596 POLITICAL INSTITUTIONS. 



Europe, with perpetual robberies of one society by another 

 there went perpetual robberies within each society. Under 

 the Merovingians &quot; the murders and crimes it [The Ecclesias 

 tical History of the Franks] relates, have almost all for their 

 object the possession of the treasure of the murdered per 

 sons.&quot; And under Charlemagne plunder by officials was 

 chronic : the moment his back was turned, &quot; the provosts of 

 the king appropriated the funds intended to furnish food and 

 clothing for the artisans.&quot; 



Where warfare is habitual, and the required qualities most 

 needful and therefore most honoured, those whose lives do not 

 display them are treated with contempt, and their occupations 

 regarded as dishonourable. In early stages labour is the 

 business of women and of slaves conquered men and the 

 descendants of conquered men ; and trade of every kind, 

 carried on by subject classes, long continues to be identified 

 with lowness of origin and nature. In Dahomey, &quot; agricul 

 ture is despised because slaves are employed in it.&quot; &quot; The 

 Japanese nobles and placemen, even of secondary rank, 

 entertain a sovereign contempt for traffic.&quot; Of the ancient 

 Egyptians Wilkinson says, &quot; their prejudices against mecha 

 nical employments, as far as regarded the soldier, were equally 

 strong as in the rigid Sparta.&quot; For trade and commerce 

 the [ancient] Persians were wont to express extreme con 

 tempt,&quot; writes Eawlinson. That progress of class-differentia 

 tion which accompanied the conquering wars of the Romans, 

 was furthered by establishment of the rule that it was dis 

 graceful to take money for work, as also by the law forbid 

 ding senators and senators sons from engaging in speculation. 

 And how great has been the scorn expressed by the militant 

 classes for the trading classes throughout Europe, down to 

 quite recent times, needs no showing. 



That there may be willingness to risk life for the benefit of 

 the society, there must be much of the feeling called patriot 

 ism. Though the belief that it is glorious to die for one s 

 country cannot be regarded as essential, since mercenaries 



