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