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1823 Feb. 10 Greece. Constitution Observations Introduction ?.4. Sinister
sacrifice © its modes
On the other hand such is the blindness and power of self©partiality that while
occupied in the establishment of arrangements the most decidedly adverse to the
universal interest and the most decidedly favorable to his own particular
interest nothing is more common than for a man to have succeeded and with very
little difficulty in persuading himself in the persuasion /impregnating himself
with the persuasion/ that the arrangement by which by the supposition a
sacrifice has been made of the universal interest to such his particular
interest has in fact been beneficial to the universal interest: for in this case
the effect of the self©partiality will be to keep the mind steadily turned
toward all arguments which tend to establish in it that convenient persuasion
and as steadily turned away from those of which the tendency is to shake it.
The principal shapes in which sacrifice is made of the universal interest to the
particular interest of ruling functionaries taken in the aggregate are
principally as follows
1. Attaching respectively to the most influential situation masses of power over
and above what the universal interest necessitates. Say viz in the first place
coercive power, in integrality, or in fractional parts Say creation of power in
excess Note that all power is established at the expence of all individuals
subject to it
2. Attaching also in excess to this same situation necessary of pecuniary
emolument in masses. Note that all pecuniary emolument bestowed on functionaries
is bestowed at theexpence of all who are made contributors to it.
3. Attaching to these same situations power of patronage excess of factitious
dignity. It will be shewn /seen/ presently that all factitious dignity is so
much having place in excess. Factitious dignity is bestowed at the expence of
all who are not invested with it. And every fresh mass of factitious dignity is
bestowed at the expence of all those who are already invested with it as well as
of all those who are not invested with it.
For the bestowal of factitious dignity where any pretence condenscension is
manifested, on the assigning of no apparent reason or pretence for it, the
pretence consists in its being given as reward for meritorious service
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