218 PROBLEMS OF VILLAGE LIFE 



forthcoming in its fulness for those who 

 cannot help themselves, and the agricultural 

 labourer has for generations been more or less 

 inarticulate. 



For the most part he does not generalise 

 from his experience even in private and 

 individual conversation. Still less does he 

 put into words, or urge upon the public by way 

 of agitation, his views or his desires. Genera- 

 tions of dependence have left him timid and 

 taciturn. His instinct of combination is 

 weak. And, except for the one tremendous 

 effort of the early seventies which is associated 

 with the name of Joseph Arch, he has never on 

 any large scale organized himself into any 

 society or union designed to represent his class. 

 Thus even his vote has been of comparatively 

 little use to him. This inability to organize 

 is the main cause of his weakness. Standing 

 alone, accepting no help from his fellows, and 

 sharing in his turn no feeling of solidarity with 

 them, he is at the mercy of every passing 

 influence which is brought to bear on him. 

 The landowners, who loom largest of all in 

 his imagination, lull his discontent and sap his 

 independence by dispensing material comforts, 

 and send him to the polling stations to support 

 their nominees for Parish, District or County 

 Council, or for Parliament. In too many 



