The Social Contract - 17
---Chapter v : Aristocracy---
Aristocracy is therefore of three kinds: natural, elective, and
hereditary世袭的. The first is only suited to simple societies;
the third is the worst of all forms of government.The second is
the best;it is aristocracy in the true sense of the word.
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membership of aristocratic government is limited to a few, and is
obtained by election: by which means integrity, intelligence,
experience, and all the other reasons for preference and public
esteem, are so many additional guarantees of wise government.
As regards★至于 the particular suitability of aristocracy, the state
should not be so small, nor its people so simple and upright正直?,
that the execution of laws immediately follows the public will,
as in a good democracy.
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Nor should the nation be so large that,
those governing it being far distant from each other, each can
set himself up as sovereign in his area, and begin by making
himself independent in order to end up as master.
---Chapter vi:Monarchy ---
The power that comes from the love of the people is
certainly the strongest; but it is precarious★不稳固的 and
conditional; it will never satisfy a ruler.
★★★
The best of kings want the power to do harm if
they wish, without ceasing to be masters.(不会停止成为主宰者)
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The preacher说教者 of political sermons说教 can tell them as often
as he likes that, since their strength lies in the strength
of their people, their own best interest is that the people
should multiply, prosper, and be feared; (?)kings know very
well that this is not true.
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Their personal interest is primarily that the people should
be weak and wretched可怜的, and that it should never be capable
of resistance.
Monarchy is suitable only for large states.
★★★
The distance between ruler and people is then too great,
and the state loses cohesion凝聚力. In order that it should be
restored★修复,intermediate中间的 orders are therefore necessary：
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and in order that they should be filled,
royal princes, great lords, a nobility.
(小邦不适用)
But if it is difficult for a large state to be well governed,
it is much more so for it to be well governed by a single
man, and everyone knows what happens when a king chooses
others to act in his place.
An intrinsic固有的/本质的 and unavoidable defect in monarchical
government, which will always make it inferior to a republic is that
in a democratic government those who are put into high office
by public vote are almost always enlightened, capable men,
who perform their duties with honour;
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whereas in a monarchy the ones who succeed are petty incompetents,
petty scoundrels恶棍, petty intriguers阴谋家, whose
trivial不重要的/细碎的 talents, those that bring great success
at a court, serve only to show the public their owners'
ineptitude愚笨 as soon as they gain office.
-
it is almost as uncommon to find a minister of
genuine ability under a monarchy as a fool at the
head of a republican government.(在gong和中找閯瓜)
It is easier to conquer than to administer.
-
If you had the world at the end of a long enough lever杠杆,
you could move it with your finger; but to support the
world on your shoulders you would need to be Hercules.
★
When the contrary happens, and the state is too small for
its ruler, which is very rare, it is still not well governed,
because its leader, his mighty projects constantly in mind★心怀壮志,
forgets the interests of his people,and renders them no less
unhappy by misusing his superfluous过剩的 talents than does an
incompetent leader through his lack of capacity.
