Up to that point, and not
further, its intervention is beneficial; beyond that point, it becomes
one of the evils it is intended to forestall. Such then, if the
common weal is to be looked after, the sole office of the State is,
1. to prevent constraint and, therefore, never to use it except to
prevent worse constraints;
2. to secure respect for each individual in his own physical and
moral domain; never to encroach on this except for that purpose and
then to withdraw immediately;
3. to abstain from all indiscreet meddling, and yet more, as far as
is practicable, without any sacrifice of public security;
4. to reduce old assessments, to exact only a minimum of subsidies
and services;
5. to gradually limit even useful action;
6. to set itself as few tasks as possible;
7. to let each one have all the room possible and the maximum of
initiative;
8. to slowly abandon monopolies;
9. to refrain from competition with private parties;
10. to rid itself of functions which these private parties can
fulfill equally well -
and we see that the limits assigned to the State by the public
interest (l'int?r?t commun) correspond to those stipulated by duty and
justice.
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