1

On Royal Government
By Reginald Garrigou-Lagrange
Translated by Andrew Strain
En un temps o la politique nest plus gure
considre comme une vertu, comme une
prudence ordonne promouvoir le bien
commun de la multitude, mais comme lart de
transiger pour aboutir, pour sauvegarder les
intrts dun parti, en opprimant souvent
llite des citoyens et en travaillant la ruine
dun pays, il est grandement utile de publier
une traduction du De Regimine Principum de
saint Thomas, tout au moins du livre Ier et des
quatre premiers chapitres du livre IIme, qui
sont certainement de lui.

In a time when politics is barely any longer

considered a virtueas a prudence ordained
to promote the common good of the
multitude, but rather as an art of compromise
to safeguard the interests of a partywhile
often oppressing the elite citizens and working
the ruin of a country, it is thus very useful to
publish a translation of the De Regimine
Principum of Saint Thomas, at least the first
book and the four first chapters of the second
book, which are certainly by him.

Le Docteur commun de l'glise remonte ici

aux premiers principes de la vie sociale et
politique. Il rappelle dabord la raison
profonde pour laquelle lhomme est un tre
sociable. Cest une de ses proprits, qui se
dduit de sa dfinition : animal raisonnable.
Dernire des intelligences, lintelligence de
lhomme natteint dabord son objet que dune
faon trs confuse et gnrale, et
ordinairement elle ne parviendrait pas sans le
secours dun matre aux connaissances
ncessaires une vie intellectuelle quelque
peu dveloppe, pas mme aux premiers
thormes de gomtrie, dont se sert
larpenteur pour ses travaux. Pascal enfant est
cit comme un gnie pour les avoir trouvs
par son propre effort sans le secours de
personne.

The common Doctor of the Church goes

back to the first principles of social and
political life. He recalls first the profound
reason for which man is a social being. It is
one of mans properties, which is deduced
from his definition: rational animal. Last of the
intelligences, the intelligence of man only
attains its object in a very confused and
general fashion. Ordinarily mans intelligence
does not reachwithout the aid of a master
the necessary knowledge for a somewhat
developed intellectual life, not even to the first
theorems of geometry which serve the land
surveyor in his works. The young Pascal is
cited as a genius for having found them by his
own effort without the aid of anyone.

Lhomme, dit saint Thomas, connat

naturellement ce dont il a besoin pour vivre,
mais seulement en gnral. Il peut ainsi, par sa
raison, au moyen des principes universels,
parvenir la connaissance des choses

Man, says Saint Thomas, knows naturally

that which he needs in order to live, but only
in general. He can in this way, by his reason,
by the way of universal principles, reach to the
knowledge of particular things necessary to

2
particulires ncessaires sa vie. Mais il nest
pas possible quun homme seul atteigne par sa
raison toutes les choses de cet ordre. Il est
donc ncessaire que les hommes vivent en
nombre pour sentraider, pour se consacrer
des occupations diverses, en rapport avec la
diversit de leurs talents ; lun par exemple
la mdecine, un autre ceci, un autre cela
Ch. Ier . Ce nest pas l un contrat social
librement consenti, cest une consquence
ncessaire de notre nature par suite lautorit
sociale, sans laquelle la vie en socit serait
impossible, vient de Dieu, auteur de la nature
humaine, bien quil appartienne aux hommes
de dsigner celui ou ceux qui dtiendront le
pouvoir.

his life. But it is not possible that a sole man by

his reason attain all the things of this order. It
is therefore necessary that men live together in
large numbers in order to mutually aid one
another, in order to consecrate themselves to
diverse occupations, in keeping with the
diversity of their talents; one for example to
medicine, another to this, another to that Ch.
1). This is not a social contract freely
consented to; it is a necessary consequence of
our nature. As a result social authority is also
necessary, without which life in society would
be impossible. Authority comes from God the
author of human nature, although it
appertains to men to designate the one or
those who hold it

Le but de la Socit ainsi constitue est par

consquent le bien commun, qui est suprieur
au bien propre de chacun, quoiquen dise
lindividualisme, mais qui ne doit cependant
pas labsorber, comme le prtend le
communisme. Ce bien commun de la
multitude est plus grand et plus divin que
celui dun seul. Ch. IX . Cest la paix, la
tranquillit de lordre dans la cit ou la nation.

The goal of society constituted in this way is

consequently the common good, which is
superior to the proper good of each
individual, despite what individualism claims.
The common good, nevertheless, ought not to
absorb the proper good as communism claims.
The common good of the multitude is greater
and more divine than that of an individual
(Ch. IX). It is peace, the tranquility of order in
the city or the nation.

Ce nest pas l seulement un bien utile, comme

celui poursuivi par lart du cuisinier, du
tailleur, de lhorloger ou du mdecin cest
un bien honnte, qui vaut par lui-mme, par
lordre moral quil implique, indpendamment
mme du plaisir et des utilits matrielles qui
en rsultent.

It is not only an instrumental good, like that

pursued by the art of the cook, the tailor,
watchmaker, or the doctor; it is an honest good,
which itself has worth, by the moral order that
it implies, independently even of the pleasure
and of the material utilities which result from
it.

Ce bien honnte est capable de spcifier non

pas seulement un art, mais une vertu et mme
des vertus minentes : la prudence des chefs
dtat, la prudence politique ncessaire tout
citoyen au moins pour bien voter, la justice
lgale ou sociale, lquit. Saint Thomas a
trait de chacune de ces vertus dans sa

This honest good is capable of specifying not

only an art, but also a virtue and even eminent
virtues: the prudence of the heads of state, the
political prudence necessary for every citizen
(at least in order to vote well) legal justice or
social justice, equity. Saint Thomas treated
each one of these virtues in his Summa

3
SommeThologique, IIa II, q. 50, a. 1, 2 ; q. 58,
a. 7 ; q. 120, a. 1, 2, et ces articles montrent
toute la porte de la doctrine expose dans
le de Regimine Principum.

Theologiae IIa IIae, q. 50, a. 1, 2; q. 58, a.7; q.

120, a.1,2 and these articles show the entire
range of the doctrine exposed in the de
Regimine Principum.

Ce bien honnte, objet de ces vertus

suprieures, est subordonn comme ces vertus
la religion, au culte d Dieu, et aux vertus
thologales ou proprement divines, qui nous
unissent Dieu et nous disposent ainsi la vie
de lternit.

This honest good, the object of those superior

virtues, is subordinated like those virtues to
religion, to the cult owed to God, and to the
theological or properly divine virtues, which
unite us to God and dispose us in this way to
eternal life.

Il sen suit quun gouvernement (regimen) est

bon dans la mesure o il parvient
promouvoir le bien commun de la multitude,
en maintenant lunit et lharmonie de la
socit, selon la subordination naturelle des
fins. Il est mauvais au contraire, sil poursuit
un bien particulier oppos au bien commun et
engendre ainsi la discorde.

As a result, a government (regimen) is good

according to the measure which it manages to
promote the common good of the multitude,
while maintaining the unity and harmony of
the society, according to the natural
subordination of ends. On the contrary, a
government is bad when it pursues a
particular good opposed to the common good
and in this way engenders discord.

Or, pour tendre vers une fin unique, surtout

lorsquelle est suprieure et difficile raliser
au milieu de beaucoup de causes de division,
il faut de lunit dans la direction, de lesprit
de suite. Cette unit dcuple les forces en les
faisant converger vers le mme but ; aussi tout
gouvernement tire-t-il sa force de son unit ; et
celle-ci doit tre affermie, on le sent bien, ds
quun peuple est menac par ses ennemis du
dehors ou du dedans. Lorsquau contraire
lesprit de suite fait dfaut, tant dans la
politique intrieure que dans la politique
extrieure, lorsque les ministres commencent
par dfaire luvre de leurs prdcesseurs, un
pays va vite sa ruine.

Now, in order to tend towards a unique end,

above all when it is superior and difficult to
realize in the midst of many causes of division,
it is necessary to have unity of direction and
consistency. This unity increases tenfold the
forces by making them converge towards the
same goal; all government also takes its force
from its unity; and this unity must be
strengthened, one senses it well, as soon as a
people is threatened by its enemies from the
outside or from the inside. When on the
contrary, consistency is lacking, in interior
politics as much as in exterior politics, when
the ministers commence by undoing the work
of their predecessors, a country goes quickly
to her ruin.

Il sen suit, dit saint Thomas Ch. III , que la

monarchie est le meilleur des
gouvernements , le plus un, le plus durable,
celui qui est le plus fort pour promouvoir le

It follows from this, says Saint Thomas Ch.

III , that monarchy is the best of
governments , the most one, the most durable,
the one which is the strongest in order to

4
bien commun ; la monarchie, dit-il ibid., est
meilleure que le rgime aristocratique et celuici meilleur que la rpublique . La mme
doctrine est conserve dans la Somme
Thologique o il est dit, Ia, q. 103, a. 3,
propos du gouvernement de lunivers :
Optima gubernatio est qu fit per unum . Le
meilleur gouvernement est celui dun seul. La
raison en est que gouverner cest diriger un
ensemble de sujets vers une fin, ou un bien. Or
le bien suppose lunit, comme le prouve
Boce en montrant que, de mme que tous les
tres dsirent leur bien, ainsi tous dsirent
lunit sans laquelle ils ne subsisteraient pas.
Nous voyons en effet que toute chose, dans la
mesure o elle est, rpugne se laisser diviser,
et sa dissolution provient toujours de quelque
dfaut ou corruption. Aussi ce quoi tend
lintention de celui qui gouverne la multitude,
cest lunit ou la paix. Or, ce qui de soi cause
lunit, cest ce qui est un. Plusieurs, en effet,
ne peuvent unir divers lments et concorder
entre eux, que si eux-mmes, dune certaine
manire sunissent. Ce qui par soi-mme
est un peut donc tre cause dunit, mieux que
plusieurs qui ont besoin de sunir. Cest
pourquoi la multitude est mieux gouverne
par un seul que par plusieurs.

promote the common good monarchy, he

says ibid., is better than the aristocratic
regime and this one is better than the
republic. The same doctrine in preserved in
his Summa Theologiae where it is said, Ia, q. 103,
a. 3, about the government of the universe:
Optima gubernatio est quae fit per unum. The
best government is the rule of one. The reason
why is that to govern is to direct a group of
subjects towards an end or a good. Yet the
good supposes unity, as Boethius proves by
showing that, just as all beings desire their
good, in this way they all desire unity without
which they would not exist. We see in effect
that all things, insofar as they exist, find
permitting themselves to be divided
repugnant, and their dissolution always comes
from some failing or corruption. Thus, what
aims the intention of the one who governs the
multitude is unity or peace. Yet, what of itself
causes unity is that which is one. Many, in
effect, can unite diverse elements and make
concord among them, only if they themselves
unite in a certain manner. What by itself is one
can therefore be a cause of unity better than
many who have need to unite themselves. This
is why the multitude is better governed by one
than by many.

Il est vrai, comme il est dit dans le prsent

ouvrage (Ch. III), quen vertu du
principe optimi corruptio pessima, la tyrannie est
pire que loligarchie, qui est la dgnrescence
du pouvoir aristocratique, et loligarchie est
pire que la dmocratie, qui est, selon la
terminologie de saint Thomas, laltration ou
la corruption de la rpublique.

It is true, as it is said in the present work (Ch.

III), that in virtue of the principle optimi
corruptio pessima, tyranny is worse than
oligarchy, which is the degeneration of
aristocratic power, and oligarchy is worse than
democracy, which is, according to the
terminology of Saint Thomas, the alteration or
the corruption of the republic.

Les mfaits de la tyrannie ne sont pas moins

bien nots Ch. III , dans lordre spirituel que
dans lordre temporel : Ceux qui
ambitionnent de commander plutt que de
contribuer lintrt gnral, paralysent tout

The ravages of tyranny are not less noted (Ch.

III), in the spiritual order than in the temporal
order Those whose ambition is to command
rather than to contribute to the general
interest, paralyze every development in their

5
essor chez leurs sujets : toute supriorit chez
ceux-ci leur donne le soupon dun prjudice
caus leur domination inique. Les tyrans
suspectent les bons plus que les mchants, et
toujours la vertu dautrui leur parat
redoutable. Les tyrans sappliquent touffer
chez leurs sujets lveil de cette grandeur
dme, fruit de la vertu, qui les empcherait de
supporter le joug de leur injuste domination .

subjects: any superiority among them gives

them the suspicion of a wrong caused by their
unjust domination. The tyrants suspect the
good more than the evil, and the virtue of the
other always seems frightening to them. The
tyrants apply themselves to stifling among
their subjects the awakening of that grandeur
of soul , the fruit of virtue, which would
prevent them from bearing the yoke of their
unjust domination

Saint Thomas ajoute cependant (Ch. V) que si

le gouvernement dun seul, en devenant
tyrannique, ne sacharne pourtant pas, sans
mesure aucune, contre la multitude tout
entire, il est encore prfrable aux autres. Le
gouvernement collectif, ds que la discorde
sintroduit en lui, tourne peut-tre plus
souvent, en effet, loppression. Il en rsulte
donc quil est plus avantageux de vivre sous
un roi. Cest le meilleur rgime. Nous
retrouvons la mme conclusion dans le Contra
Gentes, 1. IV, c. 76, n 4, propos du
gouvernement de lglise.

Saint Thomas adds however (Ch. V) that if the

government of one, becoming tyrannical, does
not furiously fight against the whole
multitude with any measure, it is still
preferable to the others. Collective
government, as soon as discord introduces
itself in it, turns perhaps more often, in effect,
to oppression. It results from this that it is
more advantageous to live under a king. It is
the best regime. We find the same conclusion
again in the Contra Gentes, 1. IV. C. 76, n. 4,
regarding the government of the Church.

Il importe seulement denlever la monarchie

loccasion de dgnrer en tyrannie. Pour cela,
dit saint Thomas (Ch. VI), le pouvoir royal
doit tre tempr. Cette ide est dveloppe
dans la Somme Thologique (Ia II q. 105,
a. 1) o il est montr quil convient quil y ait
au-dessous du roi une aristocratie dont les
membres sont lus par le peuple et peuvent
tre choisis dans le peuple lui-mme.

It is only necessary to remove from monarchy

the occasion to degenerate into a tyranny. In
order to do this, says Saint Thomas (Ch. VI),
the royal power must be tempered. This idea
is developed in the Summa Theologiae (Ia IIae q.
105, a. 1) where it is shown that below a king
there should be an aristocracy whose members
are elected by the people and can be chosen
from among the people themselves.

Saint Thomas (Sum. Theol. Ia II, q. 95, a. 4)

aprs avoir numr les diffrents rgimes et
le mode dinstitution des lois en chacun : 1
monarchie et constitutions des
princes ; 2 aristocratie et dcisions des sages,
ou snatus consultes ; 3 oligarchie et droit
prtorien ; 4 dmocratie et plbiscite ; 5
tyrannie sans justice et sans vritables lois,

Saint Thomas (Sum. Theol. Ia IIae q.95, a.4)

after having enumerated the different regimes
and the mode of institution of laws in each
1st monarchy and constitutions of princes ; 2nd
aristocracy and the decisions of the wise, or
decrees of the senate; 3rd oligarchy and
praetorian law; 4th democracy and plebiscite;
5th tyranny without justice and without true

6
ajoute : Est autem aliquod regimen ex istis
commixtum quod est optimum : et secundum hoc
sumitur lex, quam majores natu simul cum
plebibus sanxerunt , ut Isidorus dicit in
l. V. Etym, c. 10 . Cajetan dans son
commentaire entend cette dernire phrase en
ce sens que, bien que la monarchie soit le
meilleur des rgimes simples, le rgime mixte,
qui ct du roi fait une place laristocratie
et aux reprsentants du peuple, est le meilleur
non pas in ratione regiminis et simpliciter, mais
pour la bonne disposition des parties et dans
lordre des choses purement humaines.

lawadds Est autem aliquod regimen ex istis

commixtum quod est optimum: et secundum hoc
sumitur lex; quam majors natu simul cum plebibus
sanxerunt us Isidorus dicit in I. V. Etym, c. .
Cajetan in his commentary understands the
last sentence in the sense that, although
monarchy may be the best of the simple
regimes, the mixed regime, which next to the
king makes a place for the aristocracy and the
representatives of the people, is the best not in
ratione regiminis et simpliciter, but for the good
disposition of parties and in the order of
things purely human.

Il convient, en effet, que le gouvernement soit

officiellement inform de la varit des
besoins et des intrts des diffrentes branches
du commerce, de lindustrie, de lagriculture,
des arts et mme des diverses sciences, y
compris les sciences morales et politiques, sans
oublier les intrts ternels de la religion. Car
enfin la paix, que doit vouloir raliser et
maintenir tout gouvernement, est le rsultat
de la vie sociale bien rgle selon toutes les
manifestations que nous venons de dire. Le
bien commun, que saint Thomas exprime
assez souvent par les mots bene vivere, nest
pas seulement lordre de la vie conomique,
mais aussi celui de ce quil appelle vita
secundum virtutem. Ce bien commun, cest
lharmonie de la vie sociale dans toute son
amplitude et son lvation, cest la vie sociale
selon la vertu, surtout selon la sagesse, la
prudence et la justice, subordonne la
religion, qui nous rappelle constamment que
Dieu est la fin dernire de lhomme.

In effect, the government should be officially

informed about the variety of needs and
interests of the different branches of
commerce, industry, agriculture, the arts, and
even the diverse sciences, including the moral
and political sciences, without forgetting the
eternal interests of religion. For peace, which
all government should desire to achieve and
maintain, is the result of social life well ruled
according to all the manifestations that we
have just enumerated. The common good,
which Saint Thomas expresses quite often by
the words bene vivere, is not only the order of
economic life, but also that which he calls vita
secundum virtutem. This common good, it is the
harmony of social life in all its amplitude and
its elevation. It is social life according to virtue,
above all wisdom, prudence and justice,
subordinated to religion, which recalls
constantly that God is the last end of man.

Cest pourquoi sous lancien rgime en France,

les intrts des diffrentes classes de la socit
et des diffrentes rgions taient reprsents
par les corporations et leurs dlgus, par les
tats provinciaux et par les tats gnraux,
assemble du clerg, de la noblesse et du tiers-

It is why under lanien rgime in France, the

interests of the different classes of society and
of the different regions were represented by
the corporations and their delegates, by the
Estates Provincial, and by the Estates-General
assembled from the clergy, the nobility, and

7
tat.

the Third Estate.

Enfin, pour que le rgime monarchique ne

dgnre pas en tyrannie, il faut que le roi
conserve une haute ide du pouvoir qui lui
vient de Dieu. Aussi saint Thomas insiste-t-il
beaucoup sur les vertus ncessaires au roi. Ce
sont dabord la prudence (prudentia
regnativa), la justice et lquit, ordonnes au
bien commun. Mais cest aussi la grandeur
dme. Le roi doit tre un magnanime, qui
slve au-dessus du dsir, non seulement de
la volupt et des richesses, mais de la gloire et
des honneurs. Ces honneurs ne suffiraient
point du reste le rcompenser des graves
soucis de sa charge (Ch. VII). Le roi, avec un
grand esprit de foi, doit attendre sa
rcompense de Dieu (Ch. VIII) et seule la
possession de Dieu pourra le rendre vraiment
et pleinement heureux.

Lastly in order that the monarchic regime does

not degenerate into tyranny, the king must
preserve a high idea of the power which
comes to him from God. Also Saint Thomas
emphasizes the virtues necessary to a king.
They are first prudence (prudentia regnativa),
justice and equity, ordered to the common
good. But it is also the grandeur of soul. The
king must be a magnanimous man, who raises
himself above desire, not only of sensual
delights and riches, but also glory and honors.
These honors would not suffice at all anyways
to recompense the grave worries of his charge.
The king, with a great spirit of faith, must
await his recompense from God (Ch. VII) and
only the possession of God could make him
truly and fully happy.

Les rois prudents et justes, selon l'criture,

mritent de recevoir dans lautre vie une
rcompense minente, car une plus grande
vertu est requise pour gouverner un royaume,
que pour diriger une famille ou se diriger soimme, et saint Thomas, aime citer la parole
de Bias : le pouvoir rvle lhomme et
montre ce que vaut sa vertu. Un roi chrtien
qui travaille promouvoir le bien commun
temporel, en le subordonnant au bien spirituel
et surnaturel des mes, mrite donc une
grande rcompense dans lternit, et ds ici
bas, laffection profonde de ses sujets,
lattachement loyal et dvou jusquau
sacrifice de la vie. Par l son pouvoir est
affermi ; la paix, la tranquillit de lordre, est
maintenue pour que tous puissent vaquer
leurs travaux, accomplir leurs devoirs, et
suivre leur destine par la connaissance et
lamour de Dieu.

The prudent and just kings according to

Scripture merit to receive in the other life an
eminent recompense, since a greater virtue is
required to govern a kingdom, than to direct a
family or direct oneself. Saint Thomas, loves to
cite the words of ias the power reveals the
man and shows what his virtue is worth.
Christian king, who works to promote the
temporal common good, while subordinating
it to the spiritual and supernatural good of
souls, merits therefore a great recompense in
eternity, and from here below, the profound
affection of his subjects, including loyal and
devoted attachment up to the sacrifice of their
lives. His power thereby strengthened; peace,
the tranquility of order is maintained so that
all can attend to their work, accomplish their
duties, and follow their destiny through the
knowledge and love of God.

8
*
*

Telles sont les lignes gnrales de la partie de

cet ouvrage qui est de la main mme de saint
Thomas. Pour bien entendre cet enseignement,
relativement surtout la prudence politique, il
faut connatre ce qui est dit dans la Somme
Thologique, IIa II, q. 47, au sujet de la
prudence en gnral, de la rectitude
dintention quelle requiert et de ses trois
actes : le conseil qui commence la dlibration,
le jugement pratique qui la termine, et le
commandement ou imperium,qui prside
lexcution de la chose dcide.

Such are the general lines of the part of this

work which is written in Saint Thomass hand.
In order to understand well this teaching,
above all in relation to political prudence, one
must understand what is said in the Summa
Theologiae, IIa IIae, q. 47, on the subject of
prudence in general, about the rectitude of
intention it requires and of its three acts: the
counsel which begins deliberation, the
practical judgment which ends it, and the
command or imperium, which presides over
the execution of the thing decided.

Le conseil considre les divers moyens

capables de conduire une fin, et ici il importe
denvisager des moyens assez diffrents les
uns des autres, pour juger
ensuite en connaissance de cause lequel est
vraiment le meilleur. Il ne faut pas oublier que
ce moyen le meilleur nest pas toujours celui
qui se prsente tout dabord lesprit ; il
chappe souvent la considration du
vulgaire. Mme le chef dtat le plus
perspicace et le plus avis a besoin, cause de
cela, davoir ct de lui un conseil, compos
dhommes suprieurs et de comptence trs
varie. Il convient dy proposer des avis assez
diffrents les uns des autres, pour bien voir les
divers cts de chaque problme rsoudre et
peser le pour et le contre comme il convient.

Counsel considers the diverse means capable of

leading to an end, and here it should
independently envisage the quite different
means, in order to afterwards judge with full
knowledge which one is truly the best. One
must not forget that this best means is not
always the one which first presents itself to
our mind; it often escapes the consideration of
the vulgar. Even the most perspicacious and
wise head of state has a need, because of this,
to have at his side a council composed of
superior men of greatly varied competences. It
is suitable to propose there the quite different
opinions, one separate from another, in order
to see well the diverse sides of each problem to
resolve and weigh the pros and the cons as it
is fitting.

Mais il faut ensuite slever de cette

multiplicit davis lunit du jugement
pratique, qui discerne, parmi les divers moyens
proposs comme vraiment utiles, celui qui
est hic et nunc le meilleur. Ici il importe de ne
pas compromettre, par dinterminables
discussions entre les partis, lunit et la
rectitude du jugement pratique. Il importe de
sauvegarder, disions-nous plus haut, lesprit de

But afterwards one must raise from this

multiplicity of opinions the unity of practical
judgment, which discerns, among the diverse
means proposes as truly useful, the one which
is hic et nunc the best. Here it is important not
to compromise, by indeterminable discussions
among the parties, the unity and the rectitude
of practical judgment. It is important to
safeguard, as we said above, the consistency in

9
suite dans la politique intrieure et extrieure,
et cela non seulement pendant une courte
priode, mais durant toute lhistoire du
peuple, qui doit rester fidle son pass, son
gnie propre, pour conserver le trsor de ses
traditions et de sa vie.

interior and exterior politics. This should not

only be safeguarded during a short period, but
also for the whole history of the people, which
must rest faithful to their past, to their proper
genius, in order to conserve the treasure of
their traditions and of their life.

Pour arriver cette unit du jugement

pratique, lesprit de suite dans la direction
des affaires intrieures et extrieures et surtout
pour maintenir lefficacit
du commandement, qui est le troisime acte de
la prudence, il faut se rappeler ce que dit saint
Thomas dans le prsent ouvrage lordre des
agents correspond lordre des fins, et pour
atteindre cette fin suprieure, qui est le bien
commun dun peuple, pour maintenir son
unit et son harmonie au milieu de tant de
causes de division, il convient de recourir
une direction suprieure vraiment une et
persvrante.

In order to arrive at this unity of practical

judgment, consistency in the direction of
interior and exterior affairs and above all in
order to maintain the efficacy of command
which is the third act of prudenceone must
recall what Saint Thomas says in the present
work: the order of agents corresponds to the
order of ends, and in order to attain this
superior end, which is the common good of
the people, in order to maintain its unity and
its harmony in the midst of so many causes of
division, recourse should be had to a superior
direction truly one and persevering.

Notons du reste que limperium ou

commandement, qui dirige lexcution des
moyens pralablement choisis, procde en
sens inverse de la dlibration : au lieu de
descendre de la considration de la fin
atteindre celle des moyens subordonns
jusquau dernier de tous, il commence par
appliquer ce moyen infime et slve ensuite
peu peu aux moyens suprieurs capables de
raliser ou dobtenir la fin poursuivie : Finis est
primum in intentione et ultimum in executione.
De ce point de vue on comprend que dans
lordre dexcution, non dans celui dintention,
on puisse dire : politique dabord : pour
que la vie sociale soit possible, il faut que la
cit ou le pays soient habitables et que les
perturbateurs soient expulss ou mis la
raison.

We note, furthermore, that the imperium or

command, which directs the execution of the
means chosen beforehand, proceeds in the
reverse of the order of deliberation. In place of
descending from the consideration of the end
to be attained to that of the subordinated
means last of all, command begins by
applying this infirm means and raising it
afterwards little by little to the superior means
capable of obtaining the end pursued: Finis est
primum in intentione et ultimum in executione.
From this point of view one understands that
in the order of execution, but not in the order
of intention, one could say politique
dabord. On order that that social life may be
possible, the city or country must be habitable,
and the agitators must be expelled or brought
to reason.

Il faut. se rappeler aussi, comme lenseigne le

Docteur commun Ia II, q. 57, a. 5, concl., ad

It must be recalled also, as the Common

Doctor teaches it: (Ia IIae, q.. 57, a. 5, concl., ad

10
3m ; q. 58, a. 4 et 5 ; IIa II, q. 47, a. 1) que la
prudence, en ces trois actes, requiert la
rectitude de lapptit ou lintention droite,
cest--dire les vertus morales qui nous
rectifient vis--vis des principales fins morales
subordonnes : la justice, la force, la
temprance et les vertus annexes, y compris la
religion, lhumilit, la pnitence, la
magnanimit, la patience et la douceur. Nul ne
peut tre vraiment prudent sans ces vertus.
Sans elles et sans le tact quelles donnent, on
confond aisment humilit et faiblesse,
magnanimit et superbe, douceur et mollesse,
fermet et raideur. De mme, sans une
intention droite et efficace des fins morales, on
ne peut efficacement choisir et appliquer les
moyens capables de nous les faire atteindre ;
on ne parvient pas limperium droit et efficace
qui est lacte principal de la prudence.

3m; q. 58, a.4 and 5; IIa IIae, q. 47, a.1) that

prudence, in its three acts, requires the
rectitude of the appetite or right intention.
That is to say that prudence required moral
virtues which rectify us vis--vis the principal
subordinated moral ends: justice, courage,
temperance and the connected virtues,
including religion, humility, penitence,
magnanimity, patience, and mildness. No one
can be truly prudent without these virtues.
Without them and without the sensitivity
which they give, one easily confounds
humility and weakness, magnanimity and
pride, gentleness and softness, firmness and
rigidity. Likewise, without a right and
effective intention towards the moral ends,
one cannot efficaciously choose and
implement the means capable of making us
attain them. One will not reach the right and
efficacious imperium which is the principal act
of prudence.

Or, sil en est ainsi de la prudence dans la

conduite de la vie prive, plus forte raison en
est-il de mme quand il sagit, ce qui est plus
difficile, de gouverner un peuple entier. La
prudence politique ne saurait donc exister
sans la justice, lquit, la force et les autres
vertus qui font lquilibre de la vie politique
comme de la vie morale. Or, ces vraies vertus
sont rares, bien que beaucoup prtendent les
avoir, dit saint Thomas (Ch. VII) en rappelant
avec Salluste que lambition a contraint de
nombreux mortels la fausset la
simulation ou lhypocrisie. Par suite, tout
rgime qui favorise lambition des
dmagogues qui flattent le peuple pour arriver
au pouvoir, conduit au pharisasme politique
et la ruine, car il ny a dunion durable que
dans la vrit et la justice.

Now, if this is the case for prudence in the

conduct of private life, it is even more so when
it is a matter of what is more difficult:
governing an entire people. Political prudence,
therefore, cannot exist without justice equity,
courage, and the other virtues, which as in the
moral life also constitute the balance of
political life. Yet, although many claim to have
them, these true virtues are rare. Saint Thomas
says as much (Ch. VII) in recalling with Sallust
that ambition compels many to falsity to
simulation and hypocrisy. As a result, any
regime which favors the ambition of
demagogues and flatters the people in order to
arrive at power leads to political pharisaism
and ruin. There is only durable union in truth
and justice.

Cest pourquoi le rgime rpublicain pour

durer suppose une grande vertu et une grande

This is why the republican regime in order to

endure supposes great virtue and great

11
comptence dans les sujets, qui sont tous
appels participer par llection la direction
du pays. Sil sagit seulement dun canton dont
les intrts sont trs simples, ou dune
fdration de cantons, comme en Suisse, la
chose noffre pas grande difficult. Mais, sil
sagit dun grand peuple, aux intrts fort
complexes, dun peuple qui a non seulement
une vie conomique, mais une vie artistique et
intellectuelle suprieure et qui, au milieu de
causes multiples de division, doit sauvegarder
son unit et la continuit de ses traditions,
alors la difficult augmente terriblement.
Comment trouver dans les sujets, dont bon
nombre sont des paysans ou des ouvriers, la
comptence et la vertu ncessaires pour choisir
les hommes capables de rpondre aux
questions difficiles qui se posent, et qui
souvent droutent des jurisconsultes, des
financiers ou des diplomates de premier ordre.
Llection dsignera le plus souvent des
arrivistes, ambitieux incapables, qui
deviendront ministres, l o il faudrait un
Colbert, un Vauban ou un Louvois.

competence in its subjects, who are all called

to participate in the direction of the country
through elections. If it is a matter only of a
canton whose interests are very simple, or of a
federation of cantons, like in Switzerland, this
does not offer great difficulty. But if it s a
matter of a great people with very complex
interests, of a people who not only has an
economic life, but also an artistic life and a
superior intellectual life, and who in the midst
of multiple causes of division, must safeguard
their unity and the continuity of their
traditions, then the difficulty increases terribly.
How to find in the subjectswhom a
considerable number are farmers or workers
the competence and the virtue necessary to
choose men capable of responding to the
difficult questions which arise that often
disconcert legal experts, financiers, or the
diplomats of the first order. Election will most
often appoint the self-seeking, ambitious
incapables who will become ministers where
there should be a Colbert, a Vauban, or a
Louvois.

De ce point de vue un disciple de saint

Thomas aimait rsumer sa doctrine sur la
question de rgime en disant : Regimen
perfectum in ratione regiminis, scilicet
monarchia, est regimen imperfectorurn ; dum
regimen imperfectum, scilicet dmocratia, est
regimen perfectorum .

From this point of view a disciple of Saint

Thomas liked to summarize his doctrine on
the question of regime by saying Regimen
perfectum in ratione regiminis, scilicet monarchia
est regimen imperfectorum; dum regimen
imperfectum, scilicet democratia, est regimen
perfectorum.

La dmocratie est un rgime imparfait, comme

rgime in ratione regiminis, par suite du
manque dunit et de continuit dans la
direction des affaires intrieures et extrieures.
Aussi ce rgime ne convient-il quaux parfaits
dj capables de se diriger eux-mmes, assez
vertueux et comptents pour se prononcer
comme il convient sur les problmes fort
compliqus dont dpend la vie dun grand
peuple. Mais il est toujours vrai de dire

Democracy is an imperfect regime, as a regime

in ratione regiminis, as a result of the lack of
unity and continuity in the direction of interior
and exterior affairs. Also this regime should
only be for the perfect already capable of
directing themselvesthose virtuous and
competent enough to pronounce as is fitting
upon the very complicated problems on which
the life of a great people depends. But it is
always true to say as Saint Thomas noted that

12
comme le notait saint Thomas que ces
vertueux et ces comptents sont extrmement
rares ; et la dmocratie, supposant une telle
perfection chez les sujets, ne peut pas la leur
donner. A ce point de vue, elle est un peu en
politique ce quest le quitisme en spiritualit ;
elle suppose lhomme arriv lge adulte ou
ltat de perfection, alors quil nest peut-tre
encore quun enfant, et le traitant comme un
parfait, elle ne lui donne pas ce quil faut pour
le devenir.

these virtuous and competent men are

extremely rare; and democracy, supposing
such perfection among subjects, cannot give it
to them. From this point of view, democracy is
a bit in politics what quietism is in spirituality;
it supposes man has arrived, at the age or the
state of perfection, even though he still may be
a child. In treating him as a perfect person,
democracy does not give him what is required
to become one.

Puisque la vraie vertu, unie la vraie

comptence est chose rare parmi les hommes,
puisque la plupart dentre eux sont incapables
de gouverner, et quils ont besoin dtre
conduits, le rgime qui leur convient le mieux
est celui qui peut suppler leur imperfection.
Ce regimen perfectum in ratione regiminis,
raison de lunit, de la continuit, de
lefficacit de la direction vers une
fin une difficile raliser, cest la monarchie,
surtout une monarchie tempre, toujours
attentive aux diffrentes formes de lactivit
nationale. Mieux que la dmocratie ou que le
rgime fodal, elle assure la paix intrieure et
extrieure dune grande nation, et lui permet
de durer longtemps.

Since true virtue united to true competence is

a rare thing among men, since the majority
among them are incapable of governing and
they have a need of being led, the regime
which is the best for them is the one which can
make up for their imperfection. This regimen
perfectum in ratione regiminis, by reason of
unity, continuity, and efficacy of direction
towards a single end which is difficult to
achieve is monarchy. Above all a tempered
monarchy which is always attentive to the
different forms of national activity. It is better
than democracy or than the feudal regime.
Monarchy assures the interior and exterior
peace of a great nation, and permits her to
long endure.

Telle est la doctrine de saint Thomas, comme

le montre avec vidence le prsent ouvrage.
Limportance de ces ides apparat tous ceux
qui considrent que la paix intrieure et
extrieure dun peuple est une des principales
conditions de sa vie morale et religieuse. Ce
nest pas l une chose indiffrente ; il y a une
vrit dans lordre politique comme dans
lordre moral et dans lordre mtaphysique ; et
si lon ne peut pas toujours la dmontrer avec
vidence, il importe de sen rapprocher le plus
possible. Lunion durable des intelligences et
des volonts nest ralisable en effet que dans
le vrai, sans lequel il peut bien y avoir, selon la

Such is the doctrine of Saint Thomas, as the

present work shows. The importance of these
ideas will be apparent to all who understand
that the interior and exterior peace of a people
is one of the principle conditions of their moral
and religious life. It is not an indifferent thing;
there is truth in the political order as in the
moral order and in the metaphysical order. If
one cannot always demonstrate it with
evidence, it is important to come as close as
possible to it. The durable union of
intelligences and wills is only achievable, in
effect, in truth, without which there may well
bethe law of the multitudea collection of

13
loi du nombre, une collection dgosmes
toujours prts revendiquer une libert qui
dgnre en licence, mais sans lequel ne
sauraient exister la justice et le bien commun,
qui sont le principe et la fin de lordre social.

egoisms always ready to demand a liberty

which degenerates into license. Without this
union of intelligences and wills, justice and the
common good, which are the principle and the
end of the social order, cannot exist.
*

Sans doute, dira-t-on, mais saint Thomas

crivait au temps de saint Louis, lorsque la
France recevait les bienfaits dune monarchie
trs chrtienne, tempre par une aristocratie
terrienne conservatrice et par lorganisation
des communes, qui veillaient aux intrts du
peuple, dans les diffrentes rgions. Depuis
lors, les temps sont bien changs, beaucoup de
peuples, comme la France, vivent en
dmocratie, ils considrent le suffrage
universel comme une conqute, et, malgr les
inconvnients de ce suffrage (inconvnients
qui napparaissent bien qu llite , ils ne sont
pas prs dy renoncer. La question de fait est
par suite beaucoup plus complexe que celle de
principes ; il y a de la marge de la thorie la
pratique, des considrations abstraites aux
directions hic et nunc opportunes et efficaces.

Without a doubt, one will object that Saint

Thomas was writing at the time of Saint Louis,
when France was receiving the benefits of a
truly Christian monarchy, tempered by a
conservative aristocracy and by the
organization of communes, which watched
over interests of the people in the different
regions. Since then, the times have very much
changed; many people live in democracy as in
France. They consider universal suffrage as a
conquest, and, despite the inconveniences of
this suffrage (inconveniences which appear
only good to the elite), they are not about to
renounce them. The question of fact is
consequently much more complicated than
that of principles; there are from the margin of
theory to practice, from abstract
considerations to the directions hic et nunc
opportune and efficacious.

ien certainement, et cest ce qui explique la

grande prudence et la longanimit de l'glise
en ces questions, comme le montrent les
concordats cest pourquoi aussi un essai de
dictature dans un pays, mme lorsque
beaucoup le dsirent, ne doit tre tent qu
coup sr, sans quoi il pourrait faire plus de
mal que de bien.

This complexity is undoubtable, and it is this

which explains the great prudence and the
forbearance of the Church on these questions,
as the concordats show. It is also why an
attempt at dictatorship in a country, even
when many desire it, should only be
attempted if success is certain. Otherwise, it
could cause more evil than good.

Mais ce qui importe videmment, cest de

revenir la considration attentive des
principes que saint Thomas nonce dans ce
trait et dont bon nombre sappliquent tout
rgime lgitime. Ces principes relatifs au bien

But what is evidently important is to return to

the attentive consideration of the principles
that Saint Thomas lays down in this treatise, a
good number of which apply to any legitimate
regime. The principles relative to the common

14
commun et sa subordination la fin dernire
de lhomme sont ceux qui sopposent la
conception paenne de l'tat moderne, issu de
la Rvolution, cet tat qui veut slever audessus des organismes les plus naturels,
comme la famille, pour les asservir, et qui
souvent prtend imposer une obissance
aveugle des dcrets injustes et impies qui
nont plus de la loi que le nom.

good and to its subordination to the last end of

man are those which are opposed to the pagan
conception of the modern State, issued forth
from the Revolution. This State which desires
to raise itself above all the most natural
organisms, such as the family, in order to
enslave them, and which often intends to
impose a blind obedience to unjust and
impious decrees which are laws in name only.

Le Souverain Pontife, dans sa dernire

Encyclique sur la Royaut du Christ disait
prcisment contre cette conception
antichrtienne et antinaturelle de l'tat : Les
hommes runis en socit ne sont pas moins
sous la puissance du Christ que les
particuliers. Le bien priv et le bien commun
ont la mme source Que les chefs des
nations ne refusent donc pas de rendre par
eux-mmes et par le peuple la puissance du
Christ leurs hommages publics de respect et
dobissance, sils veulent, en sauvegardant
leur autorit, promouvoir et accrotre la
prosprit de la patrie ! Dieu et JsusChrist ayant t exclus de la lgislation et des
affaires publiques, et lautorit ne tirant plus
son origine de Dieu, mais des hommes,
crivions-Nous en gmissant au dbut de
Notre Pontificat, il arriva que les bases mmes
de lautorit furent renverses, ds l quon
supprimait la raison fondamentale du droit de
commander pour les uns, du devoir dobir
pour les autres Cest pourquoi, si les
hommes reconnaissent en particulier et en
public le pouvoir royal du Christ, il en rsulte
ncessairement des bienfaits incroyables, qui
pntrent aussitt la socit civile, comme une
juste libert, lordre et la tranquillit, la
concorde et la paix .

The Sovereign Pontiff, in his last encyclical on

the Kingship of Christ spoke precisely against
this anti-Christian and anti-natural conception
of the State Men reunited in society are not
less under the power of Christ than
individuals. The private good and the
common good have the same source The
heads of nations do no refuse therefore to give
by themselves and by the people to the power
of Christ their public homage of respect and
obedience, if they wish, while safeguarding
their authority, to promote and increase the
prosperity of the country !... God and Jesus
Christ having been excluded from the
legislation and public affairs, and authority no
longer taking its origin from God but from
men, We wrote, while weeping at the
beginning of Our pontificate, it has passed that
even the bases of authority have been
overturned, as soon as one suppresses the
fundamental reason of the right command for
some, the duty to obey for others is also
suppressed. This is why, if men recognize
in particular and in public the royal power of
Christ, unbelievable benefits will necessarily
result, which immediately penetrate civil
society, such as a just liberty, order and
tranquility, concord and peace.

Ce sont les fondements mmes de cette

doctrine, sans laquelle aucune forme de
gouvernement nest durable que le de Regimine

These are the same fundamentals of this

doctrine, without which no form of
government is durable that de Regimine

15
Principum expose excellemment, et cest par le
retour ces principes quon travaillera
efficacement lassainissement des
intelligences, sans lequel aucune restauration
de lordre social nest possible.

Principum excellently shows, and it is by the

return to these principles that one will work
efficaciously for the purification of
intelligences, without which any restoration of
the social order is not possible.