EMPIRE 357

Egypt were attacked, Britain would come to her defence as
unhesitatingly as if she were part of the Empire.

THE PURPOSE OF EMPIRE.

The domination of these vast areas and millions of people of
so many races and cultures, by the small island of Britain, is an
impressive spectacle. What are the results for the ordinary
citizen of this country? In so far as peace is preserved, and the
standard of life of the subject peoples raised, the people of
Britain—and of other countries—will benefit from the increase
in the world's wealth and trade. More questionable is the benefit
secured to British owners of property in the Empire, by the use
of the Imperial Power to control native labour. If oppressive
conditions of labour are maintained in the name of law and
order, the resulting discontent may seriously increase the cost
of maintaining British rule. Similarly, the regulation of Imperial
trade in the interests of Britain alone, may provoke resentment
among other nations, and so lead to increased expenditure on
armaments. An Empire may be a contribution to the sum total
of just and efficient government in the world; a method of
increasing the profits of property owners; a source of jealousy
among the nations with few or no possessions. The British Empire
at present performs all three of these functions; its future depends
on the extent to which it can develop the first. To put the problem
in general terms, any association of peoples in which one people
pursues its advantage at the expense of the rest, has an uncertain
existence based on force; the only permanent basis for such
association is the joint pursuit of the interests of all. It is, no
doubt, true that many subject peoples in the British Empire
'could not now, if left to govern themselves, pursue their own
interests successfully; but this imposes on Britain the respon-
sibility of providing them with the education necessary for
self-Government. The aim of Empire should be to transform
itself into Commonwealth. The ordinary citizen is much occupied
with the problems of Britain, and does not find it easy to consider