The French Revolution (Vol.1-3). Taine Hippolyte
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Название: The French Revolution (Vol.1-3)

Автор: Taine Hippolyte

Издательство: Bookwire

Жанр: Документальная литература

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isbn: 4064066060053

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СКАЧАТЬ crowns gain fifty per cent. and more. Again, the greater their delay the more their debts diminish, and already, on the strength of this, the way to release themselves at half-price is found.

      IV.—Cupidity of tenants.

       Table of Contents

      The third and fourth jacquerie.—Brittany and other

       provinces in 1790 and 1791.—The burning of chateaux.

      —Title-deeds destroyed.—Refusal of claims.—Destruction of

       reservoirs.—Principal characteristics, prime motive and

       ruling passion of the revolution

      When there is a lack of public force for the protection of public property, there is also a lack of it for the protection of private property, for the same greed and the same needs attack both. Let a man owe anything either to the State or to an individual, and the temptation not to pay is equally the same. In both cases it suffices to find a pretext for denying the debt; in finding this pretext the cupidity of the tenant is as good as the selfishness of the tax-payer. Now that the feudal system is abolished let nothing remain of it: let there be no more seignorial claims. "If the Assembly has maintained some of them, yonder in Paris, it did so inadvertently or through corruption: we shall soon hear of all being suppressed. In the meantime we will relieve ourselves, and burn the agreements in the places where they are kept."