i.] ADMINISTRATIVE NIHILISM. 19 



once for the use of sharp steel against them. As in 

 Hobbes's "Leviathan," the representative of the sove- 

 reign authority in the living organism, though he de- 

 rives all his powers from the mass which he rules, is 

 above the law. The questioning of his authority in- 

 volves death, or that partial death which we call para- 

 lysis. Hence, if the analogy of the body politic with 

 the body physiological counts for anything, it seems 

 to me to be in favour of a much larger amount of 

 governmental interference than exists at present, or 

 than I, for one, at all desire to see. But, tempting as 

 the opportunity is, I am not disposed to build up any 

 argument in favour of my own case upon this analogy, 

 curious,' interesting, and in many respects close, as it 

 is, for it takes no cognizance of certain profound and 

 essential differences between the physiological and the 

 political bodies. 



Much as the notion of a " social contract " has been 

 ridiculed, it nevertheless seems to be clear enough, that 

 all social organization whatever depends upon what is 

 substantially a contract, whether expressed or implied, 

 between the members of the society. No society ever 

 was, or ever can be, really held together by force. It 

 may seem a paradox to say that a slaveholder does not 

 make his slaves work by force, but by agreement. And 

 yet it is true. There is a contract between the two 

 which, if it were written out, would run in these terms : 

 " I undertake to feed, clothe, house, and not to kill, 

 flog, or otherwise maltreat you, Quashie, if you perform 

 a certain amount of work." Quashie, seeing no better 

 terms to be had, accepts the bargain, and goes to work 

 accordingly. A highwayman who garottes me, and 

 then clears out my pockets, robs me by force in the 

 strict sense of the words ; but if he puts a pistol to my 

 head and demands my money or my life, and I, prefer- 



