Chapter VI
NATURE OF THE MODERN STATE
FOR our present purposes, the significant facts about
the governments of contemporary nations are these.
There are a few rulers and many ruled. The rulers are
generally actuated by love of power; occasionally by a
sense of duty to society; more often and bewilderingly,
by both at once. Their principal attachment is to pride, with
which are often associated cruelty and avarice. The ruled, for
the most part, quietly accept their subordinate position and
even actual hardship and injustice. In certain circumstances
it happens that they cease to accept and there is a revolt.
But revolt is the exception; the general rule is obedience.
The patience of common humanity is the most important,
and almost the most surprising, fact in history. Most men
and women are prepared to tolerate the intolerable. The
reasons for this extraordinary state of things are many
and various. There is ignorance, first of all. Those who
know of no state of affairs other than the intolerable are
unaware that their lot might be improved. Then there
is fear. Men know that their life is intolerable, but
are afraid of the consequences of revolt. The existence
of a sense of kinship and social solidarity constitutes
another reason why people tolerate the intolerable.
Men and women feel attached to the society of which
they are members—feel attached even when the rulers of
that society treat them badly. It is worthy of remark
that, in a crisis, the workers (who are the ruled) have
always fought for their respective nations (Le. for their
rulers) and against other workers*