Elementary Politics |
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acts advantage aristocracy authority body candidate capital capitalists chief Church citizen civilised country claim compelled competition conservatism constitutional monarchy cracy custom democracy despotic doctrine duties economists elected electors endeavour enforced equal evils exchange exists fact favour Greek House of Commons House of Lords human individual industry inequalities interest justice kind labour landlords legislation Liberal liberty live majority means measure member of Parliament ment Ministers modern monarchy moral nation nature necessity neighbours obtain officials opinion owners Parliament party persons political politicians popular primitive communities primitive society principle produce profes profit property in land proportional representation Protestant Protestantism question reason recognise reform religion rent require rule selfish social Social Contract subjects supposed things tions Tory Tory democracy total depravity trade tribal Universal Suffrage unless usually vote wages wealth Whig wish
Popular passages
Page 97 - (p. 127). And in connection with this subject, reform, there is this timely warning given : " When social reformers put forward schemes by which the strain of competition would be lessened, we must examine their proposals carefully, to find out whether they do not involve an appeal to the selfishness of the weak, which is just as dangerous in its way as the selfishness of the strong
Page 127 - ... Raleigh's compact volume, but to a few salient points we must call particular attention. He enforces, from many points of view, the position that no abstract theory of government, nor any radical law, can give the prosperity and satisfaction demanded by certain theorists who call for revolution and reform. "The cardinal error of revolutionary politicians is this, that they assume the possibility of breaking away from custom and tradition. They look on institutions as if they were purely artificial,...
Page 127 - In point of fact, institutions are rooted in the natures of men who are accustomed to them. If all our laws were destroyed in a day, our habits and ways of thinking would remain, and out of these a new set of laws, not very unlike the old, would soon be developed. If we desire great changes, we must not put our trust in revolution : we must work steadily at those reforms which seem most likely to improve our habits and ways of thinking " (p. 127). And in connection with this subject, reform, there...
Page 54 - With the scrutin de liste, lists of candidates are nominated by the various political organizations or groups of electors; each elector has as many votes as there are members to be elected, but he may not give more than one vote to any one candidate.
Page 106 - On the whole, however, it must be admitted that we are still a long way from the point of real co-operation between school and home.
Page 47 - THE LAST CHAPTER OF IRISH HISTORY. THE last chapter of Irish History opens with the Irish Church Act of 1869, and the Irish Land Act of 1870. For nearly seventy years after the Union, Ireland had been governed by the Imperial Legislature with a sincere desire to promote the welfare of the people, but upon essentially English principles, and with little respect for Irish sentiment. Select Committees were appointed by the House of Commons...
Page 32 - King retains his position as head of the State, but in all matters of importance he is compelled to ask the advice and consent of persons representing the interests and opinions of his subjects. These persons guide him in choosing his ministers, in raising his revenue, and in every act of his government.
Page 30 - ... principles. Everyone knows vaguely what is meant by the state, and there is no need here to make. a lengthy excursus into political science. We may content ourselves with noting that "in a civilized country the force of the community is vested in certain persons for the purpose of defence and government, and when the community acts by means of these persons it is called the state, and the members of the community are called subjects of the state.
Page 45 - No doubt the judges were appointed by the King and held office at his pleasure, but that they were his pliable instruments is disproved by their own record of intractability. The great lawyers...