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of society ; and it is as impossible for an individual to acquire

personal property without the aid of society, as it is for him to make

land originally. Separate an individual from society , and give him an

island or a continent to possess, and he cannot acquire personal

property. He cannot be rich. So in separably are the means connected

with the end, in all cases, that wher e the former do not exist the latter

cannot be obtained. All accumulation, therefore, of personal

property, bey ond what a man's own hands produce, is derived to him

by living in society; and he owes on every principle of justice, of

gratitude, and of civilization, a part of that accumulation back again

to society from whence the whole cam e. This is putting the matter on

a general principle, and perhaps it is best to do so; for if we examine

the case minutely it will be found that the accumulation of personal

property is, in many instances, the effect of paying too little for the

labour that produced it; the consequence of which is, that the

working hand perishes in old age, and the employer abounds in

affluence. It is, perhaps, impossible to proportion exactly the price of

labour to the profits it produces; and it will also be said, as an

apology for the injustice, that we re a workman to receive an increase

of wages daily he would not save it against old age, nor be much

better for it in the interim. Make, then, society the treasure to guard it

for him in a common fund; for it is no reason that because he might

not make a good use of it for himself another should take it.

The state of civilization that has prevailed throughout Europe, is

as unjust in its principle, as it is horrid in its effects; and it is the

consciousness of this, and the apprehension that such a state cannot

continue when once investigation begins in any country, that makes

the possessors of property dread every idea of a revolution. It is the

hazard and not the principle of revolutions that retards their progress.

This being the case, it is necessary as well for the protection of

property, as for the sake of justice and humanity, to form a system

that, whilst it preserves one part of s o c i e t y f r o m w r e t c h e d n e s s , s h a l l

secure the other from depredation.

The superstitious awe, the enslaving reverence, that formerly

surrounded affluence, is passing away in all countries and leaving the

possessor of property to the convulsion of accidents. When wealth

and splendour, instead of fascinating the multitude, excite emotions