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disorganisation。＇12＇ Everyone sees it； while he is conscious of
his own impotence to change anything。 It results； in fact； from
mental influences whose power is greater than that of our wills。
＇12＇ This disorder is the same in all the Government departments
Interesting examples will be found in a report of M。 Dausset to
the Municipal Council：
‘‘The service of the public highways； which ought above all to be
noted for its rapid execution； is； on the contrary； the very type
of red…tape； bureaucratic； and ink…slinging administration；
possessing men and money and wasting both in tasks which are
often useless； for lack of order； initiative； and methodin a
word； of organisation。
Speaking then of the directors of departments； each of whom works
as he pleases； and after his own fashion； he adds：
‘‘These important persons completely ignore one another； they
prepare and execute their plans without knowing anything of what
their neighbours are doing； there is no one above them to group
and co…ordinate their work。'' This is why a road is often torn
up； repaired； and then torn up again a few days later； because
the departments dealing with the supply of water； gas；
electricity； and the sewers are mutually jealous； and never
attempt to work together。 This anarchy and indiscipline
naturally cost enormous sums of money； and a private firm which
operated in this manner would soon find itself bankrupt。
3。 Universal Suffrage and its Representatives。
Among the dogmas of democracy perhaps the most fundamental of all
and the most attractive is that of universal suffrage。 It gives
the masses the idea of equality； since for a moment at least rich
and poor； learned and ignorant； are equal before the electoral
urn。 The minister elbows the least of his servants； and during
this brief moment the power of one is as great as the others。
All Governments； including that of the Revolution； have feared
universal suffrage。 At a first glance； indeed； the objections
which suggests themselves are numerous。 The idea that the
multitude could usefully choose the men capable of governing；
that individuals of indifferent morality； feeble knowledge； and
narrow minds should possess； by the sole fact of number； a
certain talent for judging the candidate proposed for its
selection is surely a shocking one。
From a rational point of view the suffrage of numbers is to a
certain extent justified if we think with Pascal。
‘‘Plurality is the best way； because it is visible and has
strength to make itself obeyed； it is； however； the advice of the
less able。''
As universal suffrage cannot in our times be replaced by any
other institution； we must accept it and try to adapt it。 It is
accordingly useless to protest against it or to repeat with the
queen Marie Caroline； at the time of her struggle with Napoleon：
‘‘Nothing is more dreadful than to govern men in this enlightened
century； when every cobbler reasons and criticises the
Government。''
To tell the truth； the objections are not always as great as they
appear。 The laws of the psychology of crowds being admitted； it
is very doubtful whether a limited suffrage would give a much
better choice of men than that obtained by universal suffrage。
These same psychological laws also show us that so…called
universal suffrage is in reality a pure fiction。 The crowd； save
in very rare cases； has no opinion but that of its leaders。
Universal suffrage really represents the most limited of
suffrages。
There justly resides its real danger。 Universal suffrage is made
dangerous by the fact that the leaders who are its masters are
the creatures of little local committees analogous to the clubs
of the Revolution。 The leader who canvasses for a mandate is
chosen by them。
Once nominated； he exercises an absolute local power； on
condition of satisfying the interests of his committees。 Before
this necessity the general interest of the country disappears
almost totally from the mind of the elected representative。
Naturally the committees； having need of docile servants； do not
choose for this task individuals gifted with a lofty intelligence
nor； above all； with a very high morality。 They must have men
without character； without social position； and always docile。
By reason of these necessities the servility of the deputy in
respect of these little groups which patronise him； and without
which he would be no one； is absolute。 He will speak and vote
just as his committee tells him。 His political ideal may be
expressed in a few words： it is to obey； that he may retain his
post。
Sometimes； rarely indeed； and only when by name or position or
wealth he has a great prestige； a superior character may impose
himself upon the popular vote by overcoming the tyranny of the
impudent minorities which constitute the local committees。
Democratic countries like France are only apparently governed by
universal suffrage。 For this reason is it that so many measures
are passed which do not interest the people and which the people
never demanded。 Such were the purchase of the Western railways；
the laws respecting congregations； &c。 These absurd
manifestations merely translated the demands of fanatical local
committees； and were imposed upon deputies whom they had chosen。
We may judge of the influence of these committees when we see
moderate deputies forced to patronise the anarchical
destroyers of arsenals； to ally themselves with anti…militarists；
and； in a word； to obey the most atrocious demands in order to
ensure re…election。 The will of the lowest elements of democracy
has thus created among the elected representatives manners and a
morality which we can but recognise are of the lowest。 The
politician is the man in public employment； and as Nietzsche
says：
‘‘Where public employment begins there begins also the clamour of
the great comedians and the buzzing of venomous flies。 。 。 。 The
comedian always believes in that which makes him obtain his best
effects； in that which impels the people to believe in him。 To…
morrow he will have a new faith； and the day after to…morrow yet
another。 。 。 。 All that is great has its being far from public
employment and glory。''
4。 The Craving for Reforms。
The craze for reforms imposed suddenly by means of decrees is one
of the most disastrous conceptions of the Jacobin spirit； one of
the formidable legacies left by the Revolution。 It is among the
principal factors of all the incessant political upheavals of the
last century in France。
One of the psychological causes of this intense thirst for
reforms arises from the difficulty of determining the real causes
of the evils complained of。 The need of explanation creates
fictitious causes of the simplest nature。 Therefore the remedies
also appear simple。
For forty years we have incessantly been passing reforms； each of
which is a little revolution in itself。 In spite of all these；
or rather because of them； the French have evolved almost
as little as any race in Europe。
The slowness of our actual evolution may be seen if we compare
the principal elements of our social lifecommerce； industry；
&c。with those of other nations。 The progress of other
nationsof the Germans especiallythen appears enormous； while
our own has been very slow。
Our administrative； industrial； and commercial organisation is
considerably out of date； and is no longer equal to our new
needs。 Our industry is not prospering； our marine is declining。
Even in our own colonies we cannot compete with foreign
countries； despite the enormous pecuniary subventions accorded by
the State。 M。 Cruppi； an ex…Minister of Commerce； has insisted
on this melancholy decline in a recent book。 Falling into the
usual errors； he believed it easy to remedy this inferiority by
new laws。
All politicians share the same opinion； which is why we progress
so slowly。 Each party is persuaded that by means of reforms all
evils could be remedied。 This conviction results in struggles
such as have made France the most divided country in the world
and the most subject to anarchy。
No one yet seems to understand that individuals and their
methods； not regulations； make the value of a people。 The
efficacious reforms are not the revolutionary reforms but the
trifling ameliorations of every day accumulated in course of
time。 The great social changes； like the great geological
changes； are effected by the daily addition of minute causes。
The economic history of Germany during the last forty
years proves in a striking manner the truth of this law。
Many important events which seem to depend more or less on
hazardas battles； for exampleare themselves subject to this
law of the accumulation of small causes。 No doubt the decisive
struggle is sometimes te