10 THE BRITISH APPROACH TO POLITICS

nothing of British Government, is told that everyone over
twenty-one, with a few exceptions, can help to elect the Sovereign
Parliament, he is correctly informed; but he does not obtain a
complete picture, unless it is added that, when elections occur,
the power to spend money is a great advantage, and that some
people have much more money than others. The statement that
all British subjects are equal in the eyes of the law, must be
qualified by the admission that accused persons find it wise to
employ a good lawyer, and that lawyers cost money. The extent
of the freedom of the Press can be discovered by examining the
laws; but to the legal statement must be added a description of
the great newspaper monopolies. The law in Britain, unlike the
law in South Africa, does not prevent anyone from doing what
work he likes; but it is important to know what opportunities
there are of getting the special education needed for many
kinds of work. The law reveals where power resides in- name;
the economic system may show that in fact it resides elsewhere.
This principle is useful for the comparison of different kinds
of State. Though there is great general similarity in the
economic development of several European States, there .are wide
differences of detail, and these leave their mark on politics.. So it
is not useful to hunt for an ideal form of Government, suitable
to all times and places. Because States are at different stages of
development, improvement can only be effected by examination
of the circumstances of each State, not by the arbitrary introduc-
tion of forms of Government which have been developed in
altogether different conditions. A man may, without inconsistency,
believe that it is desirable to keep monarchy in Britain, without
wanting to see kings restored in France or established in the
U.S.A. A common error in political argument is to say, for
example, "Britain is a monarchy; France is a republic; Britain-is
tetter (or worse) off than France; therefore monarchical Govern-
ment is better (or worse) than republican." This argument
neglects the obvious truth that the prosperity of a country may
be affected by the natural resources of its territory, by the policies