CHAPTER XVII: THE INSTITUTION OF GOVERNMENT
第17章: 政府の制度

 Under what general idea then should the act by which government is instituted be conceived as falling?
fall (分類される) [動] be included or placed in a category
では、政府が設立される行為は、どのような一般的な考えの下に分類されるべきだろうか?
I will begin by stating that the act is complex, as being composed of two others—the establishment' of the law and its execution.
complex (複雑な) [形] having many parts and being difficult to understand
compose (成り立つ) [動] be made up of
まず、この行為は、法律の制定とその執行という二つの行為から成り立っているため、複雑なものであることを述べておきたい。

 By the former, the Sovereign decrees that there shall be a governing body established in this or that form;
by the former (前者によって) [名] the first of two things mentioned
decree (命じる) [動] issue a decree or order
governing body (統治機関) [名] a group of people with authority to govern
establish (設立する) [動] set up on a firm or permanent basis
前者によって、主権者は、この形態またはあの形態で統治機関が設立されることを命じる。
this act is clearly a law.
この行為は明らかに法律である。

 By the latter, the people nominates the rulers who are to be entrusted with the government that has been established.
後者によって、国民は、設立された政府を委任される統治者を指名する。
This nomination, being a particular act, is clearly not a second law, but merely a consequence of the first and a function of government.
nomination (指名) [名] the action of officially choosing someone for a job or position
この指名は、特定の行為であるため、明らかに第二の法律ではなく、単に第一の法律の結果であり、政府の機能である。

 The difficulty is to understand how there can be a governmental act before government exists, and how the people, which is only Sovereign or subject, can, under certain circumstances, become a prince or magistrate.
難しいのは、政府が存在する前にどのように政府の行為があり得るのか、そして、主権者または臣民にすぎない国民が、特定の状況下でどのように君主または行政官になることができるのかを理解することである。

 It is at this point that there is revealed one of the astonishing properties of the body politic, by means of which it reconciles apparently contradictory operations;
at this point (この時点で) [副] at this moment in time
reveal (明らかにする) [動] make known or public
astonishing (驚くべき) [形] causing a great deal of surprise or wonder
property (性質) [名] a quality or feature belonging typically to a person, place, or thing and serving to identify it
reconcile (調和させる) [動] make or become friendly again after an argument or disagreement
apparently (明らかに) [副] used to convey that something is obvious or easily perceived
operation (活動) [名] an action that is carried out
この時点で、政治体制の驚くべき性質の1つが明らかになり、それによって明らかに矛盾する活動を調和させる。
for this is accomplished by a sudden conversion of Sovereignty into democracy, so that, without sensible change, and merely by virtue of a new relation of all to all, the citizens become magistrates and pass from general to particular acts, from legislation to the execution of the law.
accomplish (達成する) [動] to succeed in doing something
conversion (転換) [名] a change from one thing to another
so that (それによって) [接] with the result that
virtue (おかげ) [名] a good or moral quality
なぜなら、これは主権の民主主義への突然の転換によって達成されるからであり、それによって、賢明な変化なしに、そして単にすべてとすべての新しい関係のおかげで、市民は行政官となり、一般的な行為から特定の行為へと、立法から法律の執行へと移行する。

 This changed relation is no speculative subtlety without instances in practice: it happens every day in the English Parliament, where, on certain occasions, the Lower House resolves itself into Grand Committee, for the better discussion of affairs, and thus, from being at one moment a sovereign court, becomes at the next a mere commission;
speculative (思弁的な) [形] involving or based on a theory rather than practical experience
subtlety (微妙さ) [名] the quality of being difficult to understand or describe
practice (実際に) [名] the actual application or use of an idea, belief, or method
English Parliament (英国議会) [名] the legislature of the United Kingdom
Lower House (下院) [名] the lower house of a bicameral legislature
Grand Committee (大委員会) [名] a committee of the whole House of Commons
discussion (議論) [名] a conversation or debate about a particular topic
thus (したがって) [副] as a result or consequence of this; therefore
one moment (ある瞬間) [名] a very brief period of time
court (裁判所) [名] a place where people are tried for crimes
この変化した関係は、実際には例のない思弁的な微妙さではない。それは英国議会で毎日起こっており、そこでは、特定の機会に、下院は事柄のより良い議論のために大委員会に自らを解決し、したがって、ある瞬間に主権裁判所であることから、次の瞬間には単なる委員会になる。
so that subsequently it reports to itself, as House of Commons, the result of its proceedings in Grand Committee, and debates over again under one name what it has already settled under another.
House of Commons (下院) [名] the lower house of the British parliament
settle (決着する) [動] reach an agreement about something
その後、下院として大委員会での議事録の結果を報告し、すでに別の委員会で決着した内容を1つの名称で再び議論する。

 It is, indeed, the peculiar advantage of democratic government that it can be established in actuality by a simple act of the general will.
peculiar (独特の) [形] strange or unusual
democratic government (民主主義政府) [名] a system of government by the whole population or all the eligible members of a state
actuality (現実) [名] the state or quality of being actual or real
実際、民主主義政府の独特の利点は、一般意志の単純な行為によって実際に確立できることである。
Subsequently, this provisional government remains in power, if this form is adopted, or else establishes in the name of the Sovereign the government that is prescribed by law;
provisional (暫定的な) [形] arranged or existing for the present, possibly to be changed later
else (そうでなければ) [接] if not; otherwise
その後、この暫定政府は、この形式が採用された場合は権力を維持し、そうでなければ主権者の名において法律で定められた政府を設立する。
and thus the whole proceeding is regular.
proceeding (手続き) [名] a course of action
regular (正規の) [形] conforming to a standard or norm
こうして、すべての手続きが正規のものとなる。
It is impossible to set up government in any other manner legitimately and in accordance with the principles so far laid down.
any other manner (他の方法) [名] a different way
これまでに定められた原則に従って合法的に政府を設立することは、他の方法では不可能である。