the vested interests and the common man-第30节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


the　common　man　　less　numerous　by　some　ninety…five　per　cent　or　
thereabouts　　and　less　serviceable　to　the　community　at　large　in　
perhaps　the　same　proportion；　so　far　as　regards　any　conceivable　
use　for　any　material　purpose。　In　this　sense　they　are　uncommon。　
But　it　is　not　usual　to　speak　of　the　kept　classes　as　the　uncommon　
classes；　inasmuch　they　personally　differ　from　the　common　run　of　
mankind　in　no　sensible　respect。　It　is　more　usual　to　speak　of　them　
as　〃the　better　classes；〃　because　they　are　in　better　circumstances　
and　are　better　able　to　do　as　they　like。　Their　place　in　the　
economic　scheme　of　the　civilised　world　is　to　consume　the　net　
product　of　the　country's　industry　over　cost；　and　so　prevent　a　
glut　of　the　market。　　
　
　　　　But　this　broad　distinction　between　the　kept　classes　and　their　
vested　interests　on　the　one　side　and　the　common　man　on　the　other　
side　is　by　no　means　hard　and　fast。　There　are　many　doubtful　cases；　
and　a　shifting　across　the　line　occurs　now　and　again；　but　the　
broad　distinction　is　not　doubtful　for　all　that。　The　great　
distinguishing　mark　of　the　common　man　is　that　he　is　helpless　
within　the　rules　of　the　game　as　it　is　played　in　the　twentieth　
century　under　the　enlightened　principles　of　the　eighteenth　
century。　
　　　　There　are　all　degrees　of　this　helplessness　that　characterises　
the　common　lot。　So　much　so　that　certain　classes；　professions；　and　
occupations　　such　as　the　clergy；　the　military；　the　courts；　
police；　and　legal　profession　　are　perhaps　to　be　classed　as　
belonging　primarily　with　the　vested　interests；　although　they　can　
scarcely　be　counted　as　vested　interests　in　their　own　right；　but　
rather　as　outlying　and　subsidiary　vested　interests　whose　tenure　
is　conditioned　on　their　serving　the　purposes　of　those　principal　
and　self…directing　vested　interests　whose　tenure　rests　
immediately　on　large　holdings　of　invested　wealth。　The　income　
which　goes　to　these　subsidiary　or　dependent　vested　interests　is　
of　the　nature　of　free　income；　in　so　far　that　it　is　drawn　from　the　
yearly　product　of　the　underlying　community；　but　in　another　sense　
it　is　scarcely　to　be　counted　as　〃free〃　income；　in　that　its　
continuance　depends　on　the　good　will　of　those　controlling　vested　
interests　whose　power　rests　on　the　ownership　of　large　invested　
wealth。　Still　it　will　be　found　that　on　any　test　vote　these　
subsidiary　or　auxiliary　vested　interests　uniformly　range　
themselves　with　their　superiors　in　the　same　class；　rather　than　
with　the　common　man。　By　sentiment　and　habitual　outlook　they　
belong　with　the　kept　classes；　in　that　they　are　staunch　defenders　
of　that　established　order　of　law　and　custom　which　secures　the　
great　vested　interests　in　power　and　insures　the　free　income　of　
the　kept　classes。　In　any　twofold　division　of　the　population　these　
are　therefore；　on　the　whole；　to　be　ranged　on　the　side　of　the　old　
order；　the　vested　interests；　and　the　kept　classes；　both　in　
sentiment　and　as　regards　the　circumstances　which　condition　their　
life　and　comfort。　
　　　　Beyond　these；　whose　life…interests　are；　after　all；　closely　
bound　up　with　the　kept　classes；　there　are　other　vested　interests　
of　a　more　doubtful　and　perplexing　kind；　classes　and　occupations　
which　would　seem　to　belong　with　the　common　lot；　but　which　range　
themselves　at　least　provisionally　with　the　vested　interests　and　
can　scarcely　be　denied　standing　as　such。　Such；　as　an　illustrative　
instance；　is　the　A。　F。　of　L。　Not　that　the　constituency　of　the　A。　
F。　of　L。　can　be　said　to　live　on　free　income；　and　is　therefore　to　
be　counted　in　with　the　kept　classes　　the　only　reservation　on　
that　head　would　conceivably　be　the　corps　of　officials　in　the　A。　
F。　of　L。；　who　dominate　the　policies　of　that　organisation　and　
exercise　a　prescriptive　right　to　dispose　of　its　forces；　at　the　
same　time　that　they　habitually　come　in　for　an　income　drawn　from　
the　underlying　organisation。　The　rank　and　file　assuredly　are　not　
of　the　kept　classes；　nor　do　they　visibly　come　in　for　a　free　
income。　Yet　they　stand　on　the　defensive　in　maintaining　a　vested　
interest　in　the　prerogatives　and　perquisites　of　their　
organisation。　They　are　apparently　moved　by　a　feeling　that　so　long　
as　the　established　arrangements　are　maintained　they　will　come　in　
for　a　little　something　over　and　above　what　would　come　to　them　if　
they　were　to　make　common　cause　with　the　undistinguished　common　
lot。　In　other　words；　they　have　a　vested　interest　in　a　narrow　
margin　of　preference　over　and　above　what　goes　to　the　common　man。　
But　this　narrow　margin　of　net　gain　over　the　common　lot；　this　
vested　right　to　get　a　narrow　margin　of　something　for　nothing；　has　
hitherto　been　sufficient　to　shape　their　sentiments　and　outlook　in　
such　a　way　as；　in　effect；　to　keep　them　loyal　to　the　large　
business　interests　with　whom　they　negotiate　for　this　narrow　
margin　of　preference。　As　is　true　of　the　vested　interests　in　
business；　so　in　the　case　of　the　A。　F。　of　L。；　the　ordinary　ways　
and　means　of　enforcing　their　claim　to　a　little　something　over　and　
above　is　the　use　of　a　reasonable　sabotage；　in　the　way　of　
restriction；　retardation；　and　unemployment。　Yet　the　constituency　
of　the　A。　F。　of　L。；　taken　man　for　man；　is　not　readily　to　be　
distinguished　from　the　common　sort　so　far　as　regards　their　
conditions　of　life。　The　spirit　of　vested　interest　which　animates　
them　may；　in　fact；　be　nothing　more　to　the　point　than　an　aimless　
survival。　
　　　　Farther　along　the　same　line；　larger　and　even　more　perplexing；　
is　the　case　of　the　American　farmers；　who　also　are　in　the　habit　of　
ranging　themselves；　on　the　whole；　with　the　vested　interests　
rather　than　with　the　common　man。　By　sentiment　and　outlook　the　
farmers　are；　commonly；　steady　votaries　of　that　established　order　
which　enables　the　vested　interests　to　do　a　〃big　business〃　at　
their　expense。　Such　is　the　tradition　which　still　binds　the　
farmers；　however　unequivocally　their　material　circumstances　under　
the　new　order　of　business　and　industry　might　seem　to　drive　the　
other　way。　In　the　ordinary　case　the　American　farmer　is　now　as　
helpless　to　control　his　own　conditions　of　life　as　the　commonest　
of　the　common　run。　He　is　caught　between　the　vested　interests　who　
buy　cheap　and　the　vested　interests　who　sell　dear；　and　it　is　for　
him　to　take　or　leave　what　is　offered；　　but　ordinarily　to　take　
it；　on　pain　of　〃getting　left。〃　
　　　　There　is　still　afloat　among　the　rural　population　a　slow…dying　
tradition　of　the　〃Independent　Farmer；〃　who　is　reputed　once　upon　a　
time　to　have　lived　his　own　life　and　done　his　own　work　as　good　him　
seemed；　and　who　was　content　to　let　the　world　wag。　But　all　that　
has　gone　by　now　as　completely　as　the　other　things　that　are　told　
in　tales　which　begin　with　〃Once　upon　a　time。〃　It　has　gone　by　into　
the　same　waste　of　regrets　with　the　like　independence　which　the　
country…town　retailer　is　believed　to　have　enjoyed　once　upon　a　
time。　But　the　country…town　retailer；　too；　still　stands　stiffly　on　
the　vested　rights　of　the　trade　and　of　the　town；　he　is　by　
sentiment　and　habitual　outlook　a　business　man　who　guides；　or　
would　like　to　guide；　his　enterprise　by　the　principle　of　charging　
what　the　traffic　will　bear；　of　buying　cheap　and　selling　dear。　He　
still　manages　to　sell　dear；　but　he　does　not　commonly　buy　cheap；　
except　what　he　buys　of　the　farmer；　for　the　massive　vested　
interests　in　the　background　now　decide　for　him；　in　the　main；　how　
much　his　traffic　will　bear。　He　is　not　placed　so　very　differently　
from　the　farmer　in　this　respect；　except　that；　being　a　middleman；　
he　can　in　some　appreciable　degree　shift　the　burden　to　a　third　
party。　The　third　party　in　the　case　is　the　farmer；　the　massive　
vested　interests　who　move　in　the　background　of　the　market　do　not　
lend　themselves　to　that　purpose。　
　　　　Except　for　the　increasing　number　of　tenant　farmers；　the　
American　farmers　of　the　large　agricultural　sections　still　are　
owners　who　cultivate　their　own　ground。　They　are　owners　of　
property；　who　might　be　said　to　have　an　investment　in　their　own　
farms；　and　therefore　they　fancy　that　they　have　a　vested　interest　
in　the　farm　and　its　earning…capacity。　They　have　carried　over　out　
of　the　past　and　its　old　order　of　things　a　delusion　to　the　effect　
that　they　have　something　to　lose。　It　is　quite　a　natural　and　
rather　an　engaging　delusion；　since；　barring　incumbrances；　they　
are　seized　of　a　good　and　valid　title　at　law；　to　a　very　tangible　
and　useful　form　of　property。　And　by　due　provision　of　law　and　
custom　they　are　quite　free　to　use　or　abuse　their　holdings　in　the　
land；　to　buy　and　sell　it　and　its　produce　altogether　at　their　own　
pleasure。　It　is　small　wonder　if　the　farmers；　with　the　genial　
traditions　of　the　day　before　yesterday　still　running　full　and　
free　in　their　sophisticated　brains；　are　given　to　consider　
themselves　typical　holders　of　a　legitimate　vested　interest　of　a　
very　substantial　kind。　In　all　of　which　they　count　without　their　
host；　their　host；　under　the　new　order　of　business；　being　those　
massive　vested　interests　that　move　obscurely　in　the　background　of　
the　market；　and　whose　rule　of　life　it　is　to　buy　cheap　and　sell　
dear。　
　　　　In　the　ordinary　case　the　farmers　of　the　great　American　
farming　regions　are　owners　of　the　land　and　improvements；　except　
for　an　increasing　pr