the vested interests and the common man-第22章

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of　the　imagination　of　these　safe　and　sane　gentlemen　of　the　old　
school　fertilised　with　the　ancient　conceptions　of　imperialistic　
diplomacy　and　national　prestige？　In　effect　it　is　all　drawn　to　the　
scale　and　pattern　already　made　notorious　by　the　Balkan　states。　It　
should　also　be　safe　to　presume　that　the　place　and　value　of　these　
newly　emerging　nations　in　the　comity　of　peoples　under　the　
prospective　r間ime　of　provisional　peace　will　be　something　not　
notably　different　from　what　the　Balkan　states　have　habitually　
placed　on　view；　which　may　be　deprecated　by　many　well…meaning　
persons；　but　which　is　scarcely　to　be　undone　by　well…wishing。　The　
chances　of　war　and　politics　have　thrown　the　fortunes　of　these　
projected　new　nations　into　the　hands　of　these　politic　gentlemen　
of　the　old　school；　and　by　force　of　inveterate　habit　these　very　
practical　persons　are　unable　to　conceive　that　anything　else　than　
a　Balkan　state　is　fit　to　take　the　place　of　that　imperial　rule　
that　has　now　fallen　into　decay。　So　Balkan…state　national　
establishments　appear　to　be　the　best　there　is　in　prospect　in　the　
new　world　of　safe　democracy。　
　　　　So　true　is　this；　that　even　in　those　instances；　such　as　the　
Finns　and　other　fragments　of　the　Russian　imperial　dominions；　
where　a　newly　emerging　nation　has　set　out　to　go　on　its　way　
without　taking　pains　to　safeguard　the　grievances　of　the　old　
order；　　even　in　these　instances　that　should　seem　to　concern　no　
one　but　themselves；　the　gentlemen　of　the　old　school　who　guard　the　
political　institutions　of　the　old　order　in　the　world　at　large　
find　it　impossible　to　keep　their　Wands　off　and　to　let　these　
adventurous　pilgrims　of　hope　go　about　their　own　business　in　their　
own　way。　Self…determination　proves　to　be　insufferable　if　it　
partakes　of　the　new　order　rather　than　of　the　old；　at　least　so　
long　as　the　safe　and　sane　gentlemen　of　the　old　school　can　hinder　
it　by　any　means　at　their　command。　It　is　felt　that　the　vested　
interests　which　underlie　the　gentlemen　of　the　old　school　would　
not　be　sufficiently　secure　in　the　keeping　of　these　unshorn　and　
unshaven　pilgrims　of　hope；　and　the　doubt　may　be　well　taken。　So　
that；　within　the　intellectual　horizon　of　the　practical　statesmen；　
the　only　safe；　sane；　and　profitable　manner　of　national　
establishment　and　national　policy　for　these　newcomers　is　
something　after　the　familiar　fashion　of　the　Balkan　states；　and　it　
may　also　be　admitted　quite　broadly　that　these　newly　arriving　
peoples　commonly　are　content　to　seek　their　national　fortunes　
along　precisely　these　Balkan　state　lines；　although　the　Finns　and　
their　like　are　perhaps　to　be　counted　as　an　unruly　exception　to　
the　rule。　
　　　　These　Balkan　states；　whose　spirit；　aims；　and　ways　are　so　
admirable　in　the　eyes　of　the　gentlemanly　keepers　of　the　old　
political　and　economic　order；　are　simply　a　case　of　imperialism　in　
the　raw。　They　are　all　and　several　still　in　the　pickpocket　stage　
of　dynastic　state…making；　comparable　with　the　state　of　Prussia　
before　Frederick　the　Great　Pickpocket　came　to　the　throne。　And　
now；　with　much　sage　counsel　from　the　safe　and　sane　statesmen　of　
the　status　quo　ante。　Czechs。　Slovaks。　Slovenes；　Ruthenians；　
Ukrainians；　Croats；　Poles　and　Polaks　are　breathlessly　elbowing　
their　way　into　line　with　these　minuscular　Michiavellians。　Quite　
unchastened　by　their　age…long　experience　in　adversity　they　are　
all　alike　clamoring　for　national　establishments　stocked　up　with　
all　the　time…tried　contrivances　for　discomfort　and　defeat。　With　
one　hand　they　are　making　frantic　gestures　of　distress　for　an　
〃outlet　to　the　sea〃　by　means　of　which　to　escape　insufferable　
obstruction　of　their　overseas　trade　by　their　nationally　minded　
neighbors；　while　with　the　other　hand　they　are　feverishly　at　work　
to　contrive　a　customs　frontier　of　their　own；　together　with　other　
standard　devices　for　obstructing　their　neighbors'　trade　and　their　
own；　so　soon　as　they　shall　have　any　trade　to　obstruct。　Such　is　
the　force　of　habit　and　tradition。　In　other　words；　these　peoples　
are　aiming　to　become　self…determining　nations　in　good　standing。　
　　　　And　all　the　while　it　is　plain　to　all　men　that　a　national　
〃outlet　to　the　sea〃　has　no　meaning　in　time　of　pence　and　in　the　
absence　of　national　governments　working　at　cross…purposes。　Which　
comes　near　to　saying　that　the　sole　material　object　of　these　new　
projects　in　nation…making　is　to　work　at　cross…purposes　with　their　
neighbors　across　the　new…found　national　frontiers。　So　also　it　is　
plain　that　this　mutual　working　at　cross…purposes　between　the　
nations　hinders　the　keeping　of　the　peace；　even　when　it　is　all　
mitigated　with　all　the　approved　apparatus　of　diplomatic　
make…believe；　compromise；　and　intrigue。　Just　as　it　is　plain　that　
the　peace　is　not　to　be　kept　by　use　of　armaments；　but　all　the　
while　national　armaments　are　also　included　as　an　indispensable　
adjunct　of　national　life；　in　all　the　projects　of　these　new　
nations　of　the　Balkan　pattern。　The　right　to　carry　arms　is　an　
inalienable　right　of　national　self…determination　and　an　
indispensable　means　of　self…help；　as　understood　by　these　
nation…makers　of　the　old　school。　So　also　it　is　plain　that　
national　pretensions　in　the　field　of　foreign　trade　and　
investment；　and　all　the　diversified　expedients　for　furthering　and　
protecting　the　profitable　enterprise　of　the　vested　interests　in　
foreign　parts；　run　consistently　at　cross…purposes　with　the　
keeping　of　the　peace。　
　　　　And　all　the　while　the　rule　of　Live　and　Let　Live；　as　it　works　
out　within　the　framework　of　the　new　industrial　order；　will　not　
tolerate　these　things。　But　the　rule　of　Live　and　Let　Live；　which　
embodies　the　world's　hope　of　peace　on　earth　and　a　practicable　
modicum　of　good　will　among　men；　is　not　of　the　essence　of　that　
time…worn　statesmanship　which　is　now　busily　making　the　world　safe　
for　the　vested　interests。　Neglect　and　disallowance　of　those　
things　that　make　for　embroilment　does　not　enter　into　the　counsels　
of　the　nation…makers　or　of　those　stupendous　figures　of　veiled　
statecraft　that　now　move　in　the　background　and　are　shaping　the　
destinies　of　these　and　other　nations　with　a　view　to　the　status　
quo　ante。　　
　
　　　　All　these　peoples　that　now　hope　to　be　nations　have　long　been　
nationalities。　A　nation　is　an　organisation　for　collective　offence　
and　defence；　in　peace　and　war；　　essentially　based　on　hate　and　
fear　of　other　nations；　a　nationality　is　a　cultural　group；　bound　
together　by　home…bred　affinities　of　language；　tradition；　use　and　
wont；　and　commonly　also　by　a　supposed　community　race；　　
essentially　based　on　sympathies　and　sentiments　of　
self…complacency　within　itself。　The　Welsh　and　the　Scotch　are　
nationalities；　more　or　less　well　defined；　although　they　are　not　
nations　in　the　ordinary　meaning　of　the　word；　so　also　are　the　
Irish；　with　a　difference；　and　such　others　as　the　Finns　and　the　
Armenians。　The　American　republic　is　a　nation；　but　not　a　
nationality　in　any　full　measure。　The　Welsh　and　the　Scotch　have　
learned　the　wisdom　of　Live　and　Let　Live；　within　the　peace　of　the　
Empire；　and　they　are　not　moving　to　break　bounds　and　set　up　a　
national　integrity　after　the　Balkan　pattern。　
　　　　The　case　of　the　Irish　is　peculiar；　at　least　so　they　say。　
They；　that　is　to　say　the　Irish　by　sentiment　rather　than　by　
domicile；　the　Irish　people　as　contrasted　with　the　vested　
interests　of　Ulster；　of　the　landlords；　of　the　Church；　and　of　the　
bureaucracy；these　Irish　have　long　been　a　nationality　and　are　now　
mobilising　all　their　force　to　set　up　a　Balkan　state；　autonomous　
and　defensible；　within　the　formal　bounds　of　the　Empire　or　
without。　Their　case　is　peculiar　and　instructive。　It　throws　a　
light　on　the　margin　of　tolerance；　of　what　the　traffic　will　bear；　
beyond　which　an　increased　pressure　on　a　subject　population　will　
bring　no　added　profit　to　the　vested　interests　for　whose　benefit　
the　pressure　is　brought　to　bear。　It　is　a　case　of　the　Common　Man　
hard　ridden　in　due　legal　form　by　the　vested　interests　of　the　
Island；　and　of　the　neighboring　island；　which　are　duly　backed　by　
an　alien　and　biased　bureaucracy　aided　and　abetted　by　the　priestly　
pickpockets　of　the　poor。　So　caught　in　this　way　between　the　devil　
and　the　deep　sea；　it　is　small　wonder　if　they　have　chosen　in　the　
end　to　follow　counsels　of　desperation　and　are　moving　to　throw　
their　lot　into　the　deep　sea　of　national　self…help　and　
international　intrigue。　They　have　reached　the　point　where　they　
have　ceased　to　say：　〃It　might　have　been　worse。〃　The　case　of　the　
Finns；　Jews；　and　Armenians　is　not　greatly　different　in　general　
effect。　
　　　　It　is　easy　to　fall　into　a　state　of　perturbation　about　the　
evil　case　of　the　submerged；　exploited；　and　oppressed　minor　
nationalities；　and　it　is　not　unusual　to　jump　to　the　conclusion　
that　national　self…determination　will　surely　mend　their　evil　
case。　National　self…determination　and　national　integrity　are　
words　to　conjure　with；　and　there　is　no　denying　that　very　
substantial　results　have　been　known　to　follow　from　such　
conjuring。　But　self…determination　is　not　a　sovereign　remedy；　
particularly　not　as　regards　the　material　conditions　of　life　for　
the　common　man；　for　that　somewhat　more　than　nine…tenths　of　the　
population　who　always　finally　have　to　bear　the　cost　of　any　
national　establishment。　It　has　been　tried；　and　the　point　is　left　
in　doubt。　So　the　case　of　Belgium　or　of　Serbia　during　the　past　
four　years　has　been　scarcely　less　evil　than　that　of　the　Armenians　
or　the　Poles。　Belgium　and　Serbia　were　nations；　in　due　form；　very　
much　after　the　pattern　aimed　at　in　the　new　projected　nations　
already　spoken　of；　whereas　the　Armenians　and　the　Poles　have　been　
subject　minor　nationalities。　Belgium。　Serbia；　and　Poland　have　
been　subject　to　the　ravages　of　an　imperial　power　which　claims　
rank　as　a　civilised　people；　whereas　the　Armenians　have　been　
manhandled　by　the　Turks。　So；　again；　the　Irish　are　a　subject　minor　
nationality；　whereas　the　Roumanians　are　a　nation　in　due　form。　In　
fact　the　Roumanians　are　just　such　a　balkan　state　as　the　Irish　
aspire　to　become。　But　no　doubt　the　common　man　is　appreciably　
worse　off　in　his　material　circumstances　in　Roumania　than　in　
Ireland。　Japan；　too；　is　not　only　a　self…determining　nation　with　a　
full　charge　of　national　integrity；　but　it　is　a　Great　Power；　yet　
the　common　man　　the　somewhat　more　than　nine…tenths　of　the　
population　　is　doubtless　worse　off　in　point　of　hard　usage　and　
privation　in　Japan　than　in　Ireland。　
　　　　In　further　illustration　of　this　doubt　and　perplexity　with　
regard　to　the　material　value　of　national　self…determination；　the　
case　of　the　three　Scandinavian　countries　may　be　worth　citing。　
They　are　all　and　several　self…determining　nations；　in　that　
Pickwickian　sense　in　which　any　country　which　is　not　a　Great　Power　
may　be　self…determining　in　the　twentieth　century。　But　they　differ　
in　size；　population；　wealth；　power；　and　political　consequence。　In　
these　respects　the　sequence　runs：　Sweden；　Denmark。　Norway；　the　
latter　being　the　smallest；　poorest；　least　self…determining；　and　
in　point　of　self…determining　nationalism　altogether　the　most　
spectacularly　foolish　of　the　lot。　But　so　far　as　concerns　the　
material　conditions　of　life　for　the　common　man；　they　are　
unmistakably　the　most　favorable；　or　the　most　nearly　tolerable；