David Widger, June 21 2008



[ THE ANCIENT REGIME ]
[ INTRODUCTION ]
[ PREFACE: ]
[ PREFACE BY THE AUTHOR: ON POLITICAL IGNORANCE AND WISDOM. ]
[ BOOK FIRST. THE STRUCTURE OF THE ANCIENT SOCIETY. ]
[ CHAPTER I. THE ORIGIN OF PRIVILEGES. ]
[ I. Services and Recompenses of the Clergy. ]
[ II. Services and Recompenses of the Nobles. ]
[ III. Services and Recompenses of the King. ]
[ CHAPTER II. THE PRIVILEGED CLASSES. ]
[ I. Number of the Privileged Classes. ]
[ II. Their Possessions, Capital, and Revenue. ]
[ III. Their Immunities. ]
[ IV. Their Feudal Rights. ]
[ V. They may be justified by local and general services. ]

[ CHAPTER III. LOCAL SERVICES DUE BY THE PRIVILEGED CLASSES. ]
[ I. Examples in Germany and England. ]
[ II. Resident Seigniors. ]
[ III. Absentee Seigniors. ]
[ CHAPTER IV. PUBLIC SERVICES DUE BY THE PRIVILEGED CLASSES. ]
[ I. England compared to France. ]
[ II. The Clergy ]
[ III. Influence of the Nobles.. ]
[ IV. Isolation of the Chiefs ]
[ V. The King's Incompetence and Generosity. ]
[ VI. Latent Disorganization in France. ]
[ BOOK SECOND. MORALS AND CHARACTERS. ]
[ CHAPTER I. MORAL PRINCIPLES UNDER THE ANCIENT REGIME. ]
[ The Court and a life of pomp and parade. ]
[ I. Versailles. ]
[ The Physical aspect and the moral character of Versailles. ]
[ II. The King's Household. ]
[ III. The King's Associates. ]
[ IV. Everyday Life In Court. ]
[ V. Royal Distractions. ]
[ VI. Upper Class Distractions. ]
[ VII. Provincial Nobility. ]
[ CHAPTER II. DRAWING ROOM LIFE. ]
[ I. Perfect only in France ]
[ II. Social Life Has Priority. ]
[ III. Universal Pleasure Seeking. ]
[ IV. Enjoyment. ]
[ V. Happiness. ]
[ VI. Gaiety. ]
[ VII. Theater, Parade And Extravagance. ]
[ CHAPTER III. DISADVANTAGES OF THIS DRAWING ROOM LIFE. ]
[ I. Its Barrenness and Artificiality ]
[ II. Return To Nature And Sentiment. ]
[ III. Personality Defects. ]
[ BOOK THIRD. THE SPIRIT AND THE DOCTRINE. ]
[ CHAPTER I. SCIENTIFIC ACQUISITION. ]
[ I. Scientific Progress. ]
[ II. Science Detached From Theology. ]
[ III. The Transformation Of History. ]
[ IV. The New Psychology. ]
[ V. The Analytical Method. ]
[ CHAPTER II. THE CLASSIC SPIRIT, THE SECOND ELEMENT. ]
[ I. Through Colored Glasses. ]
[ II. Its Original Deficiency. ]
[ III. The Mathematical Method. ]
[ CHAPTER III. COMBINATION OF THE TWO ELEMENTS. ]
[ I. Birth Of A Doctrine, A Revelation. ]
[ II. Ancestral Tradition And Culture. ]
[ III. Reason At War With Illusion. ]
[ IV. Casting Out The Residue Of Truth And Justice. ]
[ V. The Dream Of A Return To Nature. ]
[ VI. The Abolition Of Society. Rousseau. ]
[ VII: The Lost Children. ]
[ CHAPTER IV. ORGANIZING THE FUTURE SOCIETY. ]
[ I. Liberty, Equality And Sovereignty Of The People. ]
[ II. Naive Convictions ]
[ III. Our True Human Nature. ]
[ IV. Birth Of Socialist Theory, Its Two Sides. ]
[ V. Social Contract, Summary. ]
[ BOOK FOURTH. THE PROPAGATION OF THE DOCTRINE. ]
[ CHAPTER I.—SUCCESS OF THIS PHILOSOPHY IN FRANCE. ]
[ I. The Propagating Organ, Eloquence. ]
[ II. Its Method. ]
[ III. Its Popularity. ]
[ IV. The Masters. ]
[ CHAPTER II. THE FRENCH PUBLIC. ]
[ I. The Nobility. ]
[ II. Conditions In France. ]
[ III. French Indolence. ]
[ IV. Unbelief. ]
[ V. Political Opposition. ]
[ VI. Well-Meaning Government. ]
[ CHAPTER III. THE MIDDLE CLASS. ]
[ I. The Past. ]
[ II. CHANGE IN THE CONDITION OF THE BOURGEOIS. ]
[ III. Social Promotion. ]
[ IV. Rousseau's Philosophy Spreads And Takes HOLD. ]
[ V. Revolutionary Passions. ]
[ VI. Summary ]
[ BOOK FIFTH. THE PEOPLE ]
[ CHAPTER I. HARDSHIPS. ]
[ I. Privations. ]
[ II. The Peasants. ]
[ III. The Countryside. ]
[ IV. The Peasant Becomes Landowner. ]
[ CHAPTER II. TAXATION THE PRINCIPAL CAUSE OF MISERY. ]
[ I. Extortion. ]
[ II. Local Conditions. ]
[ III. The Common Laborer. ]
[ IV. Collections And Seizures.—Observe the system actually at work. ]
[ V. Indirect Taxes. ]
[ VI. Burdens And Exemptions. ]
[ VII. Municipal Taxation. ]
[ VIII. Complaints In The Registers. ]
[ CHAPTER III. INTELLECTUAL STATE OF THE PEOPLE. ]
[ I. Intellectual incapacity ]
[ II. Political incapacity ]
[ III. Destructive impulses ]
[ IV. Insurrectionary leaders and recruits ]
[ CHAPTER IV. THE ARMED FORCES. ]
[ I. Military force declines ]
[ II. The social organization is dissolved ]
[ III. Direction of the current ]
[ CHAPTER V. SUMMARY. ]
[ I. Suicide of the Ancient Regime. ]
[ II. Aspirations for the 'Great Revolution.' ]
[ END OF VOLUME ]



[ THE FRENCH REVOLUTION, VOLUME 1. ]

[ PREFACE ]
[ BOOK FIRST. SPONTANEOUS ANARCHY. ]
[ CHAPTER I. THE BEGINNINGS OF ANARCHY. ]
[ I. Dearth the first cause. ]
[ II. Expectations the second cause ]
[ III. The provinces during the first six months of 1789 ]
[ IV. Intervention of ruffians and vagabonds. ]
[ V. Effect on the Population of the New Ideas. ]
[ VI. The first jacquerie in Province ]
[ CHAPTER II. PARIS UP TO THE 14TH OF JULY. ]
[ I. Mob recruits in the vicinity ]
[ II. The Press. ]
[ III. The Réveillon affair. ]
[ IV. The Palais-Royal. ]
[ V. Popular mobs become a political force. ]
[ VI. July 13th and 14th 1789. ]
[ VII. Murders of Foulon and Berthier. ]
[ VIII. Paris in the hands of the people. ]
[ CHAPTER III. ]
[ I. Anarchy from July 14th to October 6th, 1789 ]
[ II. The provinces ]
[ III. Public feeling. Famine ]
[ IV. Panic. ]
[ V. Attacks on public individuals and public property. ]
[ VI. Taxes are no longer paid. ]
[ VII. Attack upon private individuals and private property. ]
[ CHAPTER IV. PARIS. ]
[ I. Paris. ]
[ II. The distress of the people. ]
[ III. The new popular leaders. ]
[ IV. Intervention by the popular leaders with the Government. ]
[ V. The 5th and 6th of October. ]
[ VI. The Government and the nation in the hands of the revolutionary party. ]
[ BOOK SECOND. THE CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY, AND THE RESULT OF ITS LABORS. ]
[ CHAPTER I. CONDITIONS REQUIRED FOR THE FRAMING OF GOOD LAWS. ]
[ I. These conditions absent in the Assembly ]
[ II. Inadequacy of its information. ]
[ III. The Power Of Simple, General Ideas. ]
[ IV. Refusal to supply the ministry ]
[ CHAPTER II. DESTRUCTION. ]
[ I. Two principal vices of the ancient régime. ]
[ II Nature of societies, and the principle of enduring constitutions. ]
[ III. The estates of a society. ]
[ IV. Abuse and lukewarmness in 1789 in the ecclesiastical bodies. ]
[ CHAPTER III. THE CONSTRUCTIONS THE CONSTITUTION OF 1791. ]
[ I. Powers of the Central Government. ]
[ II. The Creation Of Popular Democracy. ]
[ III. Municipal Kingdoms. ]
[ IV. On Universal Suffrage. ]
[ V. The Ruling Minority. ]
[ VI. Summary of the work of the Constituent Assembly. ]
[ BOOK THIRD. THE APPLICATION OF THE CONSTITUTION. ]
[ CHAPTER I. ]
[ I. The Federations. ]
[ II. Independence of the municipalities. ]
[ III. Independent Assemblies. ]
[ CHAPTER II. SOVEREIGNTY OF UNRESTRAINED PASSIONS. ]
[ I. Old Religious Grudges ]
[ II. Passion Supreme. ]
[ III. Egotism of the tax-payer. ]
[ IV. Cupidity of tenants. ]
[ CHAPTER III. DEVELOPMENT OF THE RULING PASSION ]
[ I. Attitude of the nobles. Their moderate resistance. ]
[ II. Workings of the popular imagination with respect to them. ]
[ III. Domiciliary visits. ]
[ IV. The nobles obliged to leave the rural districts. ]
[ V. Persecutions in private life. ]
[ VI. Conduct of officers. ]
[ VI. Conduct of the officers. ]
[ VII. Emigration and its causes. ]
[ VIII. Attitude of the non-juring priests. ]
[ IX. General state of opinion. ]






[ THE FRENCH REVOLUTION, VOLUME 2. ]

[ PREFACE: ]
[ BOOK FIRST. THE JACOBINS. ]
[ CHAPTER I. THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE NEW POLITICAL ORGAN. ]
[ I. Principle of the revolutionary party. ]
[ II. The Jacobins. ]
[ III. Psychology of the Jacobin. ]
[ IV. What the theory promises. ]
[ CHAPTER II. THE JACOBINS ]
[ I. Formation of the party. ]
[ II. Spontaneous associations after July 14, 1789. ]
[ III. How they view the liberty of the press. ]
[ IV. Their rallying-points. ]
[ V. Small number of Jacobins. ]
[ BOOK SECOND. THE FIRST STAGE OF THE CONQUEST. ]
[ CHAPTER I. THE JACOBINS COME INTO IN POWER. ]
[ I. Their siege operations. ]
[ II. Annoyances and dangers of public elections. ]
[ III. The friends of order deprived of the right of free assemblage. ]
[ V. Intimidation and withdrawal of the Conservatives. ]
[ CHAPTER II. THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY ]
[ I. Composition of the Legislative Assembly. ]
[ II. Degree and quality of their intelligence and Culture. ]
[ III. Aspects of their sessions. ]
[ IV. The Parties. ]
[ V. Their means of action. ]
[ VI. Parliamentary maneuvers. ]
[ CHAPTER III. POLICY OF THE ASSEMBLY ]
[ I. Policy of the Assembly. State of France at the end of 1791. ]
[ II. The Assembly hostile to the oppressed and favoring oppressors. ]
[ III. War. ]
[ IV. Secret motives of the leaders. ]
[ V. Effects of the war on the common people. ]
[ CHAPTER IV. THE DEPARTMENTS. ]
[ I. Provence in 1792. Early supremacy of the Jacobins in Marseilles. ]
[ II. The expedition to Aix. ]
[ III. The Constitutionalists of Arles. ]
[ IV. The Jacobins of Avignon. ]
[ V. The other departments. ]
[ CHAPTER V. PARIS. ]
[ I. Pressure of the Assembly on the King. ]
[ II. The floating and poor population of Paris. ]
[ III. Its leaders. Their committee. Methods for arousing the crowd. ]
[ IV. The 20th of June. ]
[ CHAPTER VI. THE BIRTH OF THE TERRIBLE PARIS COMMUNE. ]
[ I. Indignation of the Constitutionalists. ]
[ II. Pressure on the King. ]
[ III. The Girondins have worked for the benefit of the Jacobins. ]
[ IV. Vain attempts of the Girondins to put it down. ]
[ V. Evening of August 8. ]
[ VI. Nights of August 9 and 10. ]
[ VII. August 10. ]
[ VIII. State of Paris in the Interregnum. ]
[ BOOK THIRD. THE SECOND STAGE OF THE CONQUEST. ]
[ CHAPTER I. TERROR ]
[ I. Government by gangs in times of anarchy. ]
[ II. The development of the ideas of killings in the mass of the party. ]
[ III. Terror is their Salvation. ]
[ IV. Date of the determination of this. The actors and their parts. ]
[ V. Abasement and Stupor. ]
[ VI. Jacobin Massacre. ]
[ CHAPTER II. THE DEPARTMENTS. ]
[ I. The Sovereignty of the People. ]
[ II. In several departments it establishes itself in advance. ]
[ III. Each Jacobin band a dictator in its own neighborhood. ]
[ IV. Ordinary practices of the Jacobin dictatorship. ]
[ V. The companies of traveling volunteers. ]
[ VI. A tour of France in the cabinet of the Minister of the Interior. ]
[ CHAPTER III. SECOND STAGE OF THE JACOBIN CONQUEST ]
[ I. The second stage of the Jacobin conquest. ]
[ II. The elections. ]
[ III. Composition and tone of the secondary assemblies. ]
[ IV. Composition of the National Convention. ]
[ V. The Jacobins forming alone the Sovereign People. ]
[ VI. Composition of the party. ]
[ VII. The Jacobin Chieftains. ]
[ CHAPTER IV. PRECARIOUS SITUATION OF THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT. ]
[ I. Jacobin advantages. ]
[ II. Its parliamentary recruits. ]
[ III. Physical fear and moral cowardice. ]
[ IV. Jacobin victory over Girondin majority. ]
[ V. Jacobin violence against the people. ]
[ VI. Jacobin tactics. ]
[ VII. The central Jacobin committee in power. ]
[ VIII. Right or Wrong, my Country. ]




[ THE FRENCH REVOLUTION, VOLUME 3. ]

[ PREFACE. ]
[ BOOK FIRST. THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE REVOLUTIONARY GOVERNMENT. ]
[ CHAPTER I. JACOBIN GOVERNMENT ]
[ I. The despotic creed and instincts of the Jacobin. ]
[ II. Jacobin Dissimulation. ]
[ III. Primary Assemblies ]
[ IV. The Delegates reach Paris ]
[ V. Fête of August 10th ]
[ VI. The Mountain. ]
[ VII. Extent and Manifesto of the departmental insurrection. ]
[ VIII. The Reasons for the Terror. ]
[ IX. Destruction of Rebel Cities ]
[ X. Destruction of the Girondin party ]
[ XI. Institutions of the Revolutionary Government ]
[ BOOK SECOND. THE JACOBIN PROGRAM. ]
[ CHAPTER I. THE JACOBIN PARTY ]
[ I. The Doctrine. ]
[ II. A Communist State. ]
[ III. The object of the State is the regeneration of man. ]
[ IV. Two distortions of the natural man. ]
[ V. Equality and Inequality. ]
[ VI. Conditions requisite for making a citizen. ]
[ VII. Socialist projects. ]
[ VIII. Indoctrination of mind and intellect. ]
[ CHAPTER II. REACTIONARY CONCEPT OF THE STATE. ]
[ I. Reactionary concept of the State. ]
[ II. Changed minds. ]
[ III. Origin and nature of the modern State. ]
[ IV. The state is tempted to encroach. ]
[ V. Direct common interest. ]
[ VI. Indirect common interest. ]
[ VII. Fabrication of social instruments. ]
[ VIII. Comparison between despotisms. ]
[ BOOK THIRD. THE MEN IN POWER. ]
[ CHAPTER I. PSYCHOLOGY OF THE JACOBIN LEADERS. ]
[ I. Marat. ]
[ II. Danton. ]
[ III. Robespierre. ]
[ CHAPTER II. THE RULERS OF THE COUNTRY. ]
[ I. The Convention. ]
[ II. Its participation in crime. ]
[ III. The Committee of Public Safety. ]
[ IV. The Statesmen. ]
[ V. Official Jacobin organs. ]
[ VI. Commissars of the Revolution. ]
[ VII. Brutal Instincts. ]
[ IX. Vice. ]
[ CHAPTER III. THE RULERS. (continued). ]
[ I. The Central Government Administration. ]
[ II. Subaltern Jacobins. ]
[ III. A Revolutionary Committee. ]
[ IV. Provincial Administration. ]
[ V. Jacobins sent to the Provinces. ]
[ VI. Quality of staff thus formed. ]
[ VII. The Armed Forces. ]
[ BOOK FOURTH. THE GOVERNED. ]
[ CHAPTER I. THE OPPRESSED. ]
[ I. Revolutionary Destruction. ]
[ II. The Value of Notables in Society. ]
[ III. The three classes of Notables. ]
[ IV. The Clergy. ]
[ V. The Bourgeoisie. ]
[ VI. The Demi-notables. ]
[ VII. Principle of socialist Equality. ]
[ VIII. Rigor against the Upper Classes. ]
[ IX. The Jacobin Citizen Robot. ]
[ X. The Governors and the Governed. ]
[ CHAPTER II. FOOD AND PROVISIONS. ]
[ I. Economical Complexity of Food Chain. ]
[ II. Conditions in 1793. A Lesson in Market Economics. ]
[ III. Privation. ]
[ IV. Hunger. ]
[ V. Revolutionary Remedies. ]
[ VI. Relaxation. ]
[ VII. Misery at Paris. ]
[ BOOK FIFTH. THE END OF THE REVOLUTIONARY GOVERNMENT. ]
[ CHAPTER I. THE CONVENTION. ]
[ I. The Convention. ]
[ II. Re-election of the Two-thirds. ]
[ III. A Directory of Regicides. ]
[ IV. Public Opinon. ]
[ VI. The Directory. ]
[ VII. Enforcement of Pure Jacobinism. ]
[ VIII. Propaganda and Foreign Conquests. ]
[ IX. National Disgust. ]
[ X. Contrast between Civil and Military France. ]




[ THE MODERN REGIME, VOLUME 1 [NAPOLEON] ]

[ PREFACE ]
[ BOOK FIRST. NAPOLEON BONAPARTE. ]
[ CHAPTER I. HISTORICAL IMPORTANCE OF HIS CHARACTER AND GENIUS. ]
[ I. Napoleon's Past and Personality. ]
[ II. The Leader and Statesman ]
[ III. His acute Understanding of Others. ]
[ IV. His Wonderful Memory. ]
[ V. His Imagination and its Excesses. ]
[ CHAPTER II. HIS IDEAS, PASSIONS AND INTELLIGENCE. ]
[ I. Intense Passions. ]
[ II. Will and Egoism. ]
[ III. Napoleon's Dominant Passion: Power. ]
[ IV. His Bad Manners. ]
[ V. His Policy. ]
[ VI. Fundamental Defaults of his System. ]
[ BOOK SECOND. FORMATION AND CHARACTER OF THE NEW STATE. ]
[ CHAPTER I. THE INSTITUTION OF GOVERNMENT ]
[ I. The Institution of Government. ]
[ II. Default of previous government. ]
[ III. In 1799, the undertaking more difficult and the materials worse. ]
[ IV. Motives for suppressing the election of local powers. ]
[ V. Reasons for centralization. ]
[ VI. Irreconcilable divisions. ]
[ VII. Establishment of a new Dictatorship. ]
[ CHAPTER II. PUBLIC POWER ]
[ I. Principal service rendered by the public power. ]
[ II. Abusive Government Intervention. ]
[ III. The State attacks persons and property. ]
[ IV. Abuse of State powers. ]
[ V. Final Results of Abusive Government Intervention ]
[ CHAPTER III. THE NEW GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATION. ]
[ I. Precedents of the new organization. ]
[ II. Doctrines of Government. ]
[ III. Brilliant Statesman and Administrator. ]
[ IV. Napoleon's barracks. ]
[ V. Modeled after Rome. ]
[ BOOK THIRD. OBJECT AND MERITS OF THE SYSTEM. ]
[ CHAPTER I. RECOVERY OF SOCIAL ORDER. ]
[ I. Rule as the mass want to be ruled. ]
[ II. The Revolution Ends. ]
[ III. Return of the Emigrés. ]
[ IV. Education and Medical Care. ]
[ V. Old and New. ]
[ VI. Religion ]
[ VII. The Confiscated Property. ]
[ VIII. Public Education. ]
[ CHAPTER II. TAXATION AND CONSCRIPTION. ]
[ I. Distributive Justice in Allotment of Burdens and Benefits. ]
[ II. Equitable Taxation. ]
[ III. Formation of Honest, Efficient Tax Collectors ]
[ IV. Various Taxes. ]
[ V. Conscription or Professional soldiers. ]
[ CHAPTER III. AMBITION AND SELF-ESTEEM. ]
[ I. Rights and benefits. ]
[ II. Ambitions during the Ancient Regime. ]
[ III. Ambition and Selection. ]
[ IV. Napoleon, Judge-Arbitrator-Ruler. ]
[ IV. The Struggle for Office and Title. ]
[ V. Self-esteem and a good Reputation. ]
[ BOOK FOURTH. DEFECT AND EFFECTS OF THE SYSTEM. ]
[ CHAPTER I. LOCAL SOCIETY. ]
[ I. Human Incentives. ]
[ II. Local Community. ]
[ III. Essential Public Local Works. ]
[ IV. Local associations. ]
[ V. Local versus State authority. ]
[ VI. Local Elections under the First Consul. ]
[ VII. Municipal and general councillors under the Empire. ]
[ VIII. Excellence of Local Government after Napoleon. ]
[ CHAPTER II. LOCAL SOCIETY SINCE 1830. ]
[ I. Introduction of Universal suffrage. ]
[ II. Universal suffrage. ]
[ III. Equity in taxation. ]
[ IV. On unlimited universal suffrage. ]
[ V. Rural or urban communes. ]
[ VI. The larger Communes. ]
[ VII. Local society in 1880. ]
[ VIII. Final result in a tendency to bankruptcy. ]




[ THE MODERN REGIME, VOLUME 2 ]

[ PREFACE By André Chevrillon. ]
[ BOOK FIFTH. THE CHURCH. ]
[ CHAPTER I. MORAL INSTITUTIONS ]
[ I. Napoleon's Objectives. ]
[ II. Napoleon's opinions and methods. ]
[ III. Dealing with the Pope. ]
[ IV. The Pope, Napoleon's employee. ]
[ V. State domination of all religion. ]
[ VI. Napoleon Executes the Concordat. ]
[ VII. System to which the regular clergy is subject. ]
[ VIII. Administrative Control. ]
[ IX. The Imperial Catechism ]
[ X. The Council of 1811.—The Concordat of 1813. ]
[ CHAPTER II. THE CATHOLIC CHURCH. ]
[ I. The Catholic System. ]
[ II. The Bishops and their new Situation. ]
[ III. The new Bishop. ]
[ IV. The subordinate clergy. ]
[ CHAPTER III THE CLERGY ]
[ I. The regular clergy. ]
[ II. Evolution of the Catholic Church. ]
[ III. The Church today. ]
[ IV. Contrasting Vistas. ]
[ BOOK SIXTH. PUBLIC INSTRUCTION. ]
[ CHAPTER I. PUBLIC INSTRUCTION ]
[ I. Public instruction and its three effects. ]
[ II. Napoleon's Educational Instruments. ]
[ III. Napoleon's machinery. ]
[ VI. Objects and sentiments. ]
[ V. Military preparation and the cult of the Emperor. ]
[ CHAPTER II. ]
[ I. Primary Instruction. ]
[ II. Higher Education. ]
[ III. On Science, Reason and Truth. ]
[ IV. Napoleon's stranglehold on science. ]
[ V. On Censorship under Napoleon. ]
[ CHAPTER III. EVOLUTION BETWEEN 1814 AND 1890. ]
[ I. Evolution of the Napoleonic machine. ]
[ II. Educational monopoly of Church and State. ]
[ III. Internal Vices ]
[ IV. Cramming and Exams Compared to Apprenticeship ]
[ V. Public instruction in 1890. ]
[ VI. Summary. ]