INTRODUCTION.

XXI

equality  of  conditions,  for  otherwise  the  poor  elector  will  use
his  vote  to  pass  laws  for  the  increase  of  his  share  of  the  good
things  of  life  at  the  expense  of  the  privileged  classes.
M.  Paul  Janet,  in  his  Origines  du  Socialisme,  and  M.  Taine,
in  his  book  on  the  Revolution,  show  how,  after  1789,  as  with
Rousseau,  the  idea  of  political  equality  led  to  that  of  a  greater
social  equality,  even  without  any  reconstruction  of  society  after
the  manner  of  Babœuf.  The  excellent  Abbé  Fauchet  exclaims,
“Where  is  the  wretch  who  wishes  to  see  a  continuation  of  this
atrocious  régime,  where  the  miserable  are  counted  by  millions
amid  a  handful  of  arrogant  persons  who  have  done  nothing  that
they  should  possess  all  ?”  In  the  “  Four  Cries  of  a  Patriot,”
the  question  is  asked.  What  is  the  good  of  a  constitution  for
a  nation  of  skeletons?  and  “a  terrible  insurrection  of  twenty
mdhon  indigent  persons  without  property  is  announced.”
Chaumette  says,  “We  have  destroyed  the  nobles  and  the
^^apets,  there  remains  still  an  aristocracy  to  overturn,  that  of
t  e  rich.  Chalier  of  Lyons,  whose  enthusiasm  was  so
seductive  to  Michelet,  says,  “All  pleasure  is  criminal  as  long
as  the  sans-culottes  suffer.”  Tallien  desires  “an  equality  full
and  complete,”  and  he  proposes  to  send  “to  the  bottom  of
the  dungeons”  all  proprietors,  whom  he  styles  public  robbers
One  member  of  the  convention,  Fr.  Dupont,  reproduces  the
doctrine  of  St.  Paul,  and  maintains  that  “  no  individual  in  the
Republic  should  live  without  working.”  “  Oblige  every  one  to
equal  share  m  the  advantages  of  society.»  Already  Meeker
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