the vested interests and the common man-第18章
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custom to hold fast the good old plan on a strategic line of
interpretation resting on these provisos。 There have been
painstaking elucidations of what is fundamental and intrinsic in
the way of human institutions； of what essentially ought to be；
and of what must eventually come to pass in the natural course of
time and change as it is believed to run along under the guidance
of those indefeasible principles that make up the modern point of
view。 And the disquieting incursions of the New Order have been
disallowed as not being of the essence of Nature's contract with
mankind； within the constituent principles of the modern point of
view stabilised in the eighteenth century。
Now； as has already been remarked in an earlier passage； the
state of the industrial arts has at no time continued unchanged
during the modern era； consequently other things have never
remained the same； and in the long run the outcome has always
been shaped by the disturbing causes。 All this reflects no
discredit on the economists and publicists who so have sketched
out the natural run of the present and future in the dry light of
the eighteenth…century principles； since their reservations have
not been observed。 The arguments have been as good as the
premises on which they proceed； and the premises have once been
good enough to command unquestioning assent； although that is now
some time ago。 The fault appears to lie in the unexampled shifty
behavior of the latter…day facts。 Yet however shifty； these
facts； too； are as stubborn as others of their kind。
The system of free competition； self…help； equal opportunity
and free bargaining which is contemplated by the modern point of
view； assumes an industrial situation in which the work and
trading of any given individual or group can go on freely by
itself； without materially helping or hindering the equally
untrammeled working of the rest。 It has； of course； always been
recognised that the country's industry makes up something of a
connected system； so that there would necessarily be some degree
of mutual adjustment and accommodation among the many
self…sufficient working units which together make up the
industrial community； but these working units have been conceived
to be so nearly independent of one another that the slight
measure of running adjustment needed could be sufficiently taken
care of by free competition in the market。 This assumption has；
of course； never been altogether sound at any stage in the
industrial advance； but it has at least been within speaking
distance of facts so late as the eighteenth century。 It was a
possible method of keeping the balance in the industrial system
before the coming of the machine industry。 Quite evidently it
commended itself to the enlightened common sense of that time as
a sufficiently workable ideal。 So much so that it then appeared
to be the most practical solution of the industrial and social
difficulties which beset that generation。 It is fairly to be
presumed that the plan would still be workable in some fashion
today if the conditions which then prevailed had continued
unchanged through the intervening one hundred and fifty years； if
other things had remained the same。 All that was； in effect；
before the coming of the machine technology and the later growth
of population。
But as it runs today； according to the new industrial order
set afoot by the machine technology； the carrying…on of the
community's industry is not well taken care of by the loose
corrective control which is exercised by a competitive market。
That method is too slow； at the best； and too disjointed。 The
industrial system is now a wide…reaching organisation of
mechanical processes which work together on a comprehensive
interlocking plan of give and take； in which no one section；
group； or individual unit is free to work out its own industrial
salvation except in active copartnership with the rest； and the
whole of which runs on as a moving equilibrium of forces in
action。 This system of interlocking processes and mutually
dependent working units is a more or less delicately balanced
affair。 Evidently the system has to be taken as a whole； and
evidently it will work at its full productive capacity only on
condition that the coordination of its interlocking processes be
maintained at a faultless equilibrium； and only when its
constituent working units are allowed to run full and smooth。 But
a moderate derangement will not put it out of commission。 It will
work at a lower efficiency； and continue running； in spite of a
very considerable amount of dislocation； as is habitually the
case today。
At the same time any reasonably good working efficiency of
the industrial system is conditioned on a reasonably good
coordination of these working forces； such as will allow each and
several of the working units to carry on at the fullest working
capacity that will comport with the unhampered working of the
system as a balanced whole。 But evidently； too； any dislocation；
derangement or retardation of the work at any critical point
which comes near saying at any point in this balanced system
of work will cause a disproportionately large derangement of the
whole。 The working units of the industrial system are no longer
independent of one another under the new order。
It is； perhaps； necessary to add that the industrial system
has not yet reached anything like the last degree of development
along this line； it is at least not yet a perfected automatic
mechanism。 But it should also be added that with each successive
advance into the new order of industry created by the machine
technology； and at a continually accelerated rate of advance； the
processes of industry are being more thoroughly standardised； the
working units of the system as a whole demand a more undeviating
maintenance of its moving equilibrium； a more exacting mechanical
correlation of industrial operations and equipment。 And it seems
reasonable to expect that things are due to move forward along
this line still farther in the calculable future； rather than the
reverse。
This state of things would reasonably suggest that the
control of the industrial system had best be entrusted to men
skilled in these matters of technology。 The industrial system
does its work in terms of mechanical efficiency； not in terms of
price。 It should accordingly seem reasonable to expect that its
control would be entrusted to men experienced in the ways and
means of technology； men who are in the habit of thinking about
these matters in such terms as are intelligible to the engineers。
The material welfare of the community is bound up with the due
working of this industrial system； which depends on the expert
knowledge； insight； and disinterested judgment with which it is
administered。 It should accordingly have seemed expedient to
entrust its administration to the industrial engineers； rather
than to the captains of finance。 The former have to do with
productive efficiency； the latter with the higgling of the
market。
However； by historical necessity the discretionary control in
all that concerns this highly technological system of industry
has come to vest in those persons who are highly skilled in the
higgling of the market； the masters of financial intrigue。 And so
great is the stability of that system of law and custom by grace
of which these persons claim this power； that any disallowance of
their plenary control over the material fortunes of the community
is scarcely within reason。 All the while the progressive shifting
of ground in the direction of a more thoroughly mechanistic
organisation of industry goes on and works out into a more and
more searching standardisation of works and methods and a more
exacting correlation of industries； in an ever increasingly large
and increasingly sensitive industrial system。 All the while the
whole of it grows less and less manageable by business methods；
and with every successive move the control exercised by the
business men in charge grows wi
