Inhaltsangabe
This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1851. Excerpt: ... SOCIAL SCIENCE. Lecture VII.--The Province or Society. jg=§Jf He present age is, necessarily, one of political rather than of social reform. W) We stand at a point of time in the history of the world, when much of the old social elements are breaking-up, when the fiood-gates of revolution and change are opened, and the stream of events is carrying the wrecks of the past to oblivion. The cry of the nations is for Liberty--liberty of thought, speech, and action. Spiritual and kingly despotism tremble in their seats, and the last bonds of feudalism are fast disappearing. It is natural that Reformers who are actively engaged in the work of demolition, should feel little interest in that of construction. To secure an immunity from those evils which human ignorance and passion, clothed with irresponsible power, have iiiflictecl upon society, they would reduce government to a nullity,--regarding it as a sort of necessary evil,--a machine capable of little good and much mischief, of. which its highest virtue is to let private interests alone, and its greatest perfection to fulfil the function of a cheap-policeman. The favor which this absurd doctrine now receives, is easily accounted for. In a low state of civilization, the chief is a sort of minor deity, giving rather than executing the laws, the master of society rather than its servant. He claims to hold his place by a right divine, and to exercise his function without being responsible to his subjects, whose lives and fortunes he looks upon as a kind of patrimony. The growth of intelligence in the many is incompatible with this supremacy of the one, and successive limitations arc put upon his power. The day at last arrives when government ceases to be regarded as other than it really ought to be,--an em...
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