The Effects of Civilisation on the People in European States/Section X
SECTION X.
THAT WEALTH IS THE CAUSE OF ALMOST ALL POWER, IN MOST CIVILISED STATES.
In a preceding chapter, we have endeavoured to show that wealth is power over the labour of the poor. But it seems that wealth is not only a certain definite species of power in the rich over the labour of the poor; but that it is a great means of procuring for, and securing to the possessors of it, the power of almost every kind which exists in the generality of civilised states. The wealthy part of these states have in their hands all power; the legislative, the executive, and judiciary, in all their branches, viz., ecclesiastical, magisterial, martial, &c. The poor man having a vote in certain cases, gives no introduction to any of these; the vote of a poor man being almost always directed by some kind of influence or other of the rich. And if that was not the case, the representatives or delegates chosen are generally of the order opposite to that of the poor. The rich, therefore, of such states form an aristocracy, in which the effective power is lodged: for, although the forms of government established in different nations may be various, they are generally so in appearance only, not in effect. These forms of government are either monarchical or republican. As to the first of them, i. e. absolute monarchy: in no single man, at least in no hereditary succession of single men, could the authority be supported by any means, personal or inherent, in himself. He is supported by those who have power, whom we have shown to be the rich, and who have an especial interest to support him in his situation; for all those, by supporting his authority, expect in return that the same authority shall be employed to preserve to them those things from which they derive the power to support him. It is not the person that holds such authority and employs the power, but the persons that gave and uphold the power in him, that are the real rulers of the land: these are the wealthy, i. e. the aristocracy, in almost every civilised country.
In the republican government this is more obvious; since, in these times, it is wealth universally that puts power into the hands of those that have it.
I have often imagined that the first state of things might be aptly represented by a cylinder of a great length, but whose thickness or base was too small for it, when placed perpendicularly, to continue in that position. Around this towering royal cylinder, other cylinders, about two-thirds of its height, are placed; these may represent the late princes of the blood in France: to these another row is put, somewhat shorter, composed, as we may say, of dukes, archbishops, &c.: next follows a circle of cylinders, which we call counts, barons, bishops: after this another, of knights, and other men of great landed estates: then a row of cylinders representing merchants, master manufacturers, wholesale dealers: lastly, one of lesser landholders, &c. &c.; each succeeding row lessening in height. The individuals of each row standing close to each other, and every inferior one closely encircling the next above it, the whole body becomes compact, and, having now acquired a broad basis, it stands, firm and immovable, against the utmost efforts of all the rest of the people, how superior soever they may be in numbers. This conical figure would equally resemble a republic, if the first cylinder was a little shortened.