the vested interests and the common man-第33章
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by maintaining these rights in the shape given them in the
eighteenth century； or at least there are large sections of
the people in these civilised countries who are beginning to
think so； which is just as good for practical purposes。 Things
have changed in such a way since that time； that the ownership of
property in large holdings now controls the nation's industry；
and therefore it controls the conditions of life for those who
are or wish to be engaged in industry； at the same time that the
same ownership of large wealth controls the markets and thereby
controls the conditions of life for those who have to resort to
the markets to sell or to buy。 In other words； it has come to
pass with the change of circumstances that the rule of Live and
Let Live now waits on the discretion of the owners of large
wealth。 In fact； those thoughtful men in the eighteenth century
who made so much of these constituent principles of the modern
point of view did not contemplate anything like the system of
large wealth； large…scale industry； and large…scale commerce and
credit which prevails today。 They did not foresee the new order
in industry and business； and the system of rights and
obligations which they installed； therefore； made no provision
for the new order of things that has come on since their time。
The new order has brought the machine industry； corporation
finance； big business； and the world market； Under this new order
in business and industry； business controls industry。 Invested
wealth in large holdings controls the country's industrial
system； directly by ownership of the plant； as in the mechanical
industries； or indirectly through the market； as in farming。 So
that the population of these civilised countries now falls into
two main classes： those who own wealth invested in large holdings
and who thereby control the conditions of life for the rest； and
those who do not own wealth in sufficiently large holdings； and
whose conditions of life are therefore controlled by these
others。 It is a division； not between those who have something
and those who have nothing as many socialists would be
inclined to describe it but between those who own wealth
enough to make it count； and those who do not。
And all the while the scale on which the control of industry
and the market is exercised goes on increasing； from which it
follows that what was large enough for assured independence
yesterday is no longer large enough for tomorrow。 Seen from
another direction； it is at the same time a division between
those who live on free income and those who live by work； a
division between the kept classes and the underlying community
from which their keep is drawn。 It is sometimes spoken of in this
bearing particularly by certain socialists as a division
between those who do no useful work and those who do； but this
would be a hasty generalisation； since not a few of those persons
who have no assured free income also do no work that is of
material use； as e。g。； menial servants。 But the gravest
significance of this cleavage that so runs through the population
of the advanced industrial countries lies in the fact that it is
a division between the vested interests and the common man。 It is
a division between those who control the conditions of work and
the rate and volume of output and to whom the net output of
industry goes as free income； on the one hand； and those others
who have the work to do and to whom a livelihood is allowed by
these persons in control； on the other hand。 In point of numbers
it is a very uneven division； of course。
A vested interest is a legitimate right to get something for
nothing； usually a prescriptive right to an income which is
secured by controlling the traffic at one point or another。 The
owners of such a prescriptive right are also spoken of as a
vested interest。 Such persons make up what are called the kept
classes。 But the kept classes also comprise many persons who are
entitled to a free income on other grounds than their ownership
and control of industry or the market； as； e。g。； landlords and
other persons classed as 〃gentry；〃 the clergy； the Crown where
there is a Crown and its agents； civil and military。
Contrasted with these classes who make up the vested interests；
and who derive an income from the established order of ownership
and privilege； is the common man。 He is common in the respect
that he is not vested with such a prescriptive right to get
something for nothing。 And he is called common because such is
the common lot of men under the new order of business and
industry； and such will continue （increasingly） to be the common
lot so long as the enlightened principles of secure ownership and
self…help handed down from the eighteenth century continue to
rule human affairs by help of the new order of industry。
The kept classes； whose free income is secured to them by the
legitimate rights of the vested interests； are less numerous than
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
