VI ADMINISTRATIVE NIHILISM 203 



unmistakable, and the cause of the disease 

 distinctly known, prompt remedy saves a life. Is 

 the fact that a wise physician will give as little 

 medicine as possible any argument for his abstain- 

 ing from giving any at all ? 



But the argument may be met directly. It 

 may be granted that the State, or corporate 

 authority of the people, might with perfect pro- 

 priety order my religion, or my waistcoat, if as 

 good grounds could be assigned for such an order 

 as for the command to educate my children. And 

 this leads us to the question which lies at the 

 root of the whole discussion the question 



;iamely, upon what foundation does the authority 

 f the State rest, and how are the limits of thai 

 uthority to be determined ? 



One of the oldest and profoundest of English 

 philosophers, Hobbesof Malmesbury writes thus: 



"The office of the sovereign, be it monarch qr an assembly, 

 consisteth in the end for which he was entrusted with the sover- 

 eign power, namely, the procuration of the sqfyy of the people : 

 to which he is obliged by the law of nature, and to render an 

 account thereof to God, the author of that law, and to none but 

 Him. But by safety, here, is not meant a bare preservation, but 

 also all other contentments of life, wliich every man by lawful 

 industry, without danger or hurt to the commonwealth, shall 

 acquire to himself," 



At first sight this may appear to be a statement 

 of the police-theory of government, pure and 

 simple ; but it is not so. For Hobbes goes on to 

 say : 



