第 6 节
作者:嘟嘟      更新:2021-04-30 16:07      字数:9322
  frequently under the influence of those passions; and the very
  worst of men are so only occasionally。 As their gratification
  too; how agreeable soever it may be to certain characters; is not
  attended with any real or permanent advantage; it is in the
  greater part of men commonly restrained by prudential
  considerations。 Men may live together in society with some
  tolerable degree of security; though there is no civil magistrate
  to protect them from the injustice of those passions。 But avarice
  and ambition in the rich; in the poor the hatred of labour and
  the love of present ease and enjoyment; are the passions which
  prompt to invade property; passions much more steady in their
  operation; and much more universal in their influence。 Wherever
  there is great property there is great inequality。 For one very
  rich man there must be at least five hundred poor; and the
  affluence of the few supposes the indigence of the many。 The
  affluence of the rich excites the indignation of the poor; who
  are often both driven by want; and prompted by envy; to invade
  his possessions。 It is only under the shelter of the civil
  magistrate that the owner of that valuable property; which is
  acquired by the labour of many years; or perhaps of many
  successive generations; can sleep a single night in security。 He
  is at all times surrounded by unknown enemies; whom; though he
  never provoked; he can never appease; and from whose injustice he
  can be protected only by the powerful arm of the civil magistrate
  continually held up to chastise it。 The acquisition of valuable
  and extensive property; therefore; necessarily requires the
  establishment of civil government。 Where there is no property; or
  at least none that exceeds the value of two or three days'
  labour; civil government is not so necessary。
  Civil government supposes a certain subordination。 But as
  the necessity of civil government gradually grows up with the
  acquisition of valuable property; so the principal causes which
  naturally introduce subordination gradually grow up with the
  growth of that valuable property。
  The causes or circumstances which naturally introduce
  subordination; or which naturally; and antecedent to any civil
  institution; give some men some superiority over the greater part
  of their brethren; seem to be four in number。
  The first of those causes or circumstances is the
  superiority of personal qualifications; of strength; beauty; and
  agility of body; of wisdom and virtue; of prudence; justice;
  fortitude; and moderation of mind。 The qualifications of the
  body; unless supported by those of the mind; can give little
  authority in any period of society。 He is a very strong man; who;
  by mere strength of body; can force two weak ones to obey him。
  The qualifications of the mind can alone give a very great
  authority。 They are; however; invisible qualities; always
  disputable; and generally disputed。 No society; whether barbarous
  or civilised; has ever found it convenient to settle the rules of
  precedency of rank and subordination according to those invisible
  qualities; but according to something that is more plain and
  palpable。
  The second of those causes or circumstances is the
  superiority of age。 An old man; provided his age is not so far
  advanced as to give suspicion of dotage; is everywhere more
  respected than a young man of equal rank; fortune; and abilities。
  Among nations of hunters; such as the native tribes of North
  America; age is the sole foundation of rank and precedency。 Among
  them; father is the appellation of a superior; brother; of an
  equal; and son; of an inferior。 In the most opulent and civilised
  nations; age regulates rank among those who are in every other
  respect equal; and among whom; therefore; there is nothing else
  to regulate it。 Among brothers and among sisters; the eldest
  always takes place; and in the succession of the paternal estate
  everything which cannot be divided; but must go entire to one
  person; such as a title of honour; is in most cases given to the
  eldest。 Age is a plain and palpable quality which admits of no
  dispute。
  The third of those causes or circumstances is the
  superiority of fortune。 The authority of riches; however; though
  great in every age of society; is perhaps greatest in the rudest
  age of society which admits of any considerable inequality of
  fortune。 A Tartar chief; the increase of whose herds and stocks
  is sufficient to maintain a thousand men; cannot well employ that
  increase in any other way than in maintaining a thousand men。 The
  rude state of his society does not afford him any manufactured
  produce; any trinkets or baubles of any kind; for which he can
  exchange that part of his rude produce which is over and above
  his own consumption。 The thousand men whom he thus maintains;
  depending entirely upon him for their subsistence; must both obey
  his orders in war; and submit to his jurisdiction in peace。 He is
  necessarily both their general and their judge; and his
  chieftainship is the necessary effect of the superiority of his
  fortune。 In an opulent and civilised society; a man may possess a
  much greater fortune and yet not be able to command a dozen
  people。 Though the produce of his estate may be sufficient to
  maintain; and may perhaps actually maintain; more than a thousand
  people; yet as those people pay for everything which they get
  from him; as he gives scarce anything to anybody but in exchange
  for an equivalent; there is scarce anybody who considers himself
  as entirely dependent upon him; and his authority extends only
  over a few menial servants。 The authority of fortune; however; is
  very great even in an opulent and civilised society。 That it is
  much greater than that either of age or of personal qualities has
  been the constant complaint of every period of society which
  admitted of any considerable inequality of fortune。 The first
  period of society; that of hunters; admits of no such inequality。
  Universal poverty establishes their universal equality; and the
  superiority either of age or of personal qualities are the feeble
  but the sole foundations of authority and subordination。 There is
  therefore little or no authority or subordination in this period
  of society。 The second period of society; that of shepherds;
  admits of very great inequalities of fortune; and there is no
  period in which the superiority of fortune gives so great
  authority to those who possess it。 There is no period accordingly
  in which authority and subordination are more perfectly
  established。 The authority of an Arabian sherif is very great;
  that of a Tartar khan altogether despotical。
  The fourth of those causes or circumstances is the
  superiority of birth。 Superiority of birth supposes an ancient
  superiority of fortune in the family of the person who claims it。
  All families are equally ancient; and the ancestors of the
  prince; though they may be better known; cannot well be more
  numerous than those of the beggar。 Antiquity of family means
  everywhere the antiquity either of wealth; or of that greatness
  which is commonly either founded upon wealth; or accompanied with
  it。 Upstart greatness is everywhere less respected than ancient
  greatness。 The hatred of usurpers; the love of the family of an
  ancient monarch; are; in a great measure; founded upon the
  contempt which men naturally have for the former; and upon their
  veneration for the latter。 As a military officer submits without
  reluctance to the authority of a superior by whom he has always
  been commanded; but cannot bear that his inferior should be set
  over his head; so men easily submit to a family to whom they and
  their ancestors have always submitted; but are fired with
  indignation when another family; in whom they had never
  acknowledged any such superiority; assumes a dominion over them。
  The distinction of birth; being subsequent to the inequality
  of fortune; can have no place in nations of hunters; among whom
  all men; being equal in fortune; must likewise be very nearly
  equal in birth。 The son of a wise and brave man may; indeed; even
  among them; be somewhat more respected than a man of equal merit
  who has the misfortune to be the son of a fool or a coward。 The
  difference; however; will not be very great; and there never was;
  I believe; a great family in the world whose illustration was
  entirely derived from the inheritance of wisdom and virtue。
  The distinction of birth not only may; but always does take
  place among nations of shepherds。 Such nations are always
  strangers to every sort of luxury; and great wealth can scarce
  ever be dissipated among them by improvident profusion。 There are
  no nations accordingly who abound more in families revered and
  honoured on account of their descent from a long race of great
  and illustrious ancestors; because there are no nations among
  whom wealth is likely to continue longer in the same families。
  Birth and fortune are e