1
results found in
23 ms
Page 1
of 1
[clx. 425]
1822 July 28
Constitut. Code
So much for power taken by itself: for power and the minimzation of it considered as a means of prevention applicable to the abuse of it. Now as to the other faculty - the will. By the force of that particular interest to the action of which every human breast is /stands/ exposed, every functionary is at every moment prompted as above to make by himself or to concurr in making the sinister sacrifice. If this sinister force can by any means be prevented from being /becoming/ in that way effective it must be by the operation of some counterforce added to that opposed by his share in the universal interest: sinister force the temptation, counterforce the sanction, antagonizing with one another. Under /As to/ the head of sanctions three of them there has been frequent occasion to hold up to view: the political including the legal, the popular or say the moral, and the superhuman, or say the religious
For a counterforce to the natural to the native indigenous sinister interest
1. First as to the political included the legal. The force of the sanction is the whole of it at the disposal of the rulers: therefore in the very nature of the case it can not be /is incapable it may be said/ opposed to theirs : if for a moment it were so, the next moment they would rid themselves of it. True. But though two rulers taken singly can not be made punishable legally punishable at the same time and for the same cause each of them by the will of the other, yet arrangements in considerable variety are by no means wanting in which opposition may even under an absolute Monarchy be opposed for a time at least to the will of the rulers even of the supreme ruler or rulers. Wherever for example in a Monarchy, were it only to satisfy those whom it may concern, that such as is expressed in a certain document is the will of the Monarch, the countersign, the name for example of some official servant of his is regarded as necessary, this servant so long as he continues in such his office has a negative upon that branch of his Masters power, and possesses in conjunction with a share in it
Similar Items
-
Title: [[clx. 428] 1822 July 28 Constitut]Description: [clx. 428] 1822 July 28 Constitut. Code As in /of/ a constitution which has for its object the greatest happiness of the one or the few the great /main/ object will necessarily be to minimize this counterforce or even to annihilate it so in a Constitution which has for its object the greatest happiness of all the great object will be to maximize it. The course that presents itself as being in the highest degree conducive and contributory to this purpose will here come to be delineated in its place: and the reception given to whatsoever promises /shall promise/ to be in the highest degree contributory to this effect may be seen as instructive a /the most instructive/ test as imagination can frame of appropriate moral aptitude on the part of rulers as any that can be imagined 3. Lastly comes the superhuman, or say religious sanction But of this it will be seen, that to any such purpose as that of being employed in the character of a counterforce to the power of those in whose hands is the force of the political including the legal sanction, it is essentially inapplicable. See further on Dissertation │ │. To the force of the possessors of the supreme power be they who they may, instead of operating /being/ a counterforce it will be an instrument in their hands: instead of a check an instrument: giving facility instead of applying restriction to misrule
-
Title: [[clx. 341] 1822 July 11 Constitut]Description: [clx. 341] 1822 July 11 Constitut. Code Rationale Securities 4 Legal responsibility 5 Moral responsibility First calls for explanation legal responsibility, of moral responsibility any such clear conception not being obtainable by any other means as by its analogy to responsibility with reference to the power of the law. As to legal responsibility, to the purpose of exposure to punishment at the hands of the political including the legal sanction, in a Government the whole or any fractional share in the supreme operative power is in the hands of a single person, no such legal responsibility, it is sufficiently evident /manifest/, can in his instance and at his charge have place. The situation of an absolute Monarch is therefore one in which no such responsibility can have place. The situation of a limited Monarch, howsoever limited is therefore another - or at any rate /the least/ will want very little of being so Spanish King under Spanish Cortes Under an absolute Monarch, no such responsibility can in the instance of any /no other/ functionary under him whom the overgrown /head/ /supreme/ functionary is disposed to favour can any such responsibility have place, unless such should be the masters pleasure: and it will not be the Masters pleasure unless he be an object of the Masters personal displeasure whatsoever misdeeds he may have committed to the prejudice /detriment/ of the universal interest, and whatsoever may have been the defalcation made from the sum of public happiness. So far as this effective irresponsibility has place so far it is evident the power of the legal sanction can not be presented in the character of a counterforce to the power of government - the power of government in the hands of a supreme ruler or set of supreme rulers - to present it in this character would be a contradiction in terms. But, a case not altogether incapable of having place is - At the charge of one set of functionaries his subordinates and instruments, say his subordinates in the department of finance suffers the punishment to be administered by another set of his subordinates and instruments - say the functionaries belonging to the judicial department: here then the force of one of those sets operates /acts/ as a counterforce to another set his equally and assuredly obsequious instruments.
-
Title: [[xxxviii. 23] 1822 July 15]Description: [xxxviii. 23] 1822 July 15 Constitut. Code Rationale Securities 5 Moral Counterforce Public Opinion Tribunal A few articles Exposition and Rationale 15. II. Representative Democracy. Here, without difficulty legal responsibility, universal, may have place. During office, no: not the whole nor a majority: to say yes would be self contradictory. But during office the minority: after office all may be punishable: just as every one else is: for misdeeds there as elsewhere. See accordingly articles,│ │ 16. Moral responsibility. This is to the purpose of eventual exposure to punishment by the │ │ of the popular or moral sanction at the hands of Public opinion Tribunal: (viz. the democratical section of it. Quere this here) like the │ │ invisible, but not the less operative. 17. To punishment such as is inflictible by this Tribunal, not only in a Representative Democracy, but even in an absolute Monarchy, may the possessors of the supreme operative stand excluded/posed/. 18. In this sense and shape even in an absolute Monarchy, even the Monarch feels himself responsible: though to the purpose of mitigation, of Monarch's oppression and depredation subject's sufferings, the effect is hardly perceptible. 19. Counterforce beneficial the less the legal, the greater the need of moral. In Monarchy, legal none, thence of the moral, need a maximum: actual quantity a minimum. Cause, the security afforded by the moral against the sinister sacrifice. (Insert note on the toleration in Tuscany and Russia.) 20. Contrast. In Representative Democracy, legal counterforce compleatly effective: need of the moral, for this purpose, a minimum: actual quantity a maximum. 21 Ao. 1803. In a season of insufficient experience, partly on account of the annoyance to individuals, supreme operatives deprived the community of this security. But greatest happiness etc. being the end, and by all seen to be so, it was restored by lapse of time, and is now fixt for as long as the democracy lasts.
1
results found.
Page 1
of 1