Page:The Spirit of Russia by T G Masaryk, volume 2.pdf/543

Rh the parliamentary majority, and so on? What to him are state and emperor?

The critical thinker can recognise nothing but the so-called inner authority. Such is the significance of the fact that since the days of Kant and Hume modern philosophy has been predominantly ethical. In such departments as mathematics, mechanics, etc., no difficulties arise; we can readily agree with one another as to the authority of a mathematician or a natural philosopher. But in the ethical sphere, and consequently in the socio-political sphere as well, views are temporarily conflicting. Fichte said it was unconscientious to act upon authority, but the question is as to the meaning and content of conscience. This is the point upon which all reflection has been concentrated since the days of Kant.

Kant posited in his categorical imperative an absolute, infallible, ethical authority; but this authority is subjective and individual, even though it proclaim itself universal as well as necessary.

We cannot now discuss the reiterated attempts to understand rightly Kant's categorical imperative. All we need say here is that the democratic conception of the principle of authority is a purely ethical one. The sovereignty of the people must not be conceived in the sense of the monarchical sovereignty of absolutism; democratic catholicity does not repose solely upon the arithmetic of universal or preponderant opinion.

OR the right understanding of the nature of democracy and of its contrast with theocracy it is necessary to examine the political aspects of religion in the existing ecclesiastical systems, and we shall first of all consider the political bearings of Protestantism and Catholicism.

Observation discloses that Protestant countries and nations are more favourable than Catholic to the development of democracy. Modern constitutionalism and parliamentarism first consolidated their forces in England and the United States. English public law was copied by the west, and the consequences of this were no less momentous than the consequences of the wide acceptance of Roman law. In addition to America,