《旧制度与大革命·卷二·第二十章·革命自然从既有事实中产生》第12节
It is admitted in this statement that the province has commenced and is still carrying on immense public works; but, far from offering any apology for this proceeding, it is added that, saving the opposition of the Crown, these works will be still further extended and persevered in. The province had already improved or rectified the channel of the principal rivers within its territory, and it was then engaged in adding to the Canal of Burgundy, dug under Louis XIV., but already insufficient, a prolongation which, passing through Lower Languedoc, should proceed by Cette and Agen to the Rhone. The port of Cette had been opened to trade, and was maintained at great cost. All these expenses had, as was observed, a national rather than a provincial character; yet the province, as the party chiefly interested, had taken them on itself. It was also engaged in draining and restoring to agriculture the marshes of Aigues-Mortes. Roads had been the object of its peculiar care: all those which connect the province with the rest of the kingdom had been opened or put in good order; even the cross-roads between the towns and villages of Languedoc had been repaired. All these different roads were excellent even in winter, and formed the greatest contrast with the hard, uneven, and ill-constructed roads which were to be found in most of the adjacent provinces, such as Dauphiny, Quercy, and the government of Bordeaux--all pays d’élection, it was remarked. On this point the Report appeals to the opinion of travellers and traders; and this appeal was just, for Arthur Young, when he visited the country ten years afterwards, put on his notes, ‘Languedoc, pays d’états: good roads, made without compulsory labour.’
注释摘要
托克维尔在这里引述的，其实是朗格多克省三级会议面对中央政府批评时的一份自辩书。中央政府担心朗格多克的公共工程开销太大，怕它因此无力上缴王税。朗格多克方面的回应却毫无歉疚之意，反而说，若不是王权阻挠，他们还会做得更多。这种态度本身就构成了一种政治论证：地方不是在耗费资源，而是在创造财富。他们改善河道、延长那条在路易十四时代开挖但已不够用的勃艮第运河，让水路直…