CHAPTER II

THE SOCIAL ASPECT OF POSITIVISM 64

The relation of Positivism to the French Revolution--The negative or destructive phase of the Revolution stimulated the desire of Progress, and consequently the study of social phenomena--The constructive phase of the Revolution. The first attempts to construct failed, being based on destructive principles--Counter-revolution from 1794 to 1830--Political stagnation between 1830 and 1848--The present position, 1848-1850. Republicanism involves the great principle of subordinating Politics to Morals--It gives prominence to the problem of reconciling Order and Progress--It brings the metaphysical revolutionary schools into discredit--And it proves to all the necessity of a true spiritual power; a body of thinkers whose business is to study and to teach principles, holding aloof from political action--The need of a spiritual power is common to the whole Republic of Western Europe--This Republic consists of the Italian, Spanish, British, and German populations, grouped round France as their centre--Relation of Positivism to the mediæval system, to which we owe the first attempt to separate Spiritual from Temporal power--But the mediæval attempt was premature; and Positivism will renew and complete it--The Ethical system of Positivism--Subjection of Self-love to Social love is the great ethical problem. The Social state of itself favours this result; but it may be hastened by organized and conscious effort--Intermediate between Self-love and universal Benevolence are the domestic affections: filial, fraternal, conjugal, paternal--Personal virtues placed upon a social basis--Moral education consists partly of scientific demonstration of ethical truth, but still more of culture of the higher sympathies--Organization of Public Opinion--Commemoration of great men--The political motto of Positivism: Order and Progress--Progress, the development of Order--Analysis of Progress: material, physical, intellectual, and moral--Application of our principles to actual politics. All government must for the present be provisional--Danger of attempting political reconstruction before spiritual--Politically what is wanted is Dictatorship, with liberty of speech and discussion--Such a dictatorship would be a step towards the separation of spiritual and temporal power--The motto of 1830, _Liberty and Public Order_--Liberty should be extended to Education--Order demands centralization--Intimate connexion of Liberty with Order.