Chapter 3 dedicated to the republic of geneva

dedicated to the republic of geneva Glorious, great, supreme rulers: I am convinced that only a moral citizen can pay an acceptable salute to his country.Thirty years on, I have worked hard to be eligible to pay you a public tribute.Now this fortunate opportunity quite makes up for a part of what my efforts have failed to achieve, so I believe that here I can but with the zeal that inspires me, regardless of whether I have this right.Since I was lucky to grow up among you, how could I only think of the equality that nature bestows on people and the inequality that people themselves create, but not such a supreme wisdom?This kind of wisdom can properly reconcile equality and inequality in a country in a way that is closest to natural law and most beneficial to society, so as to maintain public order and ensure personal happiness.When I study the best rules that conscience can give to the institutions of a government, how am I thrilled to see them practiced by your governments!I therefore feel compelled, even if I had not been born in your city, not to dedicate to you this picture of human society, for I feel that you are the peoples of the world who enjoy the benefits of government and are the most adept at preventing it. Bad people.

If I had a choice as to the place of my birth, I would have chosen a country which was within the reach of man, that is to say, well governed.In this country, everyone is competent for his office, and no one needs to delegate his responsibilities to others.In such a state, where the people know one another, no evil intrigue, nor the virtue of modesty, can fail to be presented to and judged by the public.The good habit of seeing each other and getting acquainted there will make people love their country not so much as a love of the land, as a love of the citizens. I would rather be born in a country where the Sovereign and the people have only one common good, and where all the activities of political institutions are always directed towards the common good.This can only be done when the people and the sovereign are one.Therefore, I would like to live under a decent democratic government.

I am willing to live freely and die freely.That is to say, I obey the law in such a way that neither I nor anyone else can escape the law's honor.This is a mild and wholesome bondage, which the proudest mind is equally docile, for he was not born for any other bondage. I desire, therefore, not only that no one at home should think himself above the law, but that no one abroad should compel the nation to recognize his authority.For, whatever may be the form of government of a state, if one man within its dominion may disobey the laws, all the others must necessarily be at his whim;[1]; If a foreigner is the leader, then no matter how they can divide powers, it is impossible for both to be obeyed well, and it is impossible to govern the country well.

I would never want to live in a new republic, no matter how good laws it may have.What I am afraid of is that the organization of the government is not suitable for the needs of the time, and is not suitable for the new citizens, or the citizens are not suitable for the new government, so that the country will inevitably be shaken or destroyed as soon as it is born.For on the subject of liberty, as well as nourishing solid food or wine, it is very helpful to those who have a strong constitution accustomed to such a diet; would be so inappropriate that it would eventually spoil their health or make them intoxicated.Once the people are used to a certain master, they can never be separated from him.If they try to break the bondage, they are still farther from liberty; for they often take for liberty that which is the opposite of liberty, and their revolutions almost always bring them down to the point where they only increase their yoke. in the hands of the demagogues.Although the Romans are a model of all free nations, they were not capable of self-government when they escaped the oppression of the Tarkan dynasty.The Romans, dehumanized by slavery and the menial labors imposed on them by the Tarkan dynasty, were at first a mere crowd of fools, who had to be brought up and governed with great wisdom to render them spiritually decadent under tyranny. People, so to speak, became insane, gradually accustomed to breathing healthy free air, gradually acquiring a purity of manners and a spirit of valor; which at last made the Romans the most popular of all nations respected nation.I shall therefore seek for my fatherland a happy and peaceful republic: a country in which all that is old and ancient has, in some degree, been lost in ages, Consolidate the bravery and love of the country of the inhabitants.The citizens of this republic, accustomed to intellectual independence, are not only free, but deserve to be free.

I am willing to choose such a country as my motherland: it is fortunate that it has no great power, so it has no ambition to conquer other countries, and it is even more fortunate that it has no fear of being conquered by other countries because of its position.It is a free city among many countries, none of which intends to invade it, but each of them takes care to prevent other countries from invading it.In short, it is a republic in which, far from arousing the ambitions of its neighbours, it can reasonably count on their help if necessary.In such a fortunate position, therefore, we may conceive of the country as having nothing to fear but itself.Citizens receive military training not so much from the necessity of preparing themselves for self-defense as from the maintenance of martial spirit and valor.This kind of martial spirit and heroism is the most suitable to liberty, and the most conducive to the love of liberty.

I shall choose for my fatherland a country where the legislative power is vested in all its citizens: for who knows better than the citizens themselves the conditions under which they are better fitted to live together in the same country?But I am not in favor of a plebiscite like that of the Romans, where the head of the state and those most concerned with the defense of the state are not allowed to take part in decisions which often have to do with national security, and because of a most absurd measure, Government officials cannot enjoy the rights enjoyed by ordinary citizens. On the contrary, in order to prevent self-interested and ill-conceived plans, and dangerous reforms of the kind which have finally failed the Athenians, I hope that no one will have the right to propose new laws at will; This right is there; I hope that the officials will be so prudent when exercising this right; on the part of the people, they will be so cautious when they approve these laws; and they will be promulgated with such solemnity.Thus, before the constitution was shaken, people had time enough to be convinced that the law was sanctified chiefly by virtue of long history.I hope that the people will soon despise those laws which are every day changing, and they will also despise those who are accustomed to neglect the old customs under the pretext of improvement, and by correcting small evils, they only arouse larger ones. The disadvantages of ①.

I would especially avoid a republic which was bound to be poorly governed by the fact that the people, believing that government officials could be dispensed with, or were given only an uncertain power, rashly administered the civil administration and the execution of the laws for themselves. .The rough organization of the first government, which must have been so, arising directly from the state of nature, was one of the political defects which brought down the Athenian republic. But I will choose a republic where the people are content to have the right to pass laws; where they may collectively decide the most important public affairs on the initiative of their chiefs; where there are respected courts; where the provinces of the country are carefully divided and counties; annually elect the ablest and most upright of the citizens to preside over justice and govern the country.In such a republic, the morality of government officials can prove the wisdom of the people, and the officials and the people can be said to complement each other.Therefore, even when some unfortunate misunderstanding disturbs the harmony of everyone, people can maintain a certain degree of restraint even in their blindness and mistakes, and everyone still respects each other and abides by the law together.This is the sign and guarantee of a sincere and everlasting peace.

Glorious, great, supreme rulers!Such are the virtues to be sought in the country which I have chosen for myself.If God would add to this country one more loveliness, endowing it with a temperate climate, fertile soil, and the most beautiful scenery in the world, then, to satisfy my happiness, I only hope to be in the bosom of this blessed country. , enjoy the benefits of all the above, live peacefully with fellow countrymen in a warm society, and follow their example, treat them with kindness and friendship, and fulfill their moral responsibilities to them, leaving behind a An honorable name for good, upright and moral patriots.

Although, because of my bad luck, or my late understanding of things, I had to spend my life in other countries living a morbid decadence, while regretting in vain the peace and tranquility that my absurd youth had deprived me of. Peaceful, but in my heart there are at least those feelings which are not expressed in my country.Filled with a tender, disinterested zeal for my fellow countrymen far away, I address them from the depths of my heart in the following words: "Dear fellow countrymen, or rather brothers, since blood and law nearly unite us all, what pleases me most is this: I cannot think of you without also thinking of your enjoyment. all the happiness of your life, and I am afraid that none of you can feel the value of happiness more than I, who has lost it. The more I think about the political and social situation in which you live, the more I can't think of the nature of human things. to enable men to have a better condition than this. In all other governments, so far as the question is concerned with securing the greatest happiness of the nation, everything remains in imaginary plans, and at best has some As for you, your happiness is already presented to you, and it is only for you to enjoy it; if you want to be completely happy people, it is enough to be satisfied with your own happiness. You have won it by force. Sovereignty, come or withdrawn, which by courage and wisdom maintained for two centuries, is at last fully and universally recognized. Just treaties define your boundaries; secure your rights; and secure your security. Your constitution is the best, because it is born of high reason and guaranteed by respectable friends. Your country is stable, and you have nothing to fear, whether war or invaders. Except by your You have no masters but wise laws, which you have made yourself, and enforced by upright officers of your own choosing. You have not been so rich that your energies have been consumed by excessive ease, and you Lose your taste for true happiness and good morals by wallowing in idle comforts; nor are you so impoverished that you need foreign aid, besides the supply of your own industry. This precious liberty, Here, you can only maintain it with heavy taxes, and you hardly have to pay any price to maintain this freedom.

"This republic, so well organized and well organized, may it last forever, for the happiness of its citizens, and as an example to other nations! That is the only wish you should have henceforth, that is, The only concern you should have. Henceforth, your own responsibility is not to create happiness, because your ancestors have created it for you, but to make happiness last forever with the kind of wisdom that is good at enjoying happiness. You Your own preservation depends upon your permanent unity, your obedience to the laws, and your respect for those who enforce them. If there is even the slightest root of resentment or suspicion between you, it must be extinguished as soon as possible, and put to justice. Work is a bane that will sooner or later lead to your misfortune and the downfall of your nation. I beseech you all to search the depths of your hearts and listen to the hidden voice of your conscience. Some of you

?Do you know that there are people in the world who are more upright, wiser and more respectable than your rulers?Haven't all the officials set an example for you in terms of self-denial, simplicity, respect for the law, and sincerity?You therefore place, without reservation, the origin and basis of human inequality, the salutary confidence which a reasonable man owes to a virtuous man, to such wise officials.You have to think that these officials were chosen by you, and they themselves can prove that you have chosen well; and the honor that the people you support deserve will surely fall on you.There is not one of you so unintelligent as not to know that where the force of the law and the authority of its guardians are lost, no one can be safe or free.What else is there for you, then, but to do with zeal and confidence what you should always do, according to your real interests and duties, and in the service of justice?I hope that you will never have that indifference which is so criminal and harmful to the upholding of the Constitution, that it will lead you, when necessary, to overlook the wisdom of the wisest and most zealous among you.But I hope that justice, self-denial, and the most admirable fortitude of will will continue to govern all your actions, and that you will continue in yourselves to manifest to the world a heroic and humble love of honor as much as of liberty. national role model.Be especially careful: Never listen to those twisted and malicious statements with ulterior motives, because the hidden motives of these distortions and statements are often more sinister than the actions governed by such motives. This is my last advice.A vigilant and loyal watch dog only barks urgently when the robbers approach, so that the whole family wakes up and is on guard; but people hate those barking dogs that constantly disturb the public peace. A well-timed alarm will cause people to stop listening when necessary. " You, glorious and great rulers, noble and honorable officials of the free people, allow me to offer you my homage and my allegiance wholeheartedly.If there is a position in the world which glorifies those who stand in it, it is undoubtedly the result of talent and virtue, and you are so well deserved that your citizens have elected you to that position .Their own merits adorn yours; and, as you were elected to lead yourselves by men who could lead others, I hold you above other officials, as a free people, especially if you are very This free people, who have the honor to lead, are above the common people of all other nations in wisdom and reason. Permit me to cite an instance which has made the best impression on me and which has always been in my mind.I feel the sweetest emotion when I think of the voice and face of the virtuous citizen who gave my life.He used to teach me in my childhood that I should respect you.I still seem to see him, sustaining himself by his hands, nourishing his soul with the highest truths.I still see this shadow before my eyes: the works of Tacilon, Pludarch, and Grotius and the various equipment of the citizen's profession are mixed before him.I also seem to see his dear son receiving a good education from the kindest father by his side, but unfortunately this son has not gained much from his father's education①.But though my absurd youth was led astray, and I forgot for a time such a wise lesson, I was fortunate enough to come to realize that, however inclined a man may be to evil, a loving heart gives him A good education will not always be ineffective for him. Glorious and great rulers, citizens born in the countries you lead, and even ordinary residents are like this.They were learned and sensible people, who in other countries are called workers and commoners, and have always had a very contemptuous and very wrong idea of ​​them.I readily admit that my father was not a prominent figure among the citizens of the country, he was just average.But, with a man like him, people like to approach him and make friends with him wherever he is, and even the most noble people will benefit from his association.That's not what I should say, and at the same time, by the grace of God, I don't need to tell you how much respect people of his qualities deserve from you.They are equal to you in education, in natural rights, and in rights by birth; only by their will, and by what is due and expressed to your merits. They are inferior to you because of their respect and love; however, if they respect and love you so much, you will of course have a feeling of gratitude towards them.I am glad to know: with what humility and kindness you treat them, you soften the sternness due to the enforcers of the law; with what attention and care you return to them for the obedience and respect they owe you. .This very just and wise conduct of yours is sufficient to gradually forget those unfortunate events which should be forgotten and should never recur; and because your conduct is so justified, this just and generous people can do their duty. For pleasure, it is natural to delight in respecting you, and he who is most zealous in defending his rights is the one who respects yours most. It is not surprising that the chiefs of a civilized society love the honor and happiness of society, but those who see themselves as officials of a holier and nobler Fatherland, or rather, as People who are the masters of their motherland also express a certain love for their motherland on earth, which is an extraordinary thing for the tranquility of human souls①.But it is my pleasure to be able to point out a rare exception in our favor, and to be able to include among the ardent trustees of the sacred doctrines sanctioned by law, those venerable priests of human souls, among our best citizens. not only can they bring the maxims of the Gospel to hearts with their vivid and refined eloquence, but they themselves are always the first to obey them by example!Everyone knows how successfully the great art of preaching was studied in Geneva.But because people have long been used to seeing inconsistencies between words and deeds, few people know how much Christianity, holiness of character, and good manners of self-imposed strictness and magnanimity are generally found among all our clergy.Geneva is perhaps the only city which has set such an example of such a solidarity between religious communities and men of letters; Enthusiasm for the prosperity of the motherland.I say it with a mixture of wonder and admiration: how they abhor the terrible creeds of those apparently religious, but in fact so cruel people, so frequent in history, who often use the pretext of defending the so-called God's right, in fact, is to safeguard their own interests, hoping that their blood will always be respected, and they will not spare the blood of human beings. How can I forget the precious women who make up half the population of the republic?It is they who give happiness to men, and it is their tenderness and wisdom that keep the peace and good customs of the republic.Lovely and virtuous female compatriots, your female destiny will always dominate our male destiny.How fortunate we are when you exercise that pure authority which is your own in your family only for the honor of your country and the common happiness!As in Sparta women were privileged; so you are entitled to privilege in Geneva.What rough man can resist the voice of virtue and reason from a tender wife?Who does not despise idle luxury when he sees your simple and modest adornment, which seems to be the most conducive to beauty, from the brilliance it derives from your own presence?It is your duty to keep, by your amiable, pure power, and inducing intelligence, the love of the laws of the land and the harmony among your fellow-men; Reconciliation; and above all, by your agreeable and gentle teachings, and your modest and graceful discourse, to correct the vices our youth may have picked up in other lands.In those countries they did not learn many useful things from which they could profit; from them they brought back only a kind of The admiration for the so-called glory and wealth, in fact, this kind of glory and wealth is just a trivial compensation for slavery, and it is never commensurate with the lofty freedom.Therefore, I hope that you will always be the same as you are now, a faithful guardian of good customs and a good bond of peace for mankind; for the sake of national duties and morals, continue to exercise your rights based on conscience and nature. I am proud that my hopes for the common happiness of the citizens and the honor of the republic have not been contradicted by the fact that I have placed my hope in these assurances.I do not think that a republic, notwithstanding these advantages, emits that brilliance which dazzles the eyes of most men; it is useless and unfortunate to be fond of such brilliance, which is the deadly enemy of happiness and liberty.Let frivolous youth seek boundless pleasure and long-term regret elsewhere!Let the so-called noble tastes go elsewhere to marvel at grand mansions, fine carriages, noble furnishings, pomp and pomp, and all the luxuries and luxuries!There are only ordinary people in Geneva, but the fact of seeing these ordinary people is of great value in itself; people who are eager to see the citizens of Geneva are nothing compared with those who envy everything else. inferior. Glorious, great and supreme rulers, I place great concern for your common happiness, and I hope that you will all accept my most respectful gesture.If, unfortunately, I have been presumptuous in my overexcited manner, I beg you to forgive me for my fault, and to forgive me for the true sentiments of a patriot and the loyalty due to a zealous man, for I have seen nothing but You are all happy and therefore happy, and do not imagine any greater happiness for yourself. Glorious, great and supreme rulers, I would like to express my highest respect to you! Your most humble and obedient servant and fellow citizen, Jean Jacques Rousseau. Chambery, June 12, 1754.