第18章 権力を手懐けること, n.29 - 民主主義成功の条件Ⅳ
戦争の危険(リスク)は,ある種の群集心理を引きおこし,こんどは逆に(reciprocally 相互的に),この種の群集心理が -それが存在する場合- 専制政治の可能性(likelihood)や戦争の危険を増大させる。従って,我々は社会を最も集団ヒステリーにかからないようにする教育を,また社会を最もうまく民主主義を行わせるようにする教育を熟考しなければならない。 民主主義は - 成功をおさめるべきだとすれば - 一見相反する方向に向かうように見える二つの性質が広く行き渡ることが必要である。(即ち)一方では,人はある程度の自立(self-aliance 独立独歩)がなければいけないし,自分の判断をある程度具体的に示さなければならない。(また,)正反対の方向の政治的宣伝が行われて,多くの人たちが(いずれかに)参加しなければならない。しかし,他方では,多数者の決定が自分と反対の方向にある場合は(場合でも),進んでその決定に従わなければならない。これら二つの条件のどちらかが欠けていても(民主主義は)失敗する。(即ち)人々(the population 国民;住民)は従属的過ぎるかも知れないし,勇敢な指導者に従って独裁政治(独裁)に陥ったりするかも知れないし,あるいはどの政党も自己主張をし過ぎるかも知れない。その結果,その国家(the nation 国民国家)は無政府状態に陥ることになる(であろう)。 |
Chapter 18: The taming of Power, n.29IVWar is the chief promoter of despotism, and the greatest obstacle to the establishment of a system in which irresponsible power is avoided as far as possible. The prevention of war is therefore an essential part of our problem - I should say, the most essential. I believe that, if once the world were freed from the fear of war, under no matter what form of government or what economic system, it would in time find ways of curbing the ferocity of its rulers. On the other hand, all war, but especially modern war, promotes dictatorship by causing the timid to seek a leader and by converting the bolder spirits from a society into a pack.The risk of war causes a certain kind of mass psychology, and reciprocally this kind, where it exists, increases the risk of war, as well as the likelihood of despotism. We have therefore to consider the kind of education which will make societies least prone to collective hysteria, and most capable of successfully practising democracy. Democracy, if it is to succeed, needs a wide diffusion of two qualities which seem, at first sight, to tend in opposite directions. On the one hand, men must have a certain degree of self-reliance and a certain willingness to back their own judgment; there must be political propaganda in opposite directions, in which many people take part. But on the other hand men must be willing to submit to the decision of the majority when it goes against them. Either of these conditions may fail: the population may be too submissive, and may follow a vigorous leader into dictatorship; or each party may be too self-assertive, with the result that the nation falls into anarchy. |