John Stuart Mill: A Criticism with Personal Recollections

54 REORGANIZATION OF THE REFORM PARTY. 1820-1840.
hand in hand with their interests or with their class feelings.
We have a strong faith, stronger than either politicians or
philosophers generally have, in the influence of reason and
virtue over men s minds ; but it is in that of the reason and
virtue on their own side of the question ; in the ascendancy
which may be exercised over them for their good, by the best
and wisest persons of their own creed. We expect few conver
sions by the mere force of reason, from one creed to the other.
Men s intellects and hearts have a large share in determining
what sort of Conservatives or Liberals they will be ; but it is
their position (saving individual exceptions) which makes them
Conservatives or Liberals.
"
If we would find, then, the line of distinction between the
two parties, we must look out for another line of demarcation ;
we must find ont who are the Privileged Classes, and who are
the Disqualified.
the country ;
" The
The former are the natural Conservatives of
the latter are the natural Radicals.
Privileged Classes are all those who are contented with
their position ; who think that the institutions of the countiy
work well for them ; who feel that they have all the influence,
or more than the influence, in the present order of things,
which they could expect under any other; who enjoy a degree
of consideration in society which satifies their ambition, and
find the legislature prompt to lend an ear to their complaints,
and if they feel anything as an inconvenience to endeavour to
devise a remedy for it. All, in short, who feel secure that their
interests will not be postponded to those of other people, and
still more all who feel secure that the interests of the other
people will be postponed to theirs, compose the Conservative
body. Those who feel and think the reverse of all this are the
Disqualified Classes. All who feel oppressed, or unjustly dealt
who are taxed
with, by any of the institutions of the country ;
more heavily than other people, or for other people s benefit ;
who have, or consider themselves to have, the field of employ
ment for their pecuniary means or their bodily or mental