4.3. 3. Of Education in a Despotic Government.
As education in monarchies tends to raise and ennoble the mind, in
despotic governments its only aim is to debase it. Here it must
necessarily be servile; even in power such an education will be an
advantage, because every tyrant is at the same time a slave.
Excessive obedience supposes ignorance in the person that obeys: the
same it supposes in him that commands, for he has no occasion to
deliberate, to doubt, to reason; he has only to will.
In despotic states, each house is a separate government. As
education, therefore, consists chieflv in social converse, it must be
here very much limited; all it does is to strike the heart with fear,
and to imprint on the understanding a very simple notion of a few
principles of religion. Learning here proves dangerous, emulation fatal;
and as to virtue, Aristotle
[3]
cannot think that there is any one virtue belonging to slaves; if so, education
in despotic countries is confined within a very narrow compass.
Here, therefore, education is in some measure needless: to give
something, one must take away everything, and begin with making a bad
subject in order to make a good slave.
For why should education take pains in forming a good citizen, only
to make him share in the public misery? If he loves his country, he will
strive to relax the springs of government; if he miscarries he will be
undone; if he succeeds, he must expose himself, the prince, and his
country to ruin.
Footnotes
