496 POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



will work ; without it, none. When, however, human nature has 

 grown perfect that is to say, when civilization has reached its 

 goal political government will have ceased, and the only govern- 

 ment will be that of self, or conscience. Such government will 

 suffice to prevent the aggressions that philanthropists and states- 

 men strive in vain to suppress. It will also permit the fullest 

 liberty, the highest development, and the greatest happiness both 

 for the individual and for the race. " Not to crush minorities 

 under the majority, the individual under centralization, liberty 

 under equality," says Boudrillart, stating the problem thus solved, 

 " that is the destiny of democracy." * 



ill. 



Nothing could be more indicative of the fact that democracy 

 as a form of political government is only a form of despotism 

 than the exhibition of certain traits otherwise inexplicable and 

 absurd. As the heir of the irresponsible one and the few, it arro- 

 gates to itself their attributes of divinity, and like them exacts 

 from its subjects a slavish homage and obedience. Although Aris- 

 totle said that in a democracy " a people knowing itself to be king 

 assumes all his pretensions," the truth has yet to be learned 

 and acted upon. " The modes of addressing the multitude," writes 

 Maine, after describing democracy a second time as monarchy in- 

 verted, " are the same as the modes of addressing kings." f " O 

 king, live forever," said the Oriental courtier as he approached 

 his irresponsible master. \ " The voice of the people is the voice 

 of God," cries the courtier of democracy. " Your ascent to power," 

 exclaims an American Bossuet, addressing the Grand Monarch of 

 the New World, "proceeded as uniformly and majestically as the 

 laws of being, and was as certain as the decrees of eternity." * 

 How the obsequious practices of despotic states have been revived 

 under popular government has not escaped the attention of Mr. 

 Godkin. "In talking on such subjects as the currency with a 

 view of enlightening the people," he says, " skillful orators are 

 very careful to repudiate all pretense of knowing anything more 

 about the matter than their hearers." || But they must do more 



review of State railroads undertaken since 1840, he finds that the causes of failure were 

 " two in number: (1) incompetency and (2) corruption." (Ibid., p. 222.) 



* Block. Dictionnaire de la Politique, vol. i, p. 640. The same view is to be found set 

 forth in James M. Woolworth's address before the American Bar Association, Saratoga, 

 1896 (Proceedings, pp. 317, 318) : "This is the vital and mighty fact of modern Christian 

 civilization," he says, "the integrity of every human soul and its right to the possession, 

 exercise, and enjoyment of all its faculties, capacities, and activities as to it seems good, and 

 in such full measure as is consistent with the same right of others." 



f Popular Government, p. 77. J Spencer. Principles of Sociology, vol. ii, p. 148. 



* Bancroft. Quoted by Maine, p. 77. || Problems of Democracy, p. 90. 



