Note 90 — III The ‘Clerks’—The Great Betrayal

Similarly with the writer—Machiavelli, who writes for his peers, can allow himself the luxury of not being a moralist; Maurras who writes for crowds cannot do so. No one writes with impunity in a democracy. Moreover, a political activity which is supported by moral activity proves that it understands the true conditions of its success. A master in these matters says: ‘There can be no profound political reform unless religion and morality are also reformed.’ (Hegel.) Clearly the particular influence of the Action Française among all other conservative organs is due to the fact that its political movement is supported by a moral teaching, although other interests oblige it to deny this.