InnocountryinEuropehasthegreatsocialrevolutionwhichIhavebeendescribingmadesuchrapidprogressasinFrance;butithasalwaysbeenborneonbychance。TheheadsoftheStatehaveneverhadanyforethoughtforitsexigencies，anditsvictorieshavebeenobtainedwithouttheirconsentorwithouttheirknowledge。Themostpowerful，themostintelligent，andthemostmoralclassesofthenationhaveneverattemptedtoconnectthemselveswithitinordertoguideit。Thepeoplehasconsequentlybeenabandonedtoitswildpropensities，andithasgrownuplikethoseoutcastswhoreceivetheireducationinthepublicstreets，andwhoareunacquaintedwithaughtbutthevicesandwretchednessofsociety。Theexistenceofademocracywasseeminglyunknown，whenonasuddenittookpossessionofthesupremepower。Everythingwasthensubmittedtoitscaprices;itwasworshippedastheidolofstrength;until，whenitwasenfeebledbyitsownexcesses，thelegislatorconceivedtherashprojectofannihilatingitspower，insteadofinstructingitandcorrectingitsvices;noattemptwasmadetofitittogovern，butallwerebentonexcludingitfromthegovernment。
Theconsequenceofthishasbeenthatthedemocraticrevolutionhasbeeneffectedonlyinthematerialpartsofsociety，withoutthatconcomitantchangeinlaws，ideas，customs，andmannerswhichwasnecessarytorendersucharevolutionbeneficial。Wehavegottenademocracy，butwithouttheconditionswhichlessenitsvicesandrenderitsnaturaladvantagesmoreprominent;andalthoughwealreadyperceivetheevilsitbrings，weareignorantofthebenefitsitmayconfer。
WhilethepoweroftheCrown，supportedbythearistocracy，peaceablygovernedthenationsofEurope，societypossessed，inthemidstofitswretchedness，severaldifferentadvantageswhichcannowscarcelybeappreciatedorconceived。Thepowerofapartofhissubjectswasaninsurmountablebarriertothetyrannyoftheprince;andthemonarch，whofeltthealmostdivinecharacterwhichheenjoyedintheeyesofthemultitude，derivedamotiveforthejustuseofhispowerfromtherespectwhichheinspired。Highastheywereplacedabovethepeople，thenoblescouldnotbuttakethatcalmandbenevolentinterestinitsfatewhichtheshepherdfeelstowardshisflock;andwithoutacknowledgingthepoorastheirequals，theywatchedoverthedestinyofthosewhosewelfareProvidencehadentrustedtotheircare。Thepeopleneverhavingconceivedtheideaofasocialconditiondifferentfromitsown，andentertainingnoexpectationofeverrankingwithitschiefs，receivedbenefitsfromthemwithoutdiscussingtheirrights。Itgrewattachedtothemwhentheywereclementandjust，anditsubmittedwithoutresistanceorservilitytotheirexactions，astotheinevitablevisitationsofthearmofGod。Custom，andthemannersofthetime，hadmoreovercreatedaspeciesoflawinthemidstofviolence，andestablishedcertainlimitstooppression。Asthenobleneversuspectedthatanyonewouldattempttodeprivehimoftheprivilegeswhichhebelievedtobelegitimate，andastheserflookeduponhisowninferiorityasaconsequenceoftheimmutableorderofnature，itiseasytoimaginethatamutualexchangeofgood—willtookplacebetweentwoclassessodifferentlygiftedbyfate。Inequalityandwretchednesswerethentobefoundinsociety;butthesoulsofneitherrankofmenweredegraded。Menarenotcorruptedbytheexerciseofpowerordebasedbythehabitofobedience，butbytheexerciseofapowerwhichtheybelievetobeillegalandbyobediencetoarulewhichtheyconsidertobeusurpedandoppressive。Ononesidewaswealth，strength，andleisure，accompaniedbytherefinementsofluxury，theeleganceoftaste，thepleasuresofwit，andthereligionofart。Ontheotherwaslaborandarudeignorance;butinthemidstofthiscoarseandignorantmultitudeitwasnotuncommontomeetwithenergeticpassions，generoussentiments，profoundreligiousconvictions，andindependentvirtues。ThebodyofaStatethusorganizedmightboastofitsstability，itspower，and，aboveall，ofitsglory。
Butthesceneisnowchanged，andgraduallythetworanksmingle;thedivisionswhichonceseveredmankindarelowered，propertyisdivided，powerisheldincommon，thelightofintelligencespreads，andthecapacitiesofallclassesareequallycultivated;theStatebecomesdemocratic，andtheempireofdemocracyisslowlyandpeaceablyintroducedintotheinstitutionsandthemannersofthenation。Icanconceiveasocietyinwhichallmenwouldprofessanequalattachmentandrespectforthelawsofwhichtheyarethecommonauthors;inwhichtheauthorityoftheStatewouldberespectedasnecessary，thoughnotasdivine;andtheloyaltyofthesubjecttoitschiefmagistratewouldnotbeapassion，butaquietandrationalpersuasion。Everyindividualbeinginthepossessionofrightswhichheissuretoretain，akindofmanlyrelianceandreciprocalcourtesywouldarisebetweenallclasses，alikeremovedfromprideandmeanness。Thepeople，wellacquaintedwithitstrueinterests，wouldallowthatinordertoprofitbytheadvantagesofsocietyitisnecessarytosatisfyitsdemands。
Inthisstateofthingsthevoluntaryassociationofthecitizensmightsupplytheindividualexertionsofthenobles，andthecommunitywouldbealikeprotectedfromanarchyandfromoppression。