i.] ADMINISTRATIVE NIHILISM, 29 



State rest upon the same basis as those of an individual. 

 If any number of States agree to observe a common set 

 of international laws, they have, in fact, set up a sove- 

 reign authority or supra-national government, the end 

 of which, like that of all governments, is the good of 

 mankind ; and the possession of as much freedom by 

 each State, as is consistent with the attainment of that 

 end. But there is this difference : that the government 

 thus set up over nations is ideal, and has no concrete 

 representative of the sovereign power ; whence the only 

 way of settling any dispute finally is to fight it out. 

 Thus the supra-national society is continually in danger 

 of returning to the state of nature, in which contracts 

 are void ; and the possibility of this contingency justifies 

 a government in restricting the liberty of its subjects in 

 many ways that would otherwise be unjustifiable. 



Finally, with respect to the advancement of science 

 and art. I have never yet had the good fortune to hear 

 any valid reason alleged why that corporation of indi- 

 viduals we call the State may not do what voluntary 

 effort fails in doing, either from want of intelligence or 

 lack of will. And here it cannot be alleged that the 

 action of the State is always hurtful. On the contrary, 

 in every country in Europe, universities, public libraries, 

 picture galleries, museums, and laboratories, have been 

 established by the State, and have done infinite service 

 to the intellectual and moral progress and the refine- 

 ment of mankind. 



A few days ago I received from one of the most eminent 

 members of the Institut of France a pamphlet entitled 

 " Pourquoi la France n'a pas trouve d'hommes superieurs 

 au moment du peril." The writer, M. Pasteur, has no 

 doubt that the cause of the astounding collapse of his 

 countrymen is to be sought in the miserable neglect of 

 the higher branches of culture, which has been one of 



