ABSTRACT
SorelwentbacktoMachiavelliinseeingself-interestasanoperativeforceinthepoliticallifeofthenation,nolessthanintheeconomy,inthefunctioningoftheStatenolessthaninrelationsofproduction.Itwaslikewiseaservicetopoliticalethicsthathedrewthe consequencesofthisinsight,theneedforasocialisttheoryofgovernmentaswellasasocialisttheoryofeconomy.Theledgerwouldhoweverbeincompletewithoutadebitentry.ForSorelattributedto wrongcausesthisconflictbetweenprivatepowerandpublicpower. HesawitintheemploymentbysocialistsoftheideologyandphilosophyofEnlightenmentratherthaninthecomingintobeingofnew objectivefactors,suchasanincreasedrateofsocialmobility,the growthofnewmarketareasandtheshifttogovernmentregulation ofeconomicfluctuations.
