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minds； and that is sufficient。 Their results may be disastrous
in the extreme； but we cannot prevent them。
The apostles of the new doctrines are quite wrong in taking so
much trouble to find a rational basis for their aspirations。
They would be far more convincing were they to confine themselves
to making affirmations and awakening hopes。 Their real strength
resides in the religious mentality which is inherent in the heart
of man； and which during the ages has only changed its object。
Later on we shall consider from a philosophical point of view
various consequences of the democratic evolution whose course we
see accelerating。 We may say in respect of the Church in the
Middle Ages that it had the power of profoundly influencing the
mentality of men。 Examining certain results of the
democratic doctrines； we shall see that the power of these is no
less than that of the Church。
2。 The Jacobin Spirit and the Mentality created by Democratic
Beliefs。
Existing generations have inherited； not only the revolutionary
principles but also the special mentality which achieves their
success。
Describing this mentality when we were examining the Jacobin
spirit； we saw that it always endeavours to impose by force
illusions which it regards as the truth。 The Jacobin spirit has
finally become so general in France and in other Latin countries
that it has affected all political parties； even the most
conservative。 The bourgeoisie is strongly affected by it； and
the people still more so。
This increase of the Jacobin spirit has resulted in the fact that
political conceptions； institutions； and laws tend to impose
themselves by force。 Syndicalism； peaceful enough in other
countries； immediately assumed in France an uncompromising and
anarchical aspect； which betrayed itself in the shape of riots；
sabotage； and incendiarism。
Not to be repressed by timid Governments； the Jacobin spirit
produces melancholy ravages in minds of mediocre capacity。 At a
recent congress of railway men a third of the delegates voted
approval of sabotage； and one of the secretaries of the
Congress began his speech by saying： ‘‘I send all saboteurs my
fraternal greeting and all my admiration。''
This general mentality engenders an increasing anarchy。 That
France is not in a permanent state of anarchy is； as I have
already remarked； due to the fact that the parties by which she
is divided produce something like equilibrium。 They are animated
by a mortal hatred for one another； but none of them is strong
enough to enslave its rivals。
This Jacobin intolerance is spreading to such an extent that the
rulers themselves employ without scruple the most revolutionary
tactics with regard to their enemies； violently persecuting any
party that offers the least resistance； and even despoiling it of
its property。 Our rulers to…day behave as the ancient conquerors
used； the vanquished have nothing to hope from the victors。
Far from being peculiar to the lower orders； intolerance is
equally prominent among the ruling classes。 Michelet remarked
long ago that the violence of the cultivated classes is often
greater than that of the people。 It is true that they do not
break the street lamps； but they are ready enough to cause heads
to be broken。 The worst violence of the revolution was the work
of cultivated bourgeoisieprofessors； lawyers； &c。； possessors
of that classical education which is supposed to soften the
manners。 It has not done so in these days； any more than it did
of old。 One can make sure of this by reading the advanced
journals； whose contributors and editors are recruited chiefly
from among the professors of the University。
Their books are as violent as their articles； and one wonders how
such favourites of fortune can have secreted such stores of
hatred。
One would find it hard to credit them did they assure us that
they were consumed by an intense passion for altruism。 One
might more readily admit that apart from a narrow religious
mentality the hope of being remarked by the mighty ones of the
day； or of creating a profitable popularity； is the only
possible explanation of the violence recommended in their
written propaganda。
I have already； in one of my preceding works； cited some passages
from a book written by a professor at the College of France； in
which the author incites the people to seize upon the riches of
the bourgeoisie； whom he furiously abuses； and have arrived at
the conclusion that a new revolution would readily find among the
authors of such books the Marats； Robespierres； and Carriers whom
it might require。
The Jacobin religionabove all in its Socialist formhas all
the power of the ancient faiths over feeble minds Blinded by
their faith； they believe that reason is their guide； but are
really actuated solely by their passions and their dreams。
The evolution of democratic ideas has thus produced not only the
political results already mentioned； but also a considerable
effect upon the mentality of modern men。
If the ancient dogmas have long ago exhausted their power； the
theories of democracy are far from having lost theirs； and we see
their consequences increasing daily。 One of the chief results
has been the general hatred of superiority。
This hatred of whatever passes the average in social fortune or
intelligence is to…day general in all classes； from the working…
classes to the upper strata of the bourgeoisie。 The results
are envy； detraction； and a love of attack； of raillery； of
persecution； and a habit of attributing all actions to low
motives； of refusing to believe in probity； disinterestedness；
and intelligence。
Conversation； among the people as among the most cultivated
Frenchmen； is stamped with the craze for abasing and abusing
everything and everyone。 Even the greatest of the dead do not
escape this tendency。 Never were so many books written to
depreciate the merit of famous men； men who were formerly
regarded as the most precious patrimony of their country。
Envy and hatred seem from all time to have been inseparable from
democratic theories； but the spread of these sentiments has never
been so great as to…day。 It strikes all observers。
‘‘There is a low demagogic instinct；'' writes M。 Bourdeau；
‘‘without any moral inspiration； which dreams of pulling humanity
down to the lowest level； and for which any superiority； even of
culture； is an offence to society。 。 。 it is the sentiment of
ignoble equality which animated the Jacobin butchers when they
struck off the head of a Lavoisier or a Chenier。
This hatred of superiority； the most prominent element in the
modern progress of Socialism； is not the only characteristic of
the new spirit created by democratic ideas。
Other consequences； although indirect； are not less profound。
Such； for example； are the progress of ‘‘statism；'' the
diminution of the power of the bourgeoisie； the increasing
activity of financiers； the conflict of the classes； the
vanishing of the old social constraints； and the degradation
of morality。
All these effects are displayed in a general insubordination and
anarchy。 The son revolts against the father； the employee
against his patron； the soldier against his officers。
Discontent； hatred； and envy reign throughout。
A social movement which continues is necessarily like a machine
in movement which accelerates its motion。 We shall therefore
find that the results of this mentality will become yet more
important。 It is betrayed from time to time by incidents whose
gravity is daily increasingrailway strikes； postmen's strikes；
explosions on board ironclads； &c。 A propos of the destruction
of the Liberte； which cost more than two million pounds and
slew two hundred men in the space of a minute； an ex…Minister of
Marine； M。 de Lanessan； expresses himself as follows：
''The evil that is gnawing at our fleet is the same as that which
is devouring our army； our public administrations； our
parliamentary system； our governmental system； and the whole
fabric of our society。 This evil is anarchythat is to say；
such a disorder of minds and things that nothing is done as
reason would dictate； and no one behaves as his professional or
moral duty should require him to behave。''
On the subject of the catastrophe of the Liberte； which
followed that of the Iena； M。 Felix Roussel said； in a
speech delivered as president of the municipal council of
Paris：
‘‘The causes of the evil are not peculiar to our day。 The evil
is more general； and bears a triple name： irresponsibility；
indiscipline； and anarchy。''
These quotations； which state facts with which everyone is
familiar； show that the staunchest upholders of the republican
system themselves recognise the progress of social
disorganisation。＇12＇ Everyone sees it； while he