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ivilized。 But the primitive man； as described by Horace in his Satires； and asserted by Hobbes； Locke； Rousseau； and others； is far below the savage。 The lowest； most degraded； and most debased savage tribe that has yet been discovered has at least some rude outlines or feeble reminiscences of a social state； of government； morals； law； and religion； for even in superstition the most gross there is a reminiscence of true religion； but the people in the alleged state of nature have none。
The advocates of the theory deceive themselves by transporting into their imaginary 52 state of nature the views； habits； and capacities of the civilized man。 It is； perhaps； not difficult for men who have been civilized； who have the intelligence； the arts； the affections； and the habits of civilization； if deprived by some great social convulsion of society； and thrown back on the so…called state of nature； or cast away on some uninhabited island in the ocean； and cut off from all intercourse with the rest of mankind； to reconstruct civil society； and re…establish and maintain civil government。 They are civilized men； and bear civil society in their own life。 But these are no representatives of the primitive man in the alleged state of nature。 These primitive men have no experience； no knowledge； no conception even of civilized life； or of any state superior to that in which they have thus far lived。 How then can they； since； on the theory； civil society has no root in nature； but is a purely artificial creation； even conceive of civilization； much less realize it？
These theorists； as theorists always do； fail to make a complete abstraction of the civilized state； and conclude from what they feel they could do in case civil society were broken up； what men may do and have done in a state of nature。 Men cannot divest themselves of 53 themselves； and； whatever their efforts to do it； they think； reason； and act as they are。
Every writer； whatever else he writes； writes himself。 The advocates of the theory； to have made their abstraction complete； should have presented their primitive man as below the lowest known savage； unprogressive； and in himself incapable of developing any progressive energy。 Unprogressive； and； without foreign assistance； incapable of progress； how is it possible for your primitive man to pass； by his own unassisted efforts； from the alleged state of nature to that of civilization； of which he has no conception； and towards which no innate desire； no instinct； no divine inspiration pushes him？
But even if； by some happy inspiration； hardly supposable without supernatural intervention repudiated by the theoryif by some happy inspiration； a rare individual should so far rise above the state of nature as to conceive of civil society and of civil government； how could he carry his conception into execution？ Conception is always easier than its realization； and between the design and its execution there is always a weary distance。 The poetry of all nations is a wail over unrealized ideals。 It is little that even the wisest and most potent statesman can realize of what he conceives to 54 be necessary for the state： political； legislative or judicial reforms； even when loudly demanded； and favored by authority； are hard to be effected； and not seldom generations come and go without effecting them。 The republics of Plato； Sir Thomas More； Campanella； Harrington； as the communities of Robert Owen and M。 Cabet； remain Utopias； not solely because intrinsically absurd； though so in fact； but chiefly because they are innovations； have no support in experience； and require for their realization the modes of thought； habits； manners； character； life； which only their introduction and realization can supply。 So to be able to execute the design of passing from the supposed state of nature to civilization； the reformer would need the intelligence； the habits； and characters in the public which are not possible without civilization itself。 Some philosophers suppose men have invented language； forgetting that it requires language to give the ability to invent language。
Men are little moved by mere reasoning； however clear and convincing it may be。 They are moved by their affections； passions； instincts； and habits。 Routine is more powerful with them than logic。 A few are greedy of novelties； and are always for trying experiments； 55 but the great body of the people of all nations have an invincible repugnance to abandon what they know for what they know not。 They are； to a great extent； the slaves of their own vis inertiae； and will not make the necessary exertion to change their existing mode of life； even for a better。 Interest itself is powerless before their indolence； prejudice； habits； and usages。 Never were philosophers more ignorant of human nature than they； so numerous in the last century； who imagined that men can be always moved by a sense of interest； and that enlightened self…interest； L'interet bien entendu； suffices to found and sustain the state。 No reform； no change in the constitution of government or of society； whatever the advantages it may promise； can be successful； if introduced； unless it has its root or germ in the past。 Man is never a creator； he can only develop and continue； because he is himself a creature； and only a second cause。 The children of Israel； when they encountered the privations of the wilderness that lay between them and the promised land flowing with milk and honey； fainted in spirit； and begged Moses to lead them back to Egypt； and permit them to return to slavery。
In the alleged state of nature； as the philosophers describe it； there is no germ of civ… 56 ilization； and the transition to civil society would not be a development； but a complete rupture with the past； and an entire new creation。 When it is with the greatest difficulty that necessary reforms are introduced in old and highly civilized nations and when it can seldom be done at all without terrible political and social convulsions； how can we suppose men without society； and knowing nothing of it； can deliberately； and； as it were； with 〃malice aforethought；〃 found society？ Without government； and destitute alike of habits of obedience and habits of command； how can they initiate； establish； and sustain government？ To suppose it； would be to suppose that men in a state of nature； without culture； without science； without any of the arts； even the most simple and necessary； are infinitely superior to the men formed under the most advanced civilization。 Was Rousseau right in asserting civilization as a fall； as a deterioration of the race？
But suppose the state of nature； even suppose that men； by some miracle or other； can get out of it and found civil society； the origin of government as authority in compact is not yet established。 According to the theory； the rights of civil society are derived from the rights of the individuals who form or enter into 57 the comp