CONTENTS 



for the points that are debated in the case of the great wealth-producer 



are admitted by all in the case of the governor . . . 176 



The greatest democrat admits that the governor must be an exceptional 



man, ........ 177 



and also that he must be chosen By elective competition . . 177 



There is a competitive element even in autocracies, . . .178 



and democracies are essentially competitive . . . .178 



All parties also agree that laws must be enforced by pains and 



penalties . . . . . . . .179 



Democrats are peculiar only in their theory that the sole greatness re- 

 quired in their governors is a perceptive and executive greatness, 

 which will enable them to carry out the spontaneous wishes of 

 the many . . . . . . . .179 



This is the only point in which the democratic theory differs from the 



aristocratic . . . . . . .180 



The democratic ruler is, theoretically, a balance for weighing the wills 



of the many, ....... 181 



or a machine for executing their " mandates "; . . .182 



and there are signs which might suggest that the few in politics are 



really becoming the mere instruments of the many . . 182 



But these signs are deceptive ; for what seems the will of the many, 



really depends on the action of another minority . . .183 



Opinions, to derive power from the numbers who hold them, must be 



identical ; . . . . . . . . 184 



but they seldom are identical till a few men have manipulated them . 184 



Thus what seems to be the opinion of the many is generally dependent 



on the influence of a few . . . . . . 185 



The many, for instance, would never have had any opinions on 

 Free Trade or Bimetallism if the few had not worked on 

 them ........ 185 



Popular opinion requires exceptional men, as nuclei, round which to 



form itself . . . . . . . 187 



Thus even in what seems extremest democracy the few are essential . 188 



Democrats, however, may argue that under democracy the few do, in 



the long-run, carry out the wishes of the many . . . 188 



Even were this true, the current formulas of democracy would be false, 

 for unequal men would be essential to executing the wishes of 

 equals ........ 189 



Now in reality the few are never mere passive agents ; . .189 



b 



