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dimly the passions and promises of their electoral campaign； they come to
feel it an essential part of statesmanship to consider what are called the
interests of the community as a whole； rather than those of some
discontented group； but the interests of the community as a whole are
sufficiently vague to be easily seen to coincide with self…interest。 All these
causes lead Parliaments to betray the people； consciously or unconsciously；
and it is no wonder if they have produced a certain aloofness from
democratic theory in the more vigorous champions of labor。
Majority rule； as it exists in large States； is subject to the fatal defect
that； in a very great number of questions； only a fraction of the nation have
any direct interest or knowledge； yet the others have an equal voice in
their settlement。 When people have no direct interest in a question they are
very apt to be influenced by irrelevant considerations； this is shown in the
extraordinary reluctance to grant autonomy to subordinate nations or
groups。 For this reason； it is very dangerous to allow the nation as a whole
to decide on matters which concern only a small section； whether that
section be geographical or industrial or defined in any other way。 The best
cure for this evil； so far as can be seen at present； lies in allowing self…
government to every important group within a nation in all matters that
affect that group much more than they affect the rest of the community。
The government of a group； chosen by the group； will be far more in touch
with its constituents； far more conscious of their interests； than a remote
Parliament nominally representing the whole country。 The most original
idea in Syndicalism adopted and developed by the Guild Socialistsis
the idea of making industries self…governing units so far as their internal
affairs are concerned。 By this method； extended also to such other groups
as have clearly separable interests； the evils which have shown themselves
in representative democracy can； I believe； be largely overcome。
Guild Socialists； as we have seen； have another suggestion； growing
naturally out of the autonomy of industrial guilds； by which they hope to
limit the power of the State and help to preserve individual liberty。 They
propose that； in addition to Parliament； elected （as at present） on a
territorial basis and representing the community as consumers； there shall
also be a ‘‘Guild Congress；'' a glorified successor of the present Trade
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Union Congress； which shall consist of representatives chosen by the
Guilds； and shall represent the community as producers。
This method of diminishing the excessive power of the State has been
attractively set forth by Mr。 G。 D。 H。 Cole in his ‘‘Self…Government in
Industry。''＇54＇ ‘‘Where now；'' he says； ‘‘the State passes a Factory Act； or a
Coal Mines Regulation Act； the Guild Congress of the future will pass
such Acts； and its power of enforcing them will be the same as that of the
State'' （p。 98）。 His ultimate ground for advocating this system is that； in his
opinion； it will tend to preserve individual liberty： ‘‘The fundamental
reason for the preservation； in a democratic Society； of both the industrial
and the political forms of Social organization is； it seems to me； that only
by dividing the vast power now wielded by industrial capitalism can the
individual hope to be free'' （p。 91）。
＇54＇ Bell； 1917。
Will the system suggested by Mr。 Cole have this result？ I think it is
clear that it would； in this respect； be an improvement on the existing
system。 Representative government cannot but be improved by any
method which brings the representatives into closer touch with the
interests concerned in their legislation； and this advantage probably would
be secured by handing over questions of production to the Guild Congress。
But if； in spite of the safeguards proposed by the Guild Socialists； the
Guild Congress became all…powerful in such questions； if resistance to its
will by a Guild which felt ill…used became practically hopeless； I fear that
the evils now connected with the omnipotence of the State would soon
reappear。 Trade Union officials； as soon as they become part of the
governing forces in the country； tend to become autocratic and
conservative； they lose touch with their constituents and gravitate； by a
psychological sympathy； into co…operation with the powers that be。 Their
formal installation in authority through the Guilds Congress would
accelerate this process。 They would soon tend to combine； in effect if not
obviously； with those who wield authority in Parliament。 Apart from
occasional conflicts； comparable to the rivalry of opposing financiers
which now sometimes disturbs the harmony of the capitalist world； there
would； at most times； be agreement between the dominant personalities in
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the two Houses。 And such harmony would filch away from the individual
the liberty which he had hoped to secure by the quarrels of his masters。
There is no method； if we are not mistaken； by which a body
representing the whole community； whether as producers or consumers or
both； can alone be a sufficient guardian of individual liberty。 The only way
of preserving sufficient liberty （and even this will be inadequate in the
case of very small minorities） is the organization of citizens with special
interests into groups； determined to preserve autonomy as regards their
internal affairs； willing to resist interference by a strike if necessary； and
sufficiently powerful （either in themselves or through their power of
appealing to public sympathy） to be able to resist the organized forces of
government successfully when their cause is such as many men think just。
If this method is to be successful we must have not only suitable
organizations but also a diffused respect for liberty； and an absence of
submissiveness to government both in theory and practice。 Some risk of
disorder there must be in such a society； but this risk is as nothing
compared to the danger of stagnation which is inseparable from an all…
powerful central authority。
We may now sum up our discussion of the powers of Government。
The State； in spite of what Anarchists urge； seems a necessary
institution for certain purposes。 Peace and war； tariffs； regulation of
sanitary conditions and of the sale of noxious drugs； the preservation of a
just system of distribution： these； among others； are functions which could
hardly be performed in a community in which there was no central
government。 Take； for example； the liquor traffic； or the opium traffic in
China。 If alcohol could be obtained at cost price without taxation； still
more if it could be obtained for nothing； as Anarchists presumably desire；
can we believe that there would not be a great and disastrous increase of
drunkenness？ China was brought to the verge of ruin by opium； and every
patriotic Chinaman desired to see the traffic in opium restricted。 In such
matters freedom is not a panacea； and some degree of legal restriction
seems imperative for the national health。
But granting that the State； in some form； must continue； we must also
grant； I think； that its powers ought to be very strictly limited to what is
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absolutely necessary。 There is no way of limiting its powers except by
means of groups which are jealous of their privileges and