The Governing Classes

It is this curious chaos of favouritism that runs through our legal system and makes it more and more impossible every day. Unfortunately, the evil grows apace, because both kinds of superior person assist it. The plutocratic superior person likes anarchy, because in anarchy the proudest and greediest person always gets on top. The idealistic superior person also likes anarchy, because he is not obligated to accept the authority of anything- even the authority of what he has said himself five minutes before. Hence, the capitalists dislike law and call it "Socialism"; the cranks dislike law and call it "Dogma." Both dislike the idea of any intelligible rule which can be applied to all cases; and this applies to the most brilliant as well as the dullest in the governing classes. Mr. Skimpole and Mr. Nupkins are at one in their deep desire to be allowed to do anything they choose. The notion that they are both citizens, and that the city has lawful authority, would be equally irritating to both. Mr Skimpole wants to be above the law that he breaks. Mr. Nupkins, even more earnestly, wants to be above the law that he administers.

And Mr. Nupkins, the magistrate, really goes on as if he were above the law that he administers. His tone and manner are those of a man making up the laws of a nation as he goes along: and not merely its laws, but its fundamental legal principles. "Let me make the ballads of a nation and anyone may make its laws," said the Scottish writer. "Let me make the sentences and anyone may make the laws"- that is the first and last word of Nupkins.

-March 23, 1912, Illustrated London News