Page:Democracy, theoretical and practical (IA democracytheoret00hendrich).pdf/25

 But it is not enough to argue that our working constitution is venerable. It has often happened in this world's history that systems have outlived their usefulness, and some constitutions have been deservedly overthrown.

I commend to you the working constitution of Great Britain and the Dominions, because of its intrinsic worth. Something I have said about this already, but let me add now that I can conceive of no better machinery by which an enlightened people may make use of the best managers in the community, and at the same time keep them true to a sense of their national responsibility. It avoids the extremes of autocracy and ochlocracy. It sweeps aside the fantastic notion that men are born with equal capacity for government; but provides all the machinery that is needed for keeping the best talent available employed in national work. I say the best available, because we must not assume that the most capable administrators in the community; are willing to submit themselves for election to Parliament. Such a constitution can fail only if the people as a whole prove themselves unequal to the task of encouraging the right men to undertake national responsibilities. What more can you ask of any constitution suited to the temper of a democratic people?

Remember that it is not only by widening the franchise that you make a constitution democratic. Germany had a liberal franchise before this war; but the executive in Germany was practically independent of the House of Representatives, and Germany was therefore an autocracy. When the Chancellor in Germany is made responsible to the Reichstag, as the Prime Minister is to the British House of Commons, then Germany will be a democracy. Whether Germany will attain to this re-