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

THEORY OF DEMOCRACY 789
and that, if these elements are to be realized by the in*
dividual! who are members of a State, such and such
political principles must be accepted by the State; or,
we may insist that such and such political principles must
be accepted, if the State is adequately to fulfil the purpose
assigned
to it.
A. The Principle of Democracy.
THAT ONLY THE WEARER KNOWS WHERE THE
SHOE PINCHES. This may be most succinctly stated
in the form, "it is only the wearer who knows where the
shoe pinches". It follows that the wearer should choose his
shoe and that he cannot afford to allow others to choose for
him. Why can he not? Because history shows conclusively
that human beings cannot be trusted with unchecked
powers over the lives and destinies of other human beings.
I shall elaborate this point under principle B. For the
present it is sufficient to point out that, since they can-
not, those who have to obey the laws must also in the
last resort be those who decide what laws they are to
obey.
Suppose, however, that we grant that those in authority
are not only endowed with supreme wisdom, but are
imbued with the best intentions; we must still insist that
to govern a state efficiently, to frame good laws, is not
enough. The efficiency must be such as is compatible with
people's happiness; the laws such as they wish to obey.
It is better for imperfect men to live under imperfect
laws that fit them, that reflect their desires and suit their
needs, than that they should be disciplined to the requirements
of legislative perfection. Twentieth century human
nature is a loose, untidy, ample sort of growth, full of
unacknowledged needs and unsuspected oddities. And just
as a foot which is ill shaped cannot, without unhappincst
to its owner, be thrust into a perfectly formed shoe, so a
community of, imperfect human beings cannot, without
unhajjpincst, be thrust into the straight-jacket of perfectly
conceived laws. We must, then, cut our legislative coat