Sophisms of the Protectionists

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Excerpt: ...which I permit myself to apply the name economical (utilitarian). Religious morality, to abolish and extirpate the maleficent act, appeals to its author, to man in his capacity of active agent. It says to him: "Reform yourself, purify yourself, cease to do evil, learn to do well, conquer your passions, sacrifice your interests, do not oppress your neighbor, to succor and relieve whom is your duty, be first just, then generous." This morality will always be the most beautiful, the most touching, that which will exhibit the human race in all its majesty, which will the best lend itself to the offices of eloquence, and will most excite the sympathy and admiration of mankind. Utilitarian morality works to the same end, but especially addresses itself to man in his capacity of passive agent. It points out to him the consequences of human actions, and, by this simple exhibition, stimulates him to struggle against those which injure, and to honor those which are useful to him. It aims to extend among the oppressed masses enough good sense, enlightenment and just defiance, to render oppression both difficult and dangerous. It may also be remarked that utilitarian morality is not without its influence upon the oppressor. An act of spoliation causes good and evil-evil for him who suffers it, good for him in whose favor it is exercised-else the act would not have been performed. But the good by no means compensates the evil. The evil always, and necessarily, predominates over the good, because the very fact of oppression occasions a loss of force, creates dangers, provokes reprisals, and requires costly precautions. The simple exhibition of these effects is not then limited to retaliation of the oppressed, it places all, whose hearts are not perverted, on the side of justice, and alarms the security of the oppressors themselves. But it is easy to understand that this morality which is simply a scientific demonstration, and would even lose its...