st； the oldest had to abandon his position； and royalty became despotic。
The spontaneous； instinctive； andso to speakphysiological origin of royalty gives it； in the beginning； a superhuman character。 The nations connected it with the gods； from whom they said the first kings descended。 This notion was the origin of the divine genealogies of royal families； the incarnations of gods； and the messianic fables。 From it sprang the doctrine of divine right； which is still championed by a few singular characters。
Royalty was at first elective； becauseat a time when man produced but little and possessed nothingproperty was too weak to establish the principle of heredity； and secure to the son the throne of his father； but as soon as fields were cleared； and cities built； each function was； like every thing else； appropriated； and hereditary kingships and priesthoods were the result。 The principle of heredity was carried into even the most ordinary professions；a circumstance which led to class distinctions； pride of station； and abjection of the common people； and which confirms my assertion； concerning the principle of patrimonial succession； that it is a method suggested by Nature of filling vacancies in business； and completing unfinished tasks。
From time to time； ambition caused usurpers； or SUPPLANTERS of kings； to start up； and； in consequence； some were called kings by right； or legitimate kings； and others TYRANTS。 But we must not let these names deceive us。 There have been execrable kings； and very tolerable tyrants。 Royalty may always be good； when it is the only possible form of government； legitimate it is never。 Neither heredity； nor election； nor universal suffrage； nor the excellence of the sovereign； nor the consecration of religion and of time； can make royalty legitimate。 Whatever form it takes；monarchic； oligarchic； or democratic；royalty； or the government of man by man； is illegitimate and absurd。
Man； in order to procure as speedily as possible the most thorough satisfaction of his wants； seeks RULE。 In the beginning； this rule is to him living； visible； and tangible。 It is his father； his master； his king。 The more ignorant man is； the more obedient he is； and the more absolute is his confidence in his guide。 But； it being a law of man's nature to conform to rule；that is； to discover it by his powers of reflection and reason；man reasons upon the commands of his chiefs。 Now； such reasoning as that is a protest against authority；a beginning of disobedience。 At the moment that man inquires into the motives which govern the will of his sovereign；at that moment man revolts。 If he obeys no longer because the king commands； but because the king demonstrates the wisdom of his commands； it may be said that henceforth he will recognize no authority； and that he has become his own king。 Unhappy he who shall dare to command him； and shall offer； as his authority； only the vote of the majority； for； sooner or later； the minority will become the majority； and this imprudent despot will be overthrown； and all his laws annihilated。
In proportion as society becomes enlightened； royal authority diminishes。 That is a fact to which all history bears witness。 At the birth of nations； men reflect and reason in vain。 Without methods； without principles； not knowing how to use their reason； they cannot judge of the justice of their conclusions。 Then the authority of kings is immense； no knowledge having been acquired with which to contradict it。 But； little by little； experience produces habits； which develop into customs； then the customs are formulated in maxims； laid down as principles；in short； transformed into laws； to which the king； the living law； has to bow。 There comes a time when customs and laws are so numerous that the will of the prince is； so to speak； entwined by the public will； and that； on taking the crown； he is obliged to swear that he will govern in conformity with established customs and usages； and that he is but the executive power of a society whose laws are made independently of him。
Up to this point； all is done instinctively； and； as it were； unconsciously； but see where this movement must end。
By means of self…instruction and the acquisition of ideas； man finally acquires the idea of SCIENCE；that is； of a system of knowledge in harmony with the reality of things； and inferred from observation。 He searches for the science； or the system； of inanimate bodies；the system of organic bodies； the system of the human mind； and the system of the universe： why should he not also search for the system of society？ But； having reached this height； he comprehends that political truth； or the science of politics； exists quite independently of the will of sovereigns； the opinion of majorities； and popular beliefs；that kings； ministers； magistrates； and nations； as wills； have no connection with the science； and are worthy of no consideration。 He comprehends； at the same time； that； if man is born a sociable being； the authority of his father over him ceases on the day when； his mind being formed and his education finished； he becomes the associate of his father； that his true chief and his king is the demonstrated truth； that politics is a science； not a stratagem； and that the function of the legislator is reduced； in the last analysis； to the methodical search for truth。
Thus； in a given society； the authority of man over man is inversely proportional to the stage of intellectual development which that society has reached； and the probable duration of that authority can be calculated from the more or less general desire for a true government；that is； for a scientific government。 And just as the right of force and the right of artifice retreat before the steady advance of justice； and must finally be extinguished in equality； so the sovereignty of the will yields to the sovereignty of the reason； and must at last be lost in scientific socialism。 Property and royalty have been crumbling to pieces ever since the world began。 As man seeks justice in equality； so society seeks order in anarchy。
ANARCHY；the absence of a master； of a sovereign；＇1＇such is the form of government to which we are every day approximating； and which our accustomed habit of taking man for our rule； and his will for law； leads us to regard as the height of disorder and the expression of chaos。 The story is told； that a citizen of Paris in the seventeenth century having heard it said that in Venice there was no king； the good man could not recover from his astonishment； and nearly died from laughter at the mere mention of so ridiculous a thing。 So strong is our prejudice。 As long as we live； we want a chief or chiefs； and at this very moment I hold in my hand a brochure； whose authora zealous communist dreams； like a second Marat； of the dictatorship。 The most advanced among us are those who wish the greatest possible number of sovereigns；their most ardent wish is for the royalty of the National Guard。 Soon； undoubtedly； some one； jealous of the citizen militia； will say； 〃Everybody is king。〃 But； when he has spoken； I will say； in my turn； 〃Nobody is king； we are； whether we will or no； associated。〃 Every question of domestic politics must be decided by departmental statistics； every question of foreign politics is an affair of international statistics。 The science of government rightly belongs to one of the sections of the Academy of Sciences； whose permanent secretary is necessarily prime minister； and； since every citizen may address a memoir to the Academy； every citizen is a legislator。 But； as the opinion of no one is of any value until its truth has been proven； no one can substitute his will for reason；nobody is king。
＇1＇ The meaning ordinarily attached to the word 〃anarchy〃 is absence of principle； absence of rule； consequently； it has been regarded as synonymous with 〃disorder。〃
All questions of legislation and politics are matters of science； not of opinion。 The legislative power belongs only to the reason； methodically recognized and demonstrated。 To attribute to any power whatever the right of veto or of sanction； is the last degree of tyranny。 Justice and legality are two things as independent of our approval as is mathematical truth。 To compel； they need only to be known； to be known； they need only to be considered and studied。 What； then； is the nation； if it is not the sovereign；if it is not the source of the legislative power？
The nation is the guardian of the lawthe nation is the EXECUTIVE POWER。 Every citizen may assert： 〃This is true； that is just； 〃but his opinion controls no one but himself。 That the truth which he proclaims may become a law； it must be recognized。 Now； what is it to recognize a law？ It is to verify a mathematical or a metaphysical calculation； it is to repeat an experiment； to observe a phenomenon； to establish a fact。 Only the nation has the right to say； 〃Be it known and decreed。〃
I confess that this is an overturning of received ideas； and that I seem to be attempting to revolutionize our political system； but I beg the reader to consider that； having begun with a paradox； I must； if I reason correctly； meet with paradoxes at every step； and must end with paradoxes。 For the rest； I do not see how the liberty of citizens would be endangered by entrusting to their hands； instead of the pen of the legislator； the sword of the law。 The executive power； belonging properly to the will； cannot be confided to too many proxies。 That is the true sovereignty of the nation。＇1＇
＇1＇ If such ideas are ever forced into the minds of the people； it will be by representative government and the tyranny of talkers。 Once science； thought； and speech were characterized by the same expression。 To designate a thoughtful and a learned man； they said； 〃a man quick to speak and powerful in discourse。 〃For a long time； speech has been abstractly distinguished from science and reason。 Gradually； this abstraction is becoming realized； as the logicians say； in society； so that we have to… day savants of many kinds who talk but little； and TALKERS who are not even savants in the science of speech。 Thus a philosopher is no longer a savant： he is a talk