There is no society without individuals, and there are no
individuals without society; but in society there is that which
is not individual, and is more than all individuals. The social
compact is an attempt to substitute for this real living
solidarity, which gives to society at once unity of life and
diversity of members, an artificial solidarity, a fictitious
unity for a real unity, and membership by contract for real
living membership, a cork leg for that which nature herself gives.
Real government has its ground in this real living solidarity,
and represents the social element, which is not individual, but
above all individuals, as man is above men. But the theory
substitutes a simple agency for government, and makes each
individual its principal. It is an abuse of language to call
this agency a government. It has no one feature or element of
government. It has only an artificial unity, based on diversity;
its authority is only personal, individual, and in no sense a
public authority, representing a public will, a public right, or
a public interest. In no country could government be adopted and
sustained if men were left to the wisdom or justness of their
theories, or in the general affairs of life, acted on them.
Society, and government as representing society, has a real
existence, life, faculties, and organs of its own, not derived or
derivable from individuals.
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