THE NATURE OF POLITICS II

of its neighbours, by the conduct of past rulers, and many other
factors over which the existing Government has but little control.
It should also be remembered that the goodness of a Government
depends on its fitness to solve the particular problems which its
country presents. Likewise it is an error to reject a proposed
reform because it would not solve all problems. There is not a
choice between any proposed reforms, on the.one hand, and
perfection on the other; tnen must choose between a limited
number of proposals, and compare them boith with one another
and with the probable results of making no changes. These
limits to choice are set by the economic, historical and geographical
circumstances of the time and place.

But while it would be fruitless to search for ideal and universal
forms of Government, it would be equally wrong to suppose
that there are no universal standards by which Government can
be judged. What has already been said about justice provides
such a standard. If the members of the Government set their
personal advantage against and above that of the people; if
they show undeserved favour to particular groups; if they refuse
to permit the people to express their desires, they offend against
the principles of good Government.

THE NEED FOR CHANGE.

A further principle of good Government can be deduced
from the connection of politics with economics and with the
sciences that give man control over nature. This is the necessity
for change. Just as there is no ideal government for all places,
so there is no ideal for all times. In iSth century Britain much
local administration was carried out by obliging the members
of a Parish to take the jobs of Constable, Overseer, or Surveyor
of Highways, in turn. The work was not well done, but there
was no complete breakdown through inefficiency. Then the
genius of inventors and the energy of capitalists wrought an
, industrial revolution; great towns sprang up in a few years
with no adequate arrangements for their safety or health.