Equality among men is produced by the
rigorous and inflexible law of labor, the proportionality of
values, the sincerity of exchanges, and the equivalence of
functions,--in short, by the mathematical solution of all
antagonisms.
That is why charity, the prime virtue of the Christian, the
legitimate hope of the socialist, the object of all the efforts
of the economist, is a social vice the moment it is made a
principle of constitution and a law; that is why certain
economists have been able to say that legal charity had caused
more evil in society than proprietary usurpation. Man, like the
society of which he is a part, has a perpetual account current
with himself; all that he consumes he must produce. Such is the
general rule, which no one can escape without being, ipso facto
struck with dishonor or suspected of fraud. Singular idea,
truly,--that of decreeing, under pretext of fraternity, the
relative inferiority of the majority of men! After this
beautiful declaration nothing will be left but to draw its
consequences; and soon, thanks to fraternity, aristocracy will be
restored.
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