Page:A General Sketch of Political History from the Earlist Times.djvu/351

 THE PRE-REVOLUTION ERA 339 Russia was to have the east province. The kingdom of Poland, thus reduced, would be practically subservient to Russia. The scheme was duly carried out in 1-772, when Great second and Britain was busy with her American quarrel, and Third France could not afford to intervene single-handed. Partltlons - Twenty-one years later the same three powers again parcelled out what was left of Poland among themselves. France also during these years acquired the Island of Corsica, which had long been subject to the Italian republic of Genoa. The Corsicans were in constant revolt, and the C7oi*siC£L patriots offered the country to Great Britain. Great Britain declined the offer, and France took over Corsica by an arrangement with the Genoese. Thus it was the merest accident that Napoleon Buonaparte happened to be born a French instead of a British subject. Throughout this period men's minds were actively engaged on political speculation ; on theorising about ideal forms of govern- ment, the rights of man, the duties of rulers to 9 The their subjects and of subjects to their rulers. Many Approach of of them held up to admiration the British govern- Revolution - ment, which appeared to combine the advantages of monarchical government, government by an aristocracy composed of the most competent members of the community, and government by the will of the people. On the other hand there were the theorists, who placed their political faith in benevolent despotism ; govern- ment by the will of a single wise ruler directed to the common welfare of his subjects. The popular philosophy, however, claimed that all government had its source and its justification only in the will of the people ; without offering any clear answer to the question how that will was to be ascertained, or to the kindred question, whether the will of a simple numerical majority was the same thing as the will of the people. As a matter of fact every important government in Europe was more or less despotic, and every king was trying to make himself ^ ., J. b J &. Despotisms an absolute despot ; in some cases, such as that of and the Frederick the Great, with the approval of the mass Rights of of their subjects ; while others, such as the Emperor Joseph, had the very best intentions, but found their