"The Law," "The State," and Other Political Writings, 1843-1850

7. The State

93 [vol. 4, p. 327. “L’État.” Originally published in the 25 September 1848 issue of Le Journal des débats.] I would like someone to sponsor a prize, not of five hundred francs but of a million, with crowns, crosses, and ribbons for whoever can provide a good, simple, and understandable definition of the words “the state.” What a huge service this person would be doing to society! The state! What is this? Where is it? What does it do? What ought it to be doing? All we know about it is that it is a mysterious being and is definitely the one that is most solicited and most tormented and is the busiest; the one to whom the most advice is given; the one most accused, most invoked, and most provoked in the world. For, sir, I do not have the honor of knowing you, but I will bet ten to one that for the last six months you have been constructing utopias; and if you have been doing so, I will bet ten to one that you are making the state responsible for bringing them into existence. And you, madam, I am certain that in your heart of hearts you would like to cure all the suffering of humanity and that you would not be in the slightest put out if the state just wanted to help in this. But alas! The unfortunate being, like Figaro, does not know whom to listen to nor which way to turn. The hundred thousand voices of the press and the tribune are all calling out to this being at once: Organize work and the workers. Root out selfishness. Repress the insolence and tyranny of capital. Carry out experiments on manure and eggs. Criss-cross the country with railways. Irrigate the plains.  7  The State 94 The State Reforest the mountains. Set up model farms. Set up harmonious workshops. Colonize Algeria. Provide children with milk. Educate the young. Succor the elderly. Send the inhabitants of towns to the country. Bear hard on the profits of all industries. Lend money interest free to those who want it. Liberate Italy, Poland, and Hungary. Breed and improve saddle horses. Encourage art and train musicians and dancers for us. Prohibit trade and at the same time create a merchant navy. Discover truth and toss into our heads a grain of reason. The mission of the state is to enlighten, develop, expand, fortify, spiritualize, and sanctify the souls of peoples.1 “Oh, sirs, have a little patience,” the state replies pitifully. “I will try to satisfy you, but I need some resources to do this. I have prepared some projects relating to five or six bright, new taxes that are the most benign the world has ever seen. You will see how pleased you will be to pay them.” At that, a great cry arises: “Just a minute! Where is the merit in doing something with resources? It would not be worth calling yourself the state. Far from imposing new taxes on us, we demand that you remove the old ones. You must abolish: The tax on salt;2 The tax on wines and spirits; Postage tax; 1. (Paillottet’s note) This last sentence is from M. de Lamartine. The author quotes it again in the pamphlet that follows. (OC, vol. 4, p. 342, “La Loi.” [The sentence itself is found on p. 387.]) 2. Before the Revolution of 1789 the salt tax was known as the “gabelle.” Because of its symbolic association with the ancien régime, it was much hated and was one of the first things abolished after the Revolution. However, it soon returned as a more straightforward “salt tax.” See Coquelin, “Gabelle,” in Le Dictionnaire de l’économie politique, vol. 1, pp. 814–15. The State 95 City tolls;3 Trading taxes;4 Mandatory community service.”5 In the middle of this tumult, and after the country has changed its state two or three times because it has failed to satisfy all these demands, I wanted to point out that they were contradictory. Good heavens, what was I thinking of? Could I not keep this unfortunate remark to myself? Here I am, discredited forever, and it is now generally accepted that I am a man without heart or feelings of pity, a dry philosopher, an individualist, a bourgeois, and, to sum it up in a single word, an economist of...