Chapter 74189–191

In atonement for his serfhood, it spared him the tax of self-denial, the tax of blood and the tax of his riches.

In the beginning, about six thousand years ago, this was absolutely true, and each individual was classed according to his nature. Afterwards it became a rigid and more and more arbitrary social convenience (according to birth), which completely ignored the true nature of the individual. It became a false conception and had to disappear. But gradually, with human progress, human activities are being classified more and more in a similar, less rigid but much truer way (according to each one’s nature and capacity).

7 November 1969 193 – The existence of poverty is the proof of an unjust and ill-organised society, and our public charities are but the first tardy awakening in the conscience of a robber.

194 – Valmikie, our ancient epic poet, includes among the signs of a just and enlightened state of society not only universal education, morality and spirituality but this also that there shall be “none who is compelled to eat coarse food, none uncrowned and unanointed, or who lives a mean and petty slave of luxuries.”

195 – The acceptance of poverty is noble and beneficial in a class or an individual, but it becomes fatal and pau-perises life of its richness and expansion if it is perversely organised into a general or national ideal.

196 – Poverty is no more a necessity of social life than disease of the natural body; false habits of life and an ignorance of our true organisation are in both cases the peccant causes of an avoidable disorder.