Jean-Jacques Rousseau · Complete work
Book III, Chapter 14
Book III, Chapter 14 of 49. Read it here for reference, or continue through the entire work without leaving the reader.
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A l’instant que le Peuple est légitimement assemblé en corps Souverain, toute jurisdiction du Gouvernement cesse, la puissance exécutive est suspendue, & la personne du dernier Citoyen est aussi sacrée & inviolable que celle du premier Magistrat, parce qu’où se trouve le Représenté, il n’y a plus de Représentant. La plupart des tumultes qui s’éleverent à Rome dans les comices vinrent d’avoir ignoré ou négligé cette regle. Les Consuls alors n’étoient que les Présidens du Peuple, les Tribuns de simples Orateurs, le Sénat n’étoit rien du tout.
Ces intervalles de suspension où le Prince reconnoit ou doit reconnoitre un supérieur actuel, lui ont toujours été redoutables, & ces assemblées du peuple, qui sont l’égide du corps politique & le frein du Gouvernement, ont été de tout tems l’horreur des chefs: aussi n’épargnent-ils jamais ni soins, ni objections, ni difficultés, ni promesses, pour en rebuter les Citoyens. Quand ceux-ci sont avares, lâches, pussillanimes, plus amoureux du repos que de la liberté, ils ne tiennent pas longtems contre les efforts redoublés du Gouvernement; c’est ainsi que la force résistante augmentant sans cesse, l’autorité Souveraine s’évanouit à la fin, & que la plupart des cités tombent & périssent avant le tems.
Mais entre l’autorité Souveraine & le Gouvernement arbitraire, il s’introduit quelquefois un pouvoir moyen dont il faut parler.
Musean translation
Mouseia’s complete machine-assisted Musean translation, made directly from the complete French text of the 1762 edition, all four books and the appendix for fidelity, the author’s force and cadence, and modern clarity.
Continuation.
The moment the people are lawfully assembled as the sovereign body, all jurisdiction of the government ceases, executive power is suspended, and the person of the humblest citizen is as sacred and inviolable as that of the highest magistrate; for where the represented is present, there is no longer a representative. Most of the tumults that arose at Rome in the comitia came from ignorance or neglect of this rule. The consuls were then merely presidents of the people, the tribunes mere speakers, and the Senate was nothing at all.
These intervals of suspension, when the prince recognizes, or ought to recognize, an actual superior, have always filled him with dread; and these assemblies of the people, the shield of the body politic and the curb upon government, have always been the horror of its chiefs. Thus they spare no effort, objection, obstacle, or promise to turn citizens away from them. When citizens are grasping, cowardly, fainthearted, more in love with repose than with liberty, they do not long withstand the government's repeated efforts; and thus, as the resisting force steadily grows, sovereign authority at last vanishes, and most cities fall and perish before their time.
But between sovereign authority and arbitrary government there sometimes arises an intermediate power, of which I must speak.
Plain English translation
Mouseia’s complete Plain English edition, made independently and directly from the complete French text of the 1762 edition, all four books and the appendix.
Continued.
As soon as the people lawfully assemble as the sovereign body, all government authority ceases and executive power is suspended. The least prominent citizen is then as sacred and inviolable as the highest magistrate, because where those represented are present, there is no longer any representative. Most of the disturbances that broke out in Rome during the voting assemblies came from ignorance or neglect of this rule. At such times the consuls were only presiding officers of the people, the tribunes were simply speakers, and the Senate was nothing at all.
These periods of suspension, when the prince recognizes, or ought to recognize, a superior who is actually present, have always frightened him. Assemblies of the people protect the political body and hold the government in check, so rulers have always dreaded them. They spare no effort, objection, obstacle, or promise to put citizens off attending. When citizens are greedy, cowardly, timid, and more attached to comfort than to freedom, they cannot hold out long against the government's repeated efforts. As the power resisting them steadily grows, sovereign authority finally disappears. That is how most city-states fall and perish before their time.
But between sovereign authority and arbitrary government, an intermediate power sometimes appears. I must discuss it.