1. Mentality of the Men of the Revolution. The
respective Influence of Violent and Feeble Characters.
MEN judge with their intelligence, and are guided by their
characters. To understand a man fully one must separate these
two elements.
During the great periods of activity—and the
revolutionary movements naturally belong to such periods—
character always takes the first rank.
Having in several chapters described the various
mentalities which predominate in times of disturbance, we need
not return to the subject now. They constitute general types
which are naturally modified by each man's inherited and acquired
personality.
We have seen what an important part was played by the
mystic element in the Jacobin mentality, and the ferocious
fanaticism to which it led the sectaries of the new faith.
We have also seen that all the members of the Assemblies
were not fanatics. These latter were even in the minority, since
in the most sanguinary of the revolutionary assemblies the great
majority was composed of timid and moderate men of neutral
character. Before Thermidor the members of this
group voted from fear with the violent and after Thermidor with
the moderate deputies.
In time of revolution, as at other times, these neutral
characters, obeying the most contrary impulses, are always the
most numerous. They are also as dangerous in reality as the
violent characters. The force of the latter is supported by the
weakness of the former.
In all revolutions, and in particularly in the French
Revolution, we observe a small minority of narrow but decided
minds which imperiously dominate an immense majority of men who
are often very intelligent but are lacking in character
Besides the fanatical apostles and the feeble characters,
a revolution always produces individuals who merely think how to
profit thereby. These were numerous during the French
Revolution. Their aim was simply to utilise circumstances so as
to enrich themselves. Such were Barras, Tallien, Fouché,
Barrère, and many more. Their politics consisted simply
in serving the strong against the weak.
From the outset of the Revolution these
“arrivists,” as one would call them to-day, were
numerous. Camille Desmoulins wrote in 1792: “Our Revolution
has its roots only in the egotism and self-love of each
individual, of the combination of which the general interest is
composed.”
If we add to these indications the observations contained
in another chapter concerning the various forms of mentality to
be observed in times of political upheaval, we shall obtain a
general idea of the character of the men of the Revolution. We
shall now apply the principles already expounded to the
most remarkable personages of the revolutionary period.
