NOTES 



Scientific Politics. — IV. " Public Opinion and Propaganda." 



" Don't ask any questions," said Mr. Pickwick to the faithful 

 Snodgrass at the Eatanswill election. " It's always best on 

 these occasions to do what the mob do." 



" But suppose there are two mobs ? " suggested Mr. 

 Snodgrass. 



" Shout with the largest ! " replied Mr. Pickwick. 



Mr. Pickwick's interest in philosophy, which included the 

 immortal " Speculations on the Source of the Hampstead Ponds, 

 with some Observations on the Theory of Tittlebats," unfortu- 

 nately did not lead him to explore the profoundly interesting 

 problem which the contest of Fizkin and Slumkey brought 

 before his eyes — and ears. It must be reluctantly confessed 

 that Mr. Pickwick had no political principles, and cared more 

 for hot punch than high politics, or the ebb and flow of public 

 opinion. 



Perhaps we may take up the question, or rather questions, 

 where he left it. What makes the mob shout ? Why are there 

 two mobs ? What is public opinion ? What makes it change ? 

 Why is it that a Government which can do no wrong one day, 

 can do nothing right the next ? 



These conundrums are surely worth answering. But nobody 

 in politics attempts to answer them ; and, indeed, they belong 

 to psychology and history rather than the hurly-burly of current 

 politics — to the spectator rather than the participant in the 

 fight. 



The whole idea of representative government is that the 

 voter is a reasonable person, who, by the exercise of his reason, 

 decides which of two or more conflicting policies or persons 

 should be entrusted with the power to rule. In theory he 

 follows the actions of the Government and its opponents with 

 close and unremitting interest, he studies questions of home 

 and foreign affairs with careful attention, digests blue-books 

 and remembers despatches, reads Parliamentary reports and 

 platform speeches, and, finally, at the appointed time, makes 

 his decision calmly and even solemnly as the trustee of a grave 

 national responsibility. 



In practice, as Mr. Pickwick discovered at Eatanswill, things 



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