Socialist Tradition

Chapter 4. Rousseau and Some Others

‘Répétons-le encore: Tous les maux sont à leur comble; ils ne peuvent plus empirer; ils ne peuvent se réparer que par un bouleversement total!!! Que tout se confonde donc!... que tous les élémens se brouillent, se mêlent et s’entrechoquent!... que tout rentre dans le cahos, et que du cahos sorte un monde nouveau et régénéré’ (p. 264).

This, it will be observed, is not Babeuf speaking; it is Buonarotti, writing in old age in 1828, recalling the discussions of the conspirators round about 1796, and he professes to be giving an account ‘aussi fidèle que me le permettent le laps du temps et le faible et unique secours de ma mémoire.’ Yet, almost textually he uses the words of Morelly, written in 1755. Putting aside the poets, not many authors receive such a compliment after 73 years.

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