《旧制度与大革命·序言·致读者》第6节
With them I shall proceed to review that first epoch of 1789, when the love of equality and that of freedom shared their hearts--when they sought to found not only the institutions of democracy, but the institutions of freedom--not only to destroy privileges, but to acknowledge and to sanction rights: a time of youth, of enthusiasm, of pride, of generous and sincere passion, which, in spite of its errors, will live for ever in the memory of men, and which will still long continue to disturb the slumbers of those who seek to corrupt or to enslave them. Thus rapidly following the track of this same Revolution, I shall attempt to show by what events, by what faults, by what miscarriages, this same French people was led at last to relinquish its first aim, and, forgetful of freedom, to aspire only to become the equal servants of the World’s Master--how a Government, stronger and far more absolute than that which the Revolution had overthrown, grasped and concentrated all the powers of the nation, suppressed the liberties which had been so dearly bought, putting in their place the counterfeit of freedom--calling ‘sovereignty of the people’ the suffrages of electors who can neither inform themselves nor concert their operations, nor, in fact, choose--calling ‘vote of taxes’ the assent of mute and enslaved assemblies; and while thus robbing the nation of the right of self-government, of the great securities of law, of freedom of thought, of speech, and of the pen--that is, of all the most precious and the most noble conquests of 1789--still daring to assume that mighty name. I shall pause at the moment when the Revolution appears to me to have nearly accomplished its work and given birth to the modern society of France. That society will then fall under my observation: I shall endeavour to point out in what it resembles the society which preceded it, in what it differs, what we have lost in this immense displacement of our institutions, what we have gained by it, and, lastly, what may be our future. A portion of this second work is sketched out, though still unworthy to be offered to the public. Will it be given me to complete it? Who can say? The destiny of men is far more obscure than that of nations.
注释摘要
托克维尔在这里勾勒的是他计划中后续著作的叙事框架，而这个框架的核心是一段从希望到幻灭的剧烈转折。他将1789年的初始时刻描述为一种罕见的政治青春期，那时法国人心头并存着两种激情：对平等的渴望与对自由的热爱。在他的理解里，这两个目标从来不是一回事。平等关心的是消灭特权，让所有人处于同样的从属地位；自由则关心的是确立权利，保障个人与团体不受任意权力的侵害。17…