make their clothing for them。〃Pastoret： History of Legislation。
Could any thing be more contradictory？ Lycurgus proscribed property among the citizens； and founded the means of subsistence on the worst form of property；on property obtained by force。 What wonder； after that； that a lazy city； where no industry was carried on； became a den of avarice？ The Spartans succumbed the more easily to the allurements of luxury and Asiatic voluptuousness； being placed entirely at their mercy by their own coarseness。 The same thing happened to the Romans； when military success took them out of Italy；a thing which the author of the prosopopoeia of Fabricius could not explain。 It is not the cultivation of the arts which corrupts morals； but their degradation； induced by inactive and luxurious opulence。 The instinct of property is to make the industry of Daedalus； as well as the talent of Phidias； subservient to its own fantastic whims and disgraceful pleasures。 Property； not wealth； ruined the Spartans。
When Solon appeared； the anarchy caused by property was at its height in the Athenian republic。 〃The inhabitants of Attica were divided among themselves as to the form of government。 Those who lived on the mountains （the poor） preferred the popular form； those of the plain （the middle class）； the oligarchs； those by the sea coast； a mixture of oligarchy and democracy。 Other dissensions were arising from the inequality of fortunes。 The mutual antagonism of the rich and poor had become so violent； that the one…man power seemed the only safe…guard against the revolution with which the republic was threatened。〃 （Pastoret： History of Legislation。）
Quarrels between the rich and the poor； which seldom occur in monarchies； because a well established power suppresses dissensions； seem to be the life of popular governments。 Aristotle had noticed this。 The oppression of wealth submitted to agrarian laws； or to excessive taxation； the hatred of the lower classes for the upper class； which is exposed always to libellous charges made in hopes of confiscation；these were the features of the Athenian government which were especially revolting to Aristotle； and which caused him to favor a limited monarchy。 Aristotle； if he had lived in our day； would have supported the constitutional government。 But； with all deference to the Stagirite； a government which sacrifices the life of the proletaire to that of the proprietor is quite as irrational as one which supports the former by robbing the latter； neither of them deserve the support of a free man； much less of a philosopher。
Solon followed the example of Lycurgus。 He celebrated his legislative inauguration by the abolition of debts；that is； by bankruptcy。 In other words； Solon wound up the governmental machine for a longer or shorter time depending upon the rate of interest。 Consequently； when the spring relaxed and the chain became unwound； the republic had either to perish； or to recover itself by a second bankruptcy。 This singular policy was pursued by all the ancients。 After the captivity of Babylon； Nehemiah； the chief of the Jewish nation； abolished debts； Lycurgus abolished debts； Solon ab