§ 29

To delay action is as ineffectual as to hurry it. The great war taught that the complete preparation of Germany failed of success because the moral element at the bottom of extreme diligence and multifarious ingenuity was rotten. The Allies were unprepared, England most so of all (notwithstanding some historians). England was not prepared for the great struggle, but she and her Allies had justice on their side, hence they won. After the war reconstruction should have started at once, which means that abuses which the war has brought into prominence should have been stopped or England would suffer permanently. It appears that politicians narrow and personal in their ambition were unable to effect the change. They delayed action even at moments of serious danger, lest their party should suffer defeat. Now, no one cares twopence about “Party,” the question before Democracy is, What is to be done in spite of Party Government? A democracy, to be enduring, must govern itself. No party must be in the ascendant, except the one which is in combination with all parties, e.g., the unity not the equality, of classes. The Agora was a place in disorder, where every man’s hand was against his neighbour. The crowd was led by unwise agitators. Ignorance and unwisdom are nearly related. We were tired to death of theories, of Government promises, of its failure to keep them, of leaders who were broken reeds, who, under pretence of giving Freedom exercised Tyranny. So we listened to wiser men than they, we resolved no longer to be ignorant, and becoming convinced that, as ignorant, we are not fitted to take part in Government, we would pull ourselves together and once more be men and work as good citizens.

These latter words and the statements which precede them formed the substance of a lecture delivered in the Town Hall by a factory worker this very evening. And what a contrast in tone it exhibits to that truculent one which disfigured whatever hidden justice there might have been in similar and dissimilar orations emanating from the same source. This one was as wise as the other was foolish. Like Socrates, we may now go to the Agora and find wisdom.

“Plato’s Republic aimed at completeness in Theory and discipline in Action. The New Democracy aims at making itself aristocratic in practice. It aims to promote activity in every corner and enterprise of life. We do not pretend that our class is the only one necessary to welfare. It was ignorance that in past times made us think that; bad guidance as well. We recognise ourselves to be branches of the great Tree of Life, whose roots are embedded in the soil of Truth. We recognise ourselves to be as waves in a great stream progressing, meandering, ever moving on from its source to the sea. We recognise the sea to be as a deep scheme which nature has provided, subject to storm, stress, and calm; we bring to its salt waters invigorating drops of freshness from the hills and collected in the plains. We are not at work alone, now, whatever our work be. We are brothers in a great family, not jealous egoists. Time was when we thought of little else than money. We thought that the educated, the refined and learned class was made up of enemies who would make us slaves. We see we were wrong. They are our real friends. Our enemies they are who we thought were our friends, we see that now. Our friends will give us a real democracy, in which we may have a voice if we please. The others would give us a sham one, and rule not only our theories but our actions and with a tyranny as ruthless and obstructive to progress as any autocracy.”

From the Agora wise words come now, from which all can learn. The people were becoming corrupted, they have been too wise to become corrupt. I think that most of us who have given ourselves the trouble to think knew that good leadership was what was wanted. First convincing, then leading, not looking back, but going to the root of things which were discordant and pruning them away, that is what was wanted.

They, of the past, wanted an “Ideal,” but they did not know it. Indeed, they scorned the idea of something that was like religious sectarian dogma. It was to them something hopeless and abstract, and quite outside “Life,” with which it had no touch. They thought high wages, wealth, indeed Mammon in any form, was the god they needed, and to that they made their way, growing more and more discontented, cynical, envious and suspicious. That was the matter with the people who had once been patterns to all Europe as honest workmen. England once simple, happy, industrious (not industrial) had become complicated, discontented, IDLE.