IX GOVERNMENT 4<)1 



wicked, the sanctity of the social contract and of 

 the laws. These are the positive doctrines of the 

 Rousseauite creed. Of negative dogmas there is 

 only one, and the reader may be surprised to learn 

 that it enjoins the repression of intolerance. Hav- I 

 ing banished unbelievers in the State creed and 

 put to death lapsed believers, Rousseau thanks 

 God that he is not as those publicans, the devotees 

 of " les cultes que nous avons exclus " intolerant. 

 Does he not proclaim that all religions which toler- 

 ate others should themselves be tolerated ? Yet the 

 qualificatory provision, " so far as their dogmas 

 are in no way contrary to the duties of the citizen," 

 would seem to effect a considerable reduction in 

 the State toleration of the tolerators ; since, as we 

 have just seen, it is obligatory on the citizen to 

 profess the State creed. 



Whether Rousseau used the works of Morelly 

 and of Mably, as he did those of Hobbes and 

 Locke, and whether his reputation for political 

 originality is not of that cheap and easy sort which 

 is won by sedulously ignoring those who have been 

 unmannerly enough to anticipate us, need not be 

 discussed. At any rate, important works of both 

 these authors, in which the principles to be found 

 in the essay on the " Social Contract " are made 

 the foundation of complete schemes of regimental 

 socialism., with community of goods, were published 

 earlier than that essay. Robespierre and St. Just 

 went as far as Rousseau in the direction of enfore- 



VOL. I 1> " 



