The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-09-26
A Philosophy Of Politics.

Serious and philosophical studies of
politics are becoming more and more
numerous. and the sign il an excellent
one. for certainly the beginnings or
democracy in political organization
have been bungling and ineffective.
The wider the circle from which poll
ticians and state fu~nctionaries are re-
cruited the lower their level sinks, as
Anatole lie Roy-Beaulieu pointed out
as early as 1855. The deterioration in
the personnel of governments has been
even more striking from the point OF
view of morals. These facts are duly
noted and dealt with by ARTHUR
CHRlsTIANsEN in his Politics dhd
CrOud-M Morality, translated by "A. CE-
en- CURTIS lDutton). The translation
is most timely, for the whole world OF
to-day is Interested in politics and the
keen observer may note a growing
desire to come at an understanding OF
the real essence of politics, Its connec-
ton with the life Of the mind,
and of its Significance and pos
sible development. The political inter
ests of the average man are
concerned with the fate OF some
one bill or with the question OF the
character and competency OF some
special politician, In face of immense
political and social problems men note
only arguments evolved In h party
press and at political meetings. Even
those more widely interested fine 1t
difficult u come to a wise and sober
view of surrounding life because of
the hubbub Of modern political life.
There is no doubt but that n wave Of
disgust with politics has swept over
the world. Popular government has
not kept its golden promises, The
fault seems To lie not so much with
forms OF government as with human
nature itself. And yet to give up in
despair while ineligible is certainly
Improbable. The hope of possible
improvement is the only stimulus OF
human effort, and until 1t can be in
controvertibly proved that human So
ciety Is incapable OF any Improvement
the instinct of social preservation bids
us start from perfectibility as a funda-
mental hypothesis.
The author puts the question as to
why political morality has remained
AT so low n level and answers that
in his opinion the reason for the back
ward state Is 10 be found in the fact
that politics under absolutist, aristo-
cratic or popular forms Of government
Is founded on crowd consciousness, and
the ethical development Of tho crowd
must, in consequence OF their pecu-
liar psychic formation, proceed much
more slowly than that of individuals,
The work Of raising the standard OF
political morality must therefore he a
work Of culture, All the modern talk
about "~overculture" must be dis
counted. When we see n nation de-
cay and its culture deteriorate We
must not conclude hat It's culture has
ruined 1t. Peoples may have. indeed
usually have, deteriOrated for quite
other reasons. Indeed. It is only nat
ural To suppose that nations. like indi-
viduals, have their span of life. which,
like ina 81 h Chinese. may he very
long. hut yet has Its limits in the
natural order of things. Death IL not
IA result of culture, but "A force of ma
ture which even death cannot defy.
That nation which dies having ac-
complished it's work OF culture and
hapded ON It's contribution to the liy- |
Ing has not lived In vain. Younger