Page:Tolstoy - Essays and Letters.djvu/266

 250 ESSAYS AND LEFfERS

ou the contrary. Governments artificially disturb the peace that exists between the nations, and provoke enmity among them.

^V'llen it was necessary to plough in order to sow, ploughing was wise ; but evidently it is absurd and harmful to go on ploughing after the seed has been sown. But this is just what the Governments are obliging their people to do : to infringe the unity which exists, and which nothing would infringe if it were not for the Governments.

In reality what are these Governments, without which people think they could not exist ?

There may have been a time when such Governments were necessary, and when the evil of supporting a Government was less than that of being defenceless against organized neighbours ; but now such Govern- ments have become unnecessary, and are a far greater evil than all the dangers with which they frighten their subjects.

Not only military Governments, but Governments in general, could be, I will not say useful, but at least harmless, only if they consisted of innnaculate, holy people, as is theoretically the case among the Chinese. But then Governments, by the nature of their activity, which consists in committing acts of violence,* are always composed of elements the most contrary to holiness — of the most audacious, unscrupulous, and perverted people.

A Government, therefore, and especially a Govern- ment entrusted with military power, is the most dangerous organization possible.

sense as almost equivalent to management or direction ; but in the sense in which the word is used in the present article, the characteristic feature of a Government is that it claims a moral right to inflict physical penalties, and by its decree to make murder a good action.
 * The word government is frequently used in an indefinite