Part 14 (2/2)
It appears to e, and to the broken moments which it is now the habit to snatch for study
A treatise has without doubt an incontestable superiority But it requires to be read, meditated, and understood It addresses itself to the select few Its e the circle of acquired knowledge
A hich undertakes the refutation of vulgar prejudices, cannot have so high an aim It aspires only to clear the way for the steps of Truth; to prepare the minds of men to receive her; to rectify public opinion, and to snatch froerous weapons which they misuse
It is above all, in social econo combat with popular errors, has a true practical utility
Sciences ories Those of the first class whose application belongs only to particular professions, can be understood only by the learned; but the norant may profit by their fruits We may enjoy the comforts of a watch; we h knowing nothing ofto the laws of equilibriunorant of them
But there are sciences whose influence upon the public is proportioned only to the information of that public itself, and whose efficacy consists not in the accue of some few learned heads, but in that which has diffused itself into the reason of iene, social econo to theht above all have said: ”It is better to circulate, than to advance thereat ate moral laws, if the minds of men, steeped in error, will constantly mistake vice for virtue, and virtue for vice? What does it benefit us that S to Mr de St Chamans, political economists of _every school_, should have proclaimed the superiority in all commercial transactions, of _liberty_ above _restraint_, if those who make laws, and for whom laws are made, are convinced of the contrary?
These sciences, which have very properly been na of conorant of theeoe of the science, or is ashamed to consult Mr Thenard, or to seek inforendre or Bezout But in the social sciences authorities are rarely acknowledged As each individual daily acts upon his own notions whether right or wrong, of iene, and economy; of politics, whether reasonable or absurd, each one thinks he has a right to prose, comment, decide, and dictate in these ood old woman in the country who is not ready to tell you the cause and the res ”It is froed” But what are these humors, or are there any humors at all? On this subject she troubles herself but little This good old woman comes into my mind, whenever I hear an attempt made to account for all the maladies of the social body, by some trivial form of words It is superabundance of produce, tyranny of capital, industrial plethora, or other such nonsense, of which, it would be fortunate if we could say: _Verba et voces praetereaque nihil_, for these are errors from which fatal consequences follow
Fro results may be deduced: 1st That the social sciences, more than others, necessarily abound in _Sophisms_, because in their application, each individual consults only his own judgment and his own instincts 2d That in these sciences _Sophisms_ are especially injurious, because they mislead opinion on a subject in which opinion is power--is law
Two kinds of books then are necessary in these sciences, those which teach, and those which circulate; those which expound the truth, and those which combat error
I believe that the inherent defect of this little work, _repetition_, is what is likely to be the cause of its principal utility A the Sophisms which it has discussed, each has undoubtedly its own formula and tendency, but all have a coetfulness of the interests ofthat a thousand enerative_ Sophisnize, to know, and to mistrust it, under all circu convictions, than at waking doubts
I have no hope that the reader as he lays down my book will exclaim, _I know_ My aspirations will be fully satisfied, if he can but sincerely say, _I doubt_
”I doubt, for I begin to fear that there s of scarcity” (Sophism I)
”I am not so certain of the beneficial effect of obstacles” (Sophiser appears to me so desirable as _result without effort_” (Sophism III)
”I understand that the more an article has been labored upon, the more is its _value_ But in trade, do two _equal_ values cease to be equal, because one coh, and the other from the workshop?”
(Sophisular that mankind should be the better of hindrances and obstacles, or should grow rich upon taxes; and truly I would be relieved from some anxiety, would be really happy to see the proof of the fact, as stated by the author of ”the Sophisms,”
that there is no incompatibility between prosperity and justice, between peace and liberty, between the extension of labor and the advance of intelligence” (Sophis up entirely to arguments, which I am yet in doubt whether to look upon as fairly reasoned, or as paradoxical, I will at least seek enlightenment from the masters of the science”
I will now terminate this sketch by a last and important recapitulation
The world is not sufficiently conscious of the influence exercised over it by _Sophistry_
When _th_ is dethroned, _Sophistry_ transfers the e and subtilty_ It would be difficult to determine which of the two tyrannies is most injurious to mankind
Men have an immoderate love for pleasure, influence, consideration, power--in a word, for riches; and they are, by an almost unconquerable inclination, pushed to procure these, at the expense of others
But these _others_, who for inclination to keep what they have acquired; and this they will do, if they have the _strength_ and the _knowledge_ to effect it
Spoliation, which plays so ients; _Force_ and _Cunning_ She has also two checks; _Courage_ and _Knowledge_
Force applied to spoliation, furnishes the great material for the annals of men To retrace its history would be to present almost the entire history of every nation: assyrians, Babylonians, Medes, Persians, Greeks, Romans, Goths, Franks, Huns, Turks, Arabs, Tartars, without counting the lish in India, the French in Africa, the Russians in Asia, etc, etc