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local administrations； which is done by the Legislative
Assembly。＇81＇ Henceforth the nonjuring ecclesiastics are deprived
of their sustenance； they are declared 〃 suspected of revolt against
the law and of evil intentions against the country。〃 … Thus； says a
contemporary Protestant； 〃on the strength of these suspicions and
these intentions； a Directory； to which the law interdicts judicial
functions； may arbitrarily drive out of his house the minister of a
God of peace and charity； grown gray in the shadow of the altar〃
Thus； 〃everywhere； where disturbances occur on account of religious
opinions； and whether these troubles are due to the frantic
scourgers of the virtuous sisters of charity or to the ruffians
armed with cow…hides who； at N？mes and Montpellier； outrage all the
laws of decorum and of liberty for six whole months； the non…juring
priests are to be punished with banishment。 Torn from their
families whose means of living they share； they are sent away to
wander on the highways； abandoned to public pity or ferocity the
moment any scoundrel chooses to excite a disturbance that he can
impute to them。〃 … Thus we see approaching the revolt of the
peasantry； the insurrections of N？mes； Franche…Comté； la Vendée and
Brittany； emigration； transportation； imprisonment； the guillotine
or drowning for two thirds of the clergy of France； and likewise for
myriads of the loyal； for husbandmen； artisans； day…laborers；
seamstresses； and servants； and the humblest among the lower class
of the people。 This is what the laws of the Constituent Assembly
are leading to。 In the institution of the clergy； as in that of
the nobles and the King； it demolished a solid wall in order to dig
through it an open door； and it is nothing strange if the whole
structure tumbles down on the heads of its inmates。 The true course
was to respect； to reform； to utilize rank and corporations： all
that the Assembly thought of was the abolition of these in the name
of abstract equality and of national sovereignty。 In order to
abolish these it executed； tolerated； or initiated all the attacks
on persons and on property。 Those it is about to commit are the
inevitable result of those which it has already committed； for；
through its Constitution； bad is changed to worse； and the social
edifice； already half in ruins through the clumsy havoc that is
effected in it； will fall in completely under the weight of the
incongruous or extravagant constructions which it proceeds to
extemporize。
___________________________________________________________________
Notes：
＇1＇ Cf。 〃The Ancient Régime；〃 books I。 and V。
＇2＇ Perhaps we are here at the core of why all regimes end up
becoming corrupt； inefficient and sick； their leaders take their
privileges for granted and become more and more inattentive to the
work which must be done if the people are to be kept at work and
possible adversaries kept under control。 （SR。）
＇3＇ A special tax paid the king by a plebeian owning a fief。 （TR）
＇4＇ The right to an income from trust funds。 （SR。）
＇5＇ Arthur Young； I。 209； 223。 〃If the communes steadily refuse
what is now offered to them； they put immense and certain benefits
to the chance of fortune； to that hazard which may make posterity
curse instead of bless their memories as real patriots who had
nothing in view but the happiness of their country。
＇6＇ According to valuations by the Constituent Assembly； the tax on
real estate ought to bring 240；000；000 francs； and provide one…fifth
of the net revenue of France； estimated at 1；200；000；000。
Additionally； the personal tax on movable property； which replaced
the capitation； ought to bring 60；000；000。 Total for direct
taxation； 300；000；000； or one…fourth that is to say； twenty…five
per cent； of the net revenue。 If the direct taxation had been
maintained up to the rate of the ancient régime （190；000；000；
according to Necker's report in May； 1689）； this impost would only
have provided one…sixth of the net revenue； or sixteen percent。
＇7＇ Dumont； 267。 （The words of Mirabeau three months before his
death：） 〃Ah； my friend； how right we were at the start when we
wanted to prevent the commons from declaring themselves the National
Assembly！ That was the source of the evil。 They wanted to rule the
King； instead of ruling through him。〃
＇8＇ Gouverneur Morris； April 29； 1789 （on the principles of the
future constitution）； 〃One generation at least will be required to
render the public familiar with them。〃
＇9＇ Cf。 〃The Ancient Régime；〃 book II； ch。 III。
＇10＇ French women did not obtain the right to vote until 1946。 （SR。）
＇11＇ According to Voltaire （〃L'Homme aux Quarante écus〃）； the
average duration of human life was only twenty…three years。
＇12＇ Mercure； July 6； 1790。 According to the report of Camus
（sitting of July 2nd）； the official total of pensions amounted to
thirty…two millions； but if we add the gratuities and allowances out
of the various treasuries； the actual total was fifty…six millions。
＇13＇ I note that today in 1998； 100 years after Taine's death；
Denmark； my country； has had total democracy； that is universal
suffrage for women and men of 18 years of age for a considerable
time； and a witty author has noted that the first rule of our
unwritten constitution is that 〃thou shalt not think that thou art
important〃。 I have noted； however； that when a Dane praises Denmark
and the Danes even in the most excessive manner； then he is not
considered as a chauvinist but admired as being a man of truth。 In
spite of the process of 'democratization' even socialist chieftains
seem to favor and protect their own children； send them to good
private schools and later abroad to study and help them to find
favorable employment in the party or with the public services。 A
new élite is thus continuously created by the ruling political and
administrative upper class。 （SR。）。
＇14＇ The Ancient Régime；〃 p。388； and the following pages。…〃 Le Duc de
Broglie；〃 by M。 Goizot； p。 11。 （Last words of Prince Victor de
Broglie； and the opinions of M。 d'Argenson。）
＇15＇ De Ferrières； I。 p。2。
＇16＇ Moniteur； sitting of September 7； 1790； I。 431…437。 Speeches；
of MM。 de Sillery； de Lanjuinais； Thouret； de Lameth； and Rabaut…
Saint…Etienne。 Barnave wrote in 1791： 〃It was necessary to be
content with one single chamber； the instinct of equality required
it。 A second Chamber would have been the refuge of the
aristocrats。〃
＇17＇ Lenin should later create an elite； an aristocracy which； under
his leadership was to become the Communist party。 Lenin could not
have imagined or at least would not have been concerned that the
leadership of this party would fall into the hands of tyrants later；
under the pressure of age and corruption； to be replaced by the KGB
and later the FSB。 （SR。）
＇18＇ 〃De Bouillé；〃 p。 50： 〃All the old noble families； save tw