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the common man less numerous by some ninety…five per cent or
thereabouts and less serviceable to the community at large in
perhaps the same proportion； so far as regards any conceivable
use for any material purpose。 In this sense they are uncommon。
But it is not usual to speak of the kept classes as the uncommon
classes； inasmuch they personally differ from the common run of
mankind in no sensible respect。 It is more usual to speak of them
as 〃the better classes；〃 because they are in better circumstances
and are better able to do as they like。 Their place in the
economic scheme of the civilised world is to consume the net
product of the country's industry over cost； and so prevent a
glut of the market。
But this broad distinction between the kept classes and their
vested interests on the one side and the common man on the other
side is by no means hard and fast。 There are many doubtful cases；
and a shifting across the line occurs now and again； but the
broad distinction is not doubtful for all that。 The great
distinguishing mark of the common man is that he is helpless
within the rules of the game as it is played in the twentieth
century under the enlightened principles of the eighteenth
century。
There are all degrees of this helplessness that characterises
the common lot。 So much so that certain classes； professions； and
occupations such as the clergy； the military； the courts；
police； and legal profession are perhaps to be classed as
belonging primarily with the vested interests； although they can
scarcely be counted as vested interests in their own right； but
rather as outlying and subsidiary vested interests whose tenure
is conditioned on their serving the purposes of those principal
and self…directing vested interests whose tenure rests
immediately on large holdings of invested wealth。 The income
which goes to these subsidiary or dependent vested interests is
of the nature of free income； in so far that it is drawn from the
yearly product of the underlying community； but in another sense
it is scarcely to be counted as 〃free〃 income； in that its
continuance depends on the good will of those controlling vested
interests whose power rests on the ownership of large invested
wealth。 Still it will be found that on any test vote these
subsidiary or auxiliary vested interests uniformly range
themselves with their superiors in the same class； rather than
with the common man。 By sentiment and habitual outlook they
belong with the kept classes； in that they are staunch defenders
of that established order of law and custom which secures the
great vested interests in power and insures the free income of
the kept classes。 In any twofold division of the population these
are therefore； on the whole； to be ranged on the side of the old
order； the vested interests； and the kept classes； both in
sentiment and as regards the circumstances which condition their
life and comfort。
Beyond these； whose life…interests are； after all； closely
bound up with the kept classes； there are other vested interests
of a more doubtful and perplexing kind； classes and occupations
which would seem to belong with the common lot； but which range
themselves at least provisionally with the vested interests and
can scarcely be denied standing as such。 Such； as an illustrative
instance； is the A。 F。 of L。 Not that the constituency of the A。
F。 of L。 can be said to live on free income； and is therefore to
be counted in with the kept classes the only reservation on
that head would conceivably be the corps of officials in the A。
F。 of L。； who dominate the policies of that organisation and
exercise a prescriptive right to dispose of its forces； at the
same time that they habitually come in for an income drawn from
the underlying organisation。 The rank and file assuredly are not
of the kept classes； nor do they visibly come in for a free
income。 Yet they stand on the defensive in maintaining a vested
interest in the prerogatives and perquisites of their
organisation。 They are apparently moved by a feeling that so long
as the established arrangements are maintained they will come in
for a little something over and above what would come to them if
they were to make common cause with the undistinguished common
lot。 In other words； they have a vested interest in a narrow
margin of preference over and above what goes to the common man。
But this narrow margin of net gain over the common lot； this
vested right to get a narrow margin of something for nothing； has
hitherto been sufficient to shape their sentiments and outlook in
such a way as； in effect； to keep them loyal to the large
business interests with whom they negotiate for this narrow
margin of preference。 As is true of the vested interests in
business； so in the case of the A。 F。 of L。； the ordinary ways
and means of enforcing their claim to a little something over and
above is the use of a reasonable sabotage； in the way of
restriction； retardation； and unemployment。 Yet the constituency
of the A。 F。 of L。； taken man for man； is not readily to be
distinguished from the common sort so far as regards their
conditions of life。 The spirit of vested interest which animates
them may； in fact； be nothing more to the point than an aimless
survival。
Farther along the same line； larger and even more perplexing；
is the case of the American farmers； who also are in the habit of
ranging themselves； on the whole； with the vested interests
rather than with the common man。 By sentiment and outlook the
farmers are； commonly； steady votaries of that established order
which enables the vested interests to do a 〃big business〃 at
their expense。 Such is the tradition which still binds the
farmers； however unequivocally their material circumstances under
the new order of business and industry might seem to drive the
other way。 In the ordinary case the American farmer is now as
helpless to control his own conditions of life as the commonest
of the common run。 He is caught between the vested interests who
buy cheap and the vested interests who sell dear； and it is for
him to take or leave what is offered； but ordinarily to take
it； on pain of 〃getting left。〃
There is still afloat among the rural population a slow…dying
tradition of the 〃Independent Farmer；〃 who is reputed once upon a
time to have lived his own life and done his own work as good him
seemed； and who was content to let the world wag。 But all that
has gone by now as completely as the other things that are told
in tales which begin with 〃Once upon a time。〃 It has gone by into
the same waste of regrets with the like independence which the
country…town retailer is believed to have enjoyed once upon a
time。 But the country…town retailer； too； still stands stiffly on
the vested rights of the trade and of the town； he is by
sentiment and habitual outlook a business man who guides； or
would like to guide； his enterprise by the principle of charging
what the traffic will bear； of buying cheap and selling dear。 He
still manages to sell dear； but he does not commonly buy cheap；
except what he buys of the farmer； for the massive vested
interests in the background now decide for him； in the main； how
much his traffic will bear。 He is not placed so very differently
from the farmer in this respect； except that； being a middleman；
he can in some appreciable degree shift the burden to a third
party。 The third party in the case is the farmer； the massive
vested interests who move in the background of the market do not
lend themselves to that purpose。
Except for the increasing number of tenant farmers； the
American farmers of the large agricultural sections still are
owners who cultivate their own ground。 They are owners of
property； who might be said to have an investment in their own
farms； and therefore they fancy that they have a vested interest
in the farm and its earning…capacity。 They have carried over out
of the past and its old order of things a delusion to the effect
that they have something to lose。 It is quite a natural and
rather an engaging delusion； since； barring incumbrances； they
are seized of a good and valid title at law； to a very tangible
and useful form of property。 And by due provision of law and
custom they are quite free to use or abuse their holdings in the
land； to buy and sell it and its produce altogether at their own
pleasure。 It is small wonder if the farmers； with the genial
traditions of the day before yesterday still running full and
free in their sophisticated brains； are given to consider
themselves typical holders of a legitimate vested interest of a
very substantial kind。 In all of which they count without their
host； their host； under the new order of business； being those
massive vested interests that move obscurely in the background of
the market； and whose rule of life it is to buy cheap and sell
dear。
In the ordinary case the farmers of the great American
farming regions are owners of the land and improvements； except
for an increasing pr