In accordance with the advice of Diogenes of Apollonia in the beginning
of his treatise on Natural Philosophy--"It appears to me to be well for
every one who commences any sort of philosophical treatise to lay down
some undeniable principle to start with"--we offer this: "All men are
created unequal." It would be a most interesting study to trace the
growth in the world of the doctrine of "equality."
Every one talked of "the state of nature" as if he knew all about it.
"The conditions of primitive man," says Mr. Morley, "were discussed by
very incompetent ladies and gentlemen at convivial supper-parties, and
settled with complete assurance." That was the age when solitary
Frenchmen plunged into the wilderness of North America, confidently
expecting to recover the golden age under the shelter of a wigwam and in
the society of a squaw.
It is to be noticed that rights are mentioned, but not duties, and that
if political rights only are meant, political duties are not inculcated
as of equal moment. It is not announced that political power is a
function to be discharged for the good of the whole body, and not a mere
right to be enjoyed for the advantage of the possessor; and it is to be
noted also that this idea did not enter into the conception of Rousseau.
We are attempting the regeneration of society with a misleading phrase;
we are wasting our time with a theory that does not fit the facts.