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might form platoons in his rear。 Consequently； and through precaution；
he suppresses in advance all eventual rallying points or centers of
combination Henceforth； every wire which can stir up and bring a
company of men together for the same object terminates in his hands；
he holds in his firm grasp all these combined wires； guards them with
jealous care； in order to strain them to the utmost。 Let no one
attempt to loosen them； and； above all； let no one entertain a thought
of getting hold of them； they belong to him and to him alone； and
compose the public domain； which is his domain proper。
But； alongside of his proper domain； he recognizes another in which he
himself assigns a limit to the complete absorption of all wills by his
own； he does not admit； of course in his own interest； that the public
power； at least in the civil order of things and in common practice；
should be illimitable nor； especially； arbitrary。＇24＇ … This is due to
his not being an utopian or a theorist； like his predecessors of the
Convention； but a perspicacious statesman； who is in the habit of
using his own eyes。 He sees things directly； in themselves； he does
not imagine them through book formulae or party phrases； by a process
of verbal reasoning； employing the gratuitous suppositions of
humanitarian optimism or the dogmatic prejudices of Jacobin nonsense。
He sees Man just as he is； not Man in himself； an abstract citizen；
the philosophic puppet of the Contrat Social； but the real individual；
the entire living man； with his profound instincts； his tenacious
necessities； which； whether tolerated or not by legislation； still
subsist and operate infallibly； and which the legislator must take
into consideration if he wants to turn them to account。 … This
individual； a civilized European and a modern Frenchman； constituted
as he is by several centuries of tolerable police discipline； of
respected rights and hereditary property； must have a private domain；
an enclosed area； large or small； which belongs and is reserved to him
personally； to which the public power interdicts access and before
which it mounts guard to prevent other individuals from intruding on
it。 Otherwise his condition seems intolerable to him； he is no longer
disposed to exert himself； to set his wits to work； or to enter upon
any enterprise。 Let us be careful not to snap or loosen this powerful
and precious spring of action； let him continue to work； to produce；
to economize； if only that he may be in a condition to pay taxes； let
him continue to marry； to bring forth and raise up sons； if only to
serve the conscription。 Let us ease his mind with regard to his
enclosure；＇25＇ let him exercise full proprietorship over it and enjoy
it exclusively； let him feel himself at home in his own house in
perpetuity； safe from any intrusion； protected by the code and by the
courts； not alone against his enemies； but against the administration
itself。 Let him in this well…defined； circumscribed abode be free to
turn round and range as he pleases； free to browse at will； and； if he
chooses； to consume all his hay himself。 It is not essential that his
meadows should be very extensive： most men live with their nose to the
ground； very few look beyond a very narrow circle； men are not much
troubled by being penned up； the egoism and urgent needs of daily life
are already for them ready…made limits： within these natural barriers
they ask for nothing but to be allowed to graze in security。 Let us
give them this assurance and leave them free to consult their own
welfare。 … As to the rest； in very small number； more or less
imaginative； energetic； and ardent； there is； outside the enclosure；
an issue expressly provided for them： the new administrative and
military professions offer an outlet to their ambition and to their
vanity which； from the start； keeps on expanding until； suddenly； the
first Consul points to an infinite perspective on the horizon。＇26＇
According to an expression attributed to him； henceforth；
〃the field is open to all talents；〃
and hence all talents； gathered into the central current and
precipitated headlong through competition； swell with their inflow the
immensity of the public power。
This done； the principal features of modern France are traced； a tool
of a new and strange type arises； defines itself； and issues forth；
its structure determining its destiny。 It consists of a social body
organized by a despot and for a despot； calculated for the use of one
man； excellent for action under the impulsion of a unique will； with a
superior intelligence； admirable so long as this intelligence remains
lucid and this will remains healthy。 It is adapted to a military life
and not to civil life； and therefore badly balanced； hampered （géné）
in its development； exposed to periodical crises； condemned to
precocious debility； but viable for a long time； and； for the present
robust； alone able to bear the weight of the new reign and to furnish
for fifteen successive years the crushing labor； the conquering
obedience； the superhuman； murderous； insensate effort which its
master exacts。
IV。 Napoleon's barracks。
General aspect and characteristics of the new State。 … Contrast
between its structure and that of other contemporary or pre…existing
States。 … The plurality； complexity； and irregularity of ancient
France。 … The unity； simplicity； and regularity of modern France。 … To
what class of works it belongs。 … It is the modern masterpiece of the
classic spirit in the political and social order of things。
Let us take a nearer view of the master's idea and of the way in
which； at this moment； he figures to himself the society which is
assuming new shape in his hands。 All the leading features of the plan
are fixed beforehand in his mind： they are already deeply graven on it
through his education and through his instinct。 By virtue of this
instinct； which is despotic； by virtue of this education； which is
classic and Latin； he conceives human associations not in the modern
fashion； Germanic and Christian； as a concert of initiations starting
from below； but in the antique fashion； pagan and Roman； as a
hierarchy of authorities imposed from above。 He puts his own spirit
into his civil institutions； the military spirit； consequently； he
constructs a huge barracks wherein； to begin with； he lodges thirty
million； men； women； and children； and； later on； forty…two million；
all the way from Hamburg to Rome。
The edifice is； of course； superb and of a new style。 On comparing it
with other societies in surrounding Europe； and particularly France as
she was previous to 1789； the contrast is striking。 … Everywhere else
the social edifice is a composition of many distinct structures …
provinces； cities； seignories； churches； universities； and
corporations。 Each has begun by being a more or less isolated block of
buildings where； on an enclosed area； a population has lived apart。
Little by little the barriers have given way； either they have been
broken in or have tumbled down of their own accord； passages have been
made between one and the other and new additions have been put up； at
last； these scattered buildings have all become connected and soldered
on as annexes to the central pile。 But they combine with it only
through a visible and clumsy juxtaposition； through incomplete and
bizarre communications： the vestiges of their former independence are
still apparent athwart their actual dependence。 Each still rests on
its own primitive and appropriate foundations； its grand lines
subsist； its main work is often almost intact。 In France； on the eve
of 1789； it is easily recognized what she formerly was； for example；
it is clear that Languedoc and Brittany were once sovereign States；
Strasbourg a sovereign town； the Bishop of Mende and the Abbess of
Remiremont； sovereign princes；＇27＇ every seignior； laic； or
ecclesiastic； was so in his own domain； and he still possessed some
remnants of public power。 In brief； we see thousands of states within
the State； absorbed； but not assimilated； each with its own statutes；
its own legal customs； its own civil law； its own weights and
measures； several with special privileges and immunities； some with
their own jurisdiction and their own peculiar administration； with
their own imposts and tariffs like so many more or less dismantled
fortresses； but whose old feudal； municipal； or provincial walls still
rose lofty and thick on the soil comprehended within the national
enclosure。
Nothing could be more irregular than this total aggregate thus formed；
it is not really an entire whole； but an agglomeration。 No plan； good
or bad； has been followed out ； the architecture is of ten different
styles and of ten different epochs。 That of the dioceses is Roman and
of the fourth century； that of the seignories is Gothic and of the
ninth century； one structure dat