what is property-第59部分

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ttony；　concubinage；　prostitution；　what　do　I　know？　theurgy；　magic；　and　sorcery？　　Why　these　endless　denunciations　of　morality；　metaphysics；　and　psychology；　when　the　abuse　of　these　sciences；　which　they　do　not　understand；　constitutes　their　whole　system？　　Why　this　mania　for　deifying　a　man　whose　principal　merit　consisted　in　talking　nonsense　about　things　whose　names；　even；　he　did　not　know；　in　the　strongest　language　ever　put　upon　paper？　　Whoever　admits　the　infallibility　of　a　man　becomes　thereby　incapable　of　instructing　others。　　Whoever　denies　his　own　reason　will　soon　proscribe　free　thought。　　The　phalansterians　would　not　fail　to　do　it　if　they　had　the　power。　　Let　them　condescend　to　reason；　let　them　proceed　systematically；　let　them　give　us　demonstrations　instead　of　revelations；　and　we　will　listen　willingly。　　Then　let　them　organize　manufactures；　agriculture；　and　commerce；　let　them　make　labor　attractive；　and　the　most　humble　functions　honorable；　and　our　praise　shall　be　theirs。　　Above　all；　let　them　throw　off　that　Illuminism　which　gives　them　the　appearance　of　impostors　or　dupes；　rather　than　believers　and　apostles。





I　have　accomplished　my　task；　property　is　conquered；　never　again　to　arise。　　Wherever　this　work　is　read　and　discussed；　there　will　be　deposited　the　germ　of　death　to　property；　there；　sooner　or　later；　privilege　and　servitude　will　disappear；　and　the　despotism　of　will　will　give　place　to　the　reign　of　reason。　　What　sophisms；　indeed；　what　prejudices　（however　obstinate）　can　stand　before　the　simplicity　of　the　following　propositions：

I。　Individual　POSSESSION＇1＇　is　the　condition　of　social　life；　five　thousand　years　of　property　demonstrate　it。　　PROPERTY　is　the　suicide　of　society。　　Possession　is　a　right；　property　is　against　right。　　Suppress　property　while　maintaining　possession；　and；　by　this　simple　modification　of　the　principle；　you　will　revolutionize　law；　government；　economy；　and　institutions；　you　will　drive　evil　from　the　face　of　the　earth。

＇1＇　　Individual　possession　is　no　obstacle　to　extensive　cultivation　and　unity　of　exploitation。　　If　I　have　not　spoken　of　the　drawbacks　arising　from　small　estates；　it　is　because　I　thought　it　useless　to　repeat　what　so　many　others　have　said；　and　what　by　this　time　all　the　world　must　know。　　But　I　am　surprised　that　the　economists；　who　have　so　clearly　shown　the　disadvantages　of　spade…　husbandry；　have　failed　to　see　that　it　is　caused　entirely　by　property；　above　all；　that　they　have　not　perceived　that　their　plan　for　mobilizing　the　soil　is　a　first　step　towards　the　abolition　of　property。




II。　All　having　an　equal　right　of　occupancy；　possession　varies　with　the　number　of　possessors；　property　cannot　establish　itself。

III。　The　effect　of　labor　being　the　same　for　all；　property　is　lost　in　the　common　prosperity。

IV。　All　human　labor　being　the　result　of　collective　force；　all　property　becomes；　in　consequence；　collective　and　unitary。　　To　speak　more　exactly；　labor　destroys　property。

V。　Every　capacity　for　labor　being；　like　every　instrument　of　labor；　an　accumulated　capital；　and　a　collective　property；　inequality　of　wages　and　fortunes　（on　the　ground　of　inequality　of　capacities）　is；　therefore；　injustice　and　robbery。

VI。　The　necessary　conditions　of　commerce　are　the　liberty　of　the　contracting　parties　and　the　equivalence　of　the　products　exchanged。　　Now；　value　being　expressed　by　the　amount　of　time　and　outlay　which　each　product　costs；　and　liberty　being　inviolable；　the　wages　of　laborers　（like　their　rights　and　duties）　should　be　equal。

VII。　Products　are　bought　only　by　products。　　Now；　the　condition　of　all　exchange　being　equivalence　of　products；　profit　is　impossible　and　unjust。　　Observe　this　elementary　principle　of　economy；　and　pauperism；　luxury；　oppression；　vice；　crime；　and　hunger　will　disappear　from　our　midst。

VIII。　Men　are　associated　by　the　physical　and　mathematical　law　of　production；　before　they　are　voluntarily　associated　by　choice。　　Therefore；　equality　of　conditions　is　demanded　by　justice；　that　is；　by　strict　social　law：　esteem；　friendship；　gratitude；　admiration；　all　fall　within　the　domain　of　EQUITABLE　or　PROPORTIONAL　law　only。

IX。　Free　association；　libertywhose　sole　function　is　to　maintain　equality　in　the　means　of　production　and　equivalence　in　exchangesis　the　only　possible；　the　only　just；　the　only　true　form　of　society。

X。　Politics　is　the　science　of　liberty。　　The　government　of　man　by　man　（under　whatever　name　it　be　disguised）　is　oppression。　　Society　finds　its　highest　perfection　in　the　union　of　order　with　anarchy。

The　old　civilization　has　run　its　race；　a　new　sun　is　rising；　and　will　soon　renew　the　face　of　the　earth。　　Let　the　present　generation　perish；　let　the　old　prevaricators　die　in　the　desert！　the　holy　earth　shall　not　cover　their　bones。　　Young　man；　exasperated　by　the　corruption　of　the　age；　and　absorbed　in　your　zeal　for　justice！if　your　country　is　dear　to　you；　and　if　you　have　the　interests　of　humanity　at　heart；　have　the　courage　to　espouse　the　cause　of　liberty！　　Cast　off　your　old　selfishness；　and　plunge　into　the　rising　flood　of　popular　equality！　　There　your　regenerate　soul　will　acquire　new　life　and　vigor；　your　enervated　genius　will　recover　unconquerable　energy；　and　your　heart；　perhaps　already　withered；　will　be　rejuvenated！　　Every　thing　will　wear　a　different　look　to　your　illuminated　vision；　new　sentiments　will　engender　new　ideas　within　you；　religion；　morality；　poetry；　art；　language　will　appear　before　you　in　nobler　and　fairer　forms；　and　thenceforth；　sure　of　your　faith；　and　thoughtfully　enthusiastic；　you　will　hail　the　dawn　of　universal　regeneration！

And　you；　sad　victims　of　an　odious　law！you；　whom　a　jesting　world　despoils　and　outrages！you；　whose　labor　has　always　been　fruitless；　and　whose　rest　has　been　without　hope；take　courage！　your　tears　are　numbered！　　The　fathers　have　sown　in　affliction；　the　children　shall　reap　in　rejoicings！

O　God　of　liberty！　　God　of　equality！　　Thou　who　didst　place　in　my　heart　the　sentiment　of　justice；　before　my　reason　could　comprehend　it；　hear　my　ardent　prayer！　　Thou　hast　dictated　all　that　I　have　written；　Thou　hast　shaped　my　thought；　Thou　hast　directed　my　studies；　Thou　hast　weaned　my　mind　from　curiosity　and　my　heart　from　attachment；　that　I　might　publish　Thy　truth　to　the　master　and　the　slave。　　I　have　spoken　with　what　force　and　talent　Thou　hast　given　me：　it　is　Thine　to　finish　the　work。　　Thou　knowest　whether　I　seek　my　welfare　or　Thy　glory；　O　God　of　liberty！　　Ah！　perish　my　memory；　and　let　humanity　be　free！　　Let　me　see　from　my　obscurity　the　people　at　last　instructed；　let　noble　teachers　enlighten　them；　let　generous　spirits　guide　them！　Abridge；　if　possible；　the　time　of　our　trial；　stifle　pride　and　avarice　in　equality；　annihilate　this　love　of　glory　which　enslaves　us；　teach　these　poor　children　that　in　the　bosom　of　liberty　there　are　neither　heroes　nor　great　men！　　Inspire　the　powerful　man；　the　rich　man；　him　whose　name　my　lips　shall　never　pronounce　in　Thy　presence；　with　a　horror　of　his　crimes；　let　him　be　the　first　to　apply　for　admission　to　the　redeemed　society；　let　the　promptness　of　his　repentance　be　the　ground　of　his　forgiveness！　　Then；　great　and　small；　wise　and　foolish；　rich　and　poor；　will　unite　in　an　ineffable　fraternity；　and；　singing　in　unison　a　new　hymn；　will　rebuild　Thy　altar；　O　God　of　liberty　and　equality！


END　OF　FIRST　MEMOIR。




WHAT　IS　PROPERTY？

SECOND　MEMOIR

A　LETTER　TO　M。　BLANQUI。



WHAT　IS　PROPERTY？

A　LETTER　TO　M。　BLANQUI。

SECOND　MEMOIR。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　PARIS；　April　1；　1841。　MONSIEUR；　Before　resuming　my　〃Inquiries　into　Government　and　Property；〃　it　is　fitting；　for　the　satisfaction　of　some　worthy　people；　and　also　in　the　interest　of　order；　that　I　should　make　to　you　a　plain；　straightforward　explanation。　　In　a　much…governed　State；　no　one　would　be　allowed　to　attack　the　external　form　of　the　society；　and　the　groundwork　of　its　institutions；　until　he　had　established　his　right　to　do　so；first；　by　his　morality；　second；　by　his　capacity；　and；　third；　by　the　purity　of　his　intentions。　　Any　one　who；　wishing　to　publish　a　treatise　upon　the　constitution　of　the　country；　could　not　satisfy　this　threefold　condition；　would　be　obliged　to　procure　the　endorsement　of　a　responsible　patron　possessing　the　requisite　qualifications。

But　we　Frenchmen　have　the　liberty　of　the　press。　　This　grand　rightthe　sword　of　thought；　which　elevates　the　virtuous　citizen　to　the　rank　of　legislator；　and　makes　the　malicious　citizen　an　agent　of　discordfrees　us　from　all　preliminary　responsibility　to　the　law；　but　it　does　not　release　us　from　our　internal　obligation　to　render　a　public　account　of　our　sentiments　and　thoughts。　　I　have　used；　in　all　its　fulness；　and　concerning　an　important　question；　the　right　which　the　charter　grants　us。　　I　come　to…day；　sir；　to　submit　my　conscience　to　your　judgment；　and　my　feeble　insight　to　your　discriminating　reason。　　You　have　criticised　in　a　kindly　spiritI　had　almost　said　with　partiality　for　the　writer　a　work　which　teaches　a　doctrine　that　you　thought　it　your　duty　to　condemn。　　〃The　Academy　of　Moral　and　Political　Sciences；〃　said　you　in　your　report；　〃can　accept　the　conclusions　of　the　author　only　as　far　as　it　likes。〃　　I　venture　to　hope；　sir；　that；　after　you　have　read　this　letter；　if　your　prudence　still　restrains　you；　your　fairness　will　induce　you　to　do　me　justice。

MEN；　EQUAL　IN　THE　DIGNITY　OF　THEIR　PERSONS　AND　EQUAL　BEFORE　THE　LAW；　SHOULD　BE　EQUAL　IN　THEIR　CONDITIONS；such　is　the　thesis　which　I　maintained　and　developed　in　a　memoir　bearing　the　title；　〃What　is　Property？　or；　An　Inquiry　into　the　Principle　of　Right　and　of　Government。〃

The　idea　of　social　equality；　even　in　individual　fortunes；　has　in　all　ages　besieged；　like　a　vague　presentiment；　the　human　imagination。　　Poets　have　sung　of　it　in　their　hymns；　philosophers　have　dreamed　of　it　in　their　Utopias；　priests　teach　it；　but　only　for　the　spiritual　world。　　The　people；　governed　by　it；　never　have　had　faith　in　it；　and　the　civil　power　is　never　more　disturbed　than　by　the　fables　of　the　age　of　gold　and　the　reign　of　Astrea。　　A　year　ago；　however；　this　idea　received　a　scientific　demonstration；　which　has　not　yet　been　satisfactorily　answered；　and；　permit　me　to　add；　never　will　be。　　This　demonstration；　owing　to　its　slightly　impassioned　style；　its　method　of　reasoning；which　was　so　at　variance　with　that　employed　by　the　generally　recognized　autho