友情提示:如果本网页打开太慢或显示不完整,请尝试鼠标右键“刷新”本网页!阅读过程发现任何错误请告诉我们,谢谢!! 报告错误
热门书库 返回本书目录 我的书架 我的书签 TXT全本下载 进入书吧 加入书签

representative government-第34章

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!



 in addition to their own。   Of all modes in which a national representation can possibly be constituted; this one affords the best; security for the intellectual qualifications desirable in the representatives。 At present; by universal admission; it is becoming more and more difficult for any one who has only talents and character to gain admission into the House of Commons。 The only persons who can get elected are those who possess local influence; or make their way by lavish expenditure; or who; on the invitation of three or four tradesmen or attorneys; are sent down by one of the two great parties from their London clubs; as men whose votes the party can depend on under all circumstances。 On Mr。 Hare's system; those who did not like the local candidates; or who could not succeed in carrying the local candidate they preferred; would have the power to fill up their voting papers by a selection from all the persons of national reputation; on the list of candidates; with whose general political principles they were in sympathy。 Almost every person; therefore; who had made himself in any way honourably distinguished; though devoid of local influence; and having sworn allegiance to no political party; would have a fair chance of making up the quota; and with this encouragement such persons might be expected to offer themselves; in numbers hitherto undreamt of。 Hundreds of able men of independent thought; who would have no chance whatever of being chosen by the majority of any existing constituency; have by their writings; or their exertions in some field of public usefulness; made themselves known and approved by a few persons in almost every district of the kingdom; and if every vote that would be given for them in every place could be counted for their election; they might be able to complete the number of the quota。 In no other way which it seems possible to suggest would Parliament be so certain of containing the very elite of the country。   And it is not solely through the votes of minorities that this system of election would raise the intellectual standard of the House of Commons。 Majorities would be compelled to look out for members of a much higher calibre。 When the individuals composing the majority would no longer be reduced to Hobson's choice; of either voting for the person brought forward by their local leaders or not voting at all; when the nominee of the leaders would have to encounter the competition not solely of the candidate of the minority; but of all the men of established reputation in the country who were willing to serve; it would be impossible any longer to foist upon the electors the first person who presents himself with the catchwords of the party in his mouth and three or four thousand pounds in his pocket。 The majority would insist on having a candidate worthy of their choice; or they would carry their votes somewhere else; and the minority would prevail。 The slavery of the majority to the least estimable portion of their number would be at an end: the very best and most capable of the local notabilities would be put forward by preference; if possible; such as were known in some advantageous way beyond the locality; that their local strength might have a chance of being fortified by stray votes from elsewhere。 Constituencies would become competitors for the best candidates; and would vie with one another in selecting from among the men of local knowledge and connections those who were most distinguished in every other respect。   The natural tendency of representative government; as of modern civilisation; is towards collective mediocrity: and this tendency is increased by all reductions and extensions of the franchise; their effect being to place the principal power in the hands of classes more and more below the highest level of instruction in the community。 But though the superior intellects and characters will necessarily be outnumbered; it makes a great difference whether or not they are heard。 In the false democracy which; instead of giving representation to all gives it only to the local majorities; the voice of the instructed minority may have no organs at all in the representative body。 It is an admitted fact that in the American democracy; which is constructed on this faulty model; the highly…cultivated members of the community; except such of them as are willing to sacrifice their own opinions and modes of judgment; and become the servile mouthpieces of their inferiors in knowledge; seldom even offer themselves for Congress or the State Legislatures; so little likelihood have they of being returned。   Had a plan like Mr。 Hare's by good fortune suggested itself to the enlightened and patriotic founders of the American Republic; the Federal and State Assemblies would have contained many of these distinguished men; and democracy would have been spared its greatest reproach and one of its most formidable evils。 Against this evil the system of personal representation; proposed by Mr。 Hare; is almost a specific。 The minority of instructed minds scattered through the local constituencies would unite to return a number; proportioned to their own numbers; of the very ablest men the country contains。 They would be under the strongest inducement to choose such men; since in no other mode could they make their small numerical strength tell for anything considerable。 The representatives of the majority; besides that they would themselves be improved in quality by the operation of the system; would no longer have the whole field to themselves。 They would indeed outnumber the others; as much as the one class of electors outnumbers the other in the country: they could always out vote them; but they would speak and vote in their presence; and subject to their criticism。 When any difference arose; they would have to meet the arguments of the instructed few by reasons; at least apparently; as cogent; and since they could not; as those do who are speaking to persons already unanimous; simply assume that they are in the right; it would occasionally happen to them to become convinced that they were in the wrong。 As they would in general be well…meaning (for thus much may reasonably be expected from a fairly…chosen national representation); their own minds would be insensibly raised by the influence of the minds with which they were in contact; or even in conflict。 The champions of unpopular doctrines would not put forth their arguments merely in books and periodicals; read only by their own side; the opposing ranks would meet face to face and hand to hand; and there would be a fair comparison of their intellectual strength in the presence of the country。 It would then be found out whether the opinion which prevailed by counting votes would also prevail if the votes were weighed as well as counted。   The multitude have often a true instinct for distinguishing an able man; when he has the means of displaying his ability in a fair field before them。 If such a man fails to obtain at least some portion of his just weight; it is through institutions or usages which keep him out of sight。 In the old democracies there were no means of keeping out of sight any able man: the bema was open to him; he needed nobody's consent 
返回目录 上一页 下一页 回到顶部 0 0
未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!
温馨提示: 温看小说的同时发表评论,说出自己的看法和其它小伙伴们分享也不错哦!发表书评还可以获得积分和经验奖励,认真写原创书评 被采纳为精评可以获得大量金币、积分和经验奖励哦!