Napoleon Wanted Passive Mankind

by Frédéric Bastiat

　　It is, of course, not at all surprising that this same idea shouldhave greatly appealed to Napoleon. He embraced it ardently and usedit with vigor. Like a chemist, Napoleon considered all Europe to bematerial for his experiments. But, in due course, this materialreacted against him.

　　At St. Helena, Napoleon -- greatly disillusioned -- seemed torecognize some initiative in mankind. Recognizing this, he becameless hostile to liberty. Nevertheless, this did not prevent him fromleaving this lesson to his son in his will: "To govern is to increaseand spread morality, education, and happiness."

　　After all this, it is hardly necessary to quote the same opinionsfrom Morelly, Babeuf, Owen, Saint-Simon, and Fourier. Here are,however, a few extracts from Louis Blanc's book on the organization oflabor: "In our plan, society receives its momentum from power."

　　Now consider this: The impulse behind this momentum is to besupplied by the plan of Louis Blanc; his plan is to be forced uponsociety; the society referred to is the human race. Thus the humanrace is to receive its momentum from Louis Blanc.

　　Now it will be said that the people are free to accept or toreject this plan. Admittedly, people are free to accept or to rejectadvice from whomever they wish. But this is not the way in which Mr.Louis Blanc understands the matter. He expects that his plan will belegalized, and thus forcibly imposed upon the people by the power ofthe law:

　　 "In our plan, the state has only to pass labor laws (nothingelse?) by means of which industrial progress can and must proceed incomplete liberty. The state merely places society on an incline (thatis all?). Then society will slide down this incline by the mere forceof things, and by the natural workings of the established mechanism."

　　But what is this incline that is indicated by Mr. Louis Blanc?Does it not lead to an abyss? (No, it leads to happiness.) If this istrue, then why does not society go there of its own choice? (Becausesociety does not know what it wants; it must be propelled.) What is topropel it? (Power.) And who is to supply the impulse for this power?(Why, the inventor of the machine -- in this instance, Mr. LouisBlanc.)