GUIDE TO THE PHILOSOPHY 1938 - 1947.pdf - Rare Books at ...

SOVEREIGNTY AND NATURAL RIGHTS 531
details of legislative measures for Parliament to authorize.
Thus, while Parliament would not itself make the laws, it
would exercise a controlling function over the specifically
legislative body, and, as the authorizer and sanctioner of
legislation, it would be in a position to ensure that the laws
were such as expressed the wishes of the majority of the
citizens. Moreover, by virtue ofits ' *
position as
grand inquest
of the nation", it would act as a check upon the activities of
the civil service and thus mitigate the evils of bureaucracy.
for constitutional reform thus aimed at
Mill> proposals
rule by an intellectually superior executive subject to
ultimate control by a popular assembly.
A Parliament performing the restricted functions envisaged
by Mill would not be under the necessity of
constantly obtaining fresh mandates from the electorate.
Mill consequently rejected Benthaxn's proposals for annual
Parliaments, and refused to consider members ofParliament
in the light of delegates rather than of representatives.
Finally, he advocated the extension of .local government,
in order that the greatest possible number of citizens
should be drawn into public activity and thus enjoy the
opportunity of developing their personalities.
Advantages of Mill's Proposals* Mill's proposals may
be regarded in the light of an endeavour to make the best
of two worlds by combining two conflicting principles, the
and the principle of quality. The
principle of '
quantity
first is the principle of popular sovereignty, the principle,
namely, that the majority should decide the policy of
the State; the second, that of skilled direction, that those
who possess special qualifications should control the policy
of the State. The first principle, that of popular consent
and decision, was, of course, inherent in the notion of
democracy. But Mill also valued the activities of the
intellect and considered that excellence, both in the
individual and in the community, consisted in such a
development of the individual personalities of the members
of the community, as would enable each to become capable