Gurdjieff – A Sketch
The text below is an excerpt from The 1931 Manuscript of Beelzebub’s Tales. It is unusual ast there is no parallel text to be found in the final published version of the Tales. It could perhaps be argued that this topic is treated in great detail in Book 3, Chapter XLIII, Beelzebub’s Opinion of War. Certainly, it is the case that different forms of government are discussed there, but mysteriously, Monarchy is never mentioned where it’s, it is in the passage below. This passage came into sight when we were preparing the publication of Beelzebub’s Tales: Book Two, The Side by Side Comparison (click here for more details).
“The mode of existence of European social organizations differs very little from that of the beings of that large social organization, Russia; and the difference is merely the difference between certain customs, existing in the beings of the various social organizations which were formed and strengthened in their psyche, in course of time.
“By the way, the duration of the existence of some of the social organizations really plays a great part in the formation of good customs. Unfortunately, however, no social organization on Earth exists long, owing always to the same peculiarity existing on that unfortunate planet; that is, the existence among them of the property of mutual destruction, or, as I have already told you, war.
“As soon as good conditions for a mechanical existence begin to be established in some social organization, either a war speedily puts an end to the customs acquired during centuries, or the social organization falls under the influence of some other, having nothing in common with its former model. Good customs acquired perhaps during centuries, are thus very soon replaced by others, mostly immature, and good only for a day.
“But the change of influence nearly always depends, as I have remarked, not on the beings of the social organizations themselves, but upon its king. Having himself fallen under somebody’s influence, a king tries to copy the customs belonging to him; and the beings of his social organization naturally try to do the same. It can therefore be said that only the king of the social organization is to blame. But why such a king is king depends on the manner of his election.
“In short, on that planet Earth, as the wise Mullah Nassr Eddin says: ‘If the mane is pulled the tail will drop, and if the tail is pulled the mane will drop.’ The beings of the social organization are as they are because the king is as he is; and the king is as he is, because the beings are as they are.
“From the beginning of these beings’ existence, I saw amongst them to my regret, only two methods of electing a king, or as they call it, two forms of state organization, namely—an hereditary monarchy, and an elective republic. There were no other kinds.
“Either of these was replaced by the other with only modifications in detail. In an hereditary monarchy, even if the first emperor happened to be clever, he soon died, owing to the general brevity of existence on Earth, and his place was inherited by his son, or by one of his relations. Even if his first successor happened to be clever, it was all the same, since one of his ultimate successors would be bound to be either stupid or weak. In that case, he would quickly be surrounded by ordinary beings who are egoists to the marrow of their bones; and each would begin to extract from the government of the social organization some profit for himself and his friends. Everybody else, as well would certainly do his best to make this weak or stupid emperor do something profitable to himself or his friends.
“As regards the second method, the case is still worse. In the first form, the smaller mechanism of the government can at least sometimes continue automatically; but in the second form, even this is impossible, because in this kind of state government there appear hosts of petty beings, greedy egoists of smaller degree, who were never accustomed to be even mechanically just towards others.
“The second method is elective; the choice being determined by a majority of votes. Those chosen are well known and well spoken of in their social relations. It is very easy on that planet to become well spoken of, owing to many of the properties of the beings, and to their established customs.
“As I already told you, their duality is very sharply defined. Essence is one thing and mind and conscience quite different. Mind and conscience are inner things that cannot be seen. However bad they may be, they can be hidden very well. They even say that you have to live a long time with a man and eat a hundred pounds of salt with him before you can know him; it is only his exterior that these beings can discern.
“For instance, on their newly discovered continent America, there exists at the present time a republican state organization, the chief of which is called a President, who is elected for four years.
“The last time I was on that planet, I knew of a being there, who was a scoundrel of the deepest dye; his father and grandfather must have been the same since they left him a large fortune. With this fortune, he, being, as I have said, a scoundrel, made another and greater; and at the present time he is considered one of the richest men of this America.
The weaknesses and defects of these beings increase or diminish together proportionately, so that with the increase of this being’s greed his vanity also increased. Thanks to which he aspired to become the very first man in America, namely, the President. And, as I have already told you, a man is chosen President who is known, and whose ‘good’ works are much spoken of.
“This being having decided to become famous, he wished that other beings should talk a great deal about him and his works. And having heaps of money he set in motion the machinery which makes beings famous and talked about. Since these beings approve of those engaged in charity, he became charitable. What did it cost him to return a millionth part of his wealth to those from whose sinews he had wrung it? Beings, again, like somebody whose name is often mentioned; and it was a trifle for him to buy several newspapers in which his name and his doings could often appear.
These beings prefer also those who are successful in business; so this being began to extend the sphere of his commercial activities, in order to make still more money. What did it cost him? He had not to work or run his business himself. For that very purpose, poor beings exist; perhaps, a thousand times cleverer than he. They will do everything and at least not worse than he himself. Of such beings of every specialty, there are far too many; thousands flock round every wealthy being. All he would have to do would be occasionally to sign some important document.
“When I left that planet the name of this scoundrel was booming throughout all America, and, to a certain extent on the other continents as well. He will, of course, be elected President, sooner or later, whereupon he will govern that land of many millions of beings. The smaller posts under him will naturally be taken by those near to him, egoists and greedy scoundrels like himself, but of a lesser degree. And this cozy little company will govern the destinies of these millions of beings.
“Presidents will change from time to time, until finally a big revolution of the masses will take place; whereupon the form of government itself will be changed, to that of a republic of some peculiarity; or to a monarchy, either of which will last until the next great revolution—and so on without end.