Before '89 France was ripe for the transition; it
was Turgot who had the glory of effecting the first passage.
Why then, if competition had not been a principle of social
economy, a decree of destiny, a necessity of the human soul, why,
instead of ABOLISHING corporations, masterships, and
wardenships, did they not think rather of REPAIRING them all?
Why, instead of a revolution, did they not content themselves
with a reform? Why this negation, if a modification was
sufficient? Especially as this middle party was entirely in the
line of conservative ideas, which the bourgeoisie shared. Let
communism, let quasi-socialistic democracy, which, in regard to
the principle of competition, represent--though they do not
suspect it--the system of the golden mean, the
counter-revolutionary idea, explain to me this unanimity of the
nation, if they can!
Moreover the event confirmed the theory. Beginning with the
Turgot ministry, an increase of activity and well-being
manifested itself in the nation. The test seemed so decisive
that it obtained the approval of all legislatures.
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