3. Why certain modern Democratic Governments are
gradually being transformed into Governments by Administrative
Castes.
Anarchy and the social conflicts resulting from democratic
ideas are to-day impelling some Governments towards an unforeseen
course of evolution which will end by leaving them only a nominal
power. This development, of which I shall briefly denote the
effects, is effected spontaneously under the stress of those
imperious necessities which are still the chief controlling power
of events.
The Governments of democratic countries to-day consist of
the representatives elected by universal suffrage. They vote
laws, and appoint and dismiss ministers chosen from themselves,
and provisionally entrusted with the executive power. These
ministers are naturally often replaced, since a vote will do it.
Those who follow them, belonging to a different party, will
govern according to different principles.
It might at first seem that a country thus pulled to and
fro by various influences could have no continuity or stability.
But in spite of all these conditions of instability a democratic
Government like that of France works with fair regularity. How
explain such a phenomenon?
Its interpretation, which is very simple, results from the
fact that the ministers who have the appearance of governing
really govern the country only to a very limited extent.
Strictly limited and circumscribed, their power is exercised
principally in speeches which are hardly noticed and in a few
inorganic measures.
But behind the superficial authority of ministers, without
force or duration, the playthings of every demand of the
politician, an anonymous power is secretly at work whose might is
continually increasing the administrations. Possessing
traditions, a hierarchy, and continuity, they are a power against
which, as the ministers quickly realise, they are incapable of
struggling.14 Responsibility is so divided in
the administrative machine that a minister may never find himself
opposed by any person of importance. His momentary impulses are
checked by a network of regulations, customs, and decrees, which
are continually quoted to him, and which he knows so little that
he dare not infringe them.
This diminution of the power of democratic Governments
can only develop. One of the most constant laws of history is
that of which I have already spoken: Immediately any one class
becomes preponderant—nobles, clergy, army, or the people—it
speedily tends to enslave others. Such were the Roman armies,
which finally appointed and overthrew the emperors; such were the
clergy, against whom the kings of old could hardly struggle; such
were the States General, which at the moment of Revolution
speedily absorbed all the powers of government, and supplanted
the monarchy.
The caste of functionaries is destined to furnish a fresh
proof of the truth of this law. Preponderant already, they are
beginning to speak loudly, to make threats, and even to indulge
in strikes, such as that of the postmen, which was quickly
followed by that of the Government railway employees. The
administrative power thus forms a little State within the State,
and if its present rate of revolution continues it will soon
constitute the only power in the State. Under a Socialist
Government there would be no other power. All our revolutions
would then have resulted in stripping the king of his powers and
his throne in order to bestow them upon the irresponsible,
anonymous and despotic class of Government clerks.
To foresee the issue of all the conflicts which threaten
to cloud the future is impossible. We must steer clear of
pessimism as of optimism; all we can say is that necessity will
always finally bring things to an equilibrium. The world pursues
its way without bothering itself with our speeches, and sooner or
later we manage to adapt ourselves to the variations of our
environment. The difficulty is to do so without too
much friction, and above all to resist the chimerical conceptions
of dreamers. Always powerless to re-organise the world, they
have often contrived to upset it.
Athens, Rome, Florence, and many other cities which
formerly shone in history, were victims of these terrible
theorists. The results of their influence has always been the
same—anarchy, dictatorship, and decadence.
But such lessons will not affect the numerous Catilines of
the present day. They do not yet see that the movements
unchained by their ambitions threaten to submerge them. All
these Utopians have awakened impossible hopes in the mind of the
crowd, excited their appetites, and sapped the dykes which have
been slowly erected during the centuries to restrain them.
The struggle of the blind multitudes against the elect is
one of the continuous facts of history, and the triumph of
popular sovereignties without counterpoise has already marked the
end of more than one civilisation. The elect create, the plebs
destroys. As soon as the first lose their hold the latter begins
its precious work.
The great civilisations have only prospered by dominating
their lower elements. It is not only in Greece that anarchy,
dictatorship, invasion, and, finally, the loss of independence
has resulted from the despotism of a democracy. Individual
tyranny is always born of collective tyranny. It ended the first
cycle of the greatness of Rome; the Barbarians achieved the
second.
