Who are ‘The English People?’

New Zealand Mail, Issue 858, 10 August 1888, Page 10

Who are ‘The English People?’

National Review. Who are 4 the English People?’ They are so many million persons, of different ages, different pursuits, different opinions. Some of them are owners of land, some of them tenant farmers, some of them agricultural labourers, some merchants, shopkeepers or mechanics. Some desire that rents should rise, some that routs should N fall. Many think it the most important of all things that the profits of capital should be large, partly because the capitalist will then be able to lead a very comfortable existence and exercise considerable sooial power, partly because there will be still more capital for the purposes of production and for the employment of labour. Many, on the other hand, desire nothing so much as that the profits on capital should decline, in order that we may move more rapidly and more infallibly in the direction of greater social equality ; and at the same time they are equally anxious that the rate of wages should be maintained, and, if possible, advance, in order that the persons who work for wages may exercise dominant influence in the Commonwealth. There are hundreds of thousands who believe the most important thing for the nation to do, is to maintain the connection between Church and State ; some in order that the State may avowedly profess itself to be Christian, others in order that the Church may be compelled to be tolerant in theological matters over which men dispute. Hundreds of thousands again would make almost any personal sacrifice in order to bring about Disestablishment. The more carefully and closely we examine the composition of the millions of individuals who are currently spoken of as 4 the English People,’ the more divided do we find them iA sentiment, in opinion, in interests, in aims. There is no object which a portion of the English People wish to attain or to promote, that another Beotion of tho English people does not wish to prevent or to retard. They seize every opportunity of forming themselves into Bodies and Associations, the very reason of whose existence is that their members seek to effect something which other Bodies and other Associations seek to hinder. On one side is an Association for the curtailment of liberty in the interest of sobriety, Opposed to it is an Association for the defence of liberty, even at the coat of some drunkenness. An Association for promoting the abolition of the law which at present forbids a man to marry his deceased wife's sister, is confronted by an Association whoae aim'is to perpetuate the prohibition. Compulsory Vaccination and a Contagious Diseases Act provide 4 the English People ’ with further bones of contention. To cite but one more instance, that supposed homogeneous entity that harmonious and vigorous something, 4 the English People,’ are split into two irreconcilable camps on the fundamental question whether the politicalsuffrage shall or shall not be conferred on women. In a word, there is no question of practical domestic politics, in connection with which the phrase 4 the English People ’ is not an irrelevant and misleading misnomer. If the phrase is to be regarded as possessing any practical meaning, it means that the politician or journalist who uses it believes, or tries to persuade himself and others to believe, that, in regard to some point at that moment at issue, there would remain, after one section of the people had been set-off against another section, a certain small balance or majority of votes in its favour or against it. For, be it noted, no question ever 4 comes to the front,’ as the phrase is, or is much declaimed or written about, until the minority have reason to suppose either that they are not the minority, or that they are near on the heels of the majority, and will soon themselves become the majority. When they do that, then they are 4 the tfnglish people.’ It will perhaps be said that I am only stating a truism, and that nobody would dream of denying that when orators and writers talk of 4 the English People, 5 they in reality only mean the majority, large or small, of the electoral body. I accept the confession —which indeed cannot possibly be withheld by any candid person—but must point out the practical mischief that follows from the use of a phrase which seems to mean one thing, and which, when scrutinised, everybody is obliged to allow means something quite different. For 4 the English People ’ is an exceedingly imposing phrase, and, if it (meant what it iB naturally taken to mean, it ought, when it oan with truth be invoked on behalf of any opinion or any policy, be regarded with respect, indeed with awe. The unanimons opinion of the German People, that Germany must have 3,000,000 soldiers ready at a moment’s notice to confront all possible enemies, is a thing to which the most cynical cannot well refuse their homage. But is the opinion of a bare majority entitled to any such respect ?