THE END OF LAISSEZ-FAIRE

of Government within a Democracy whichshall be capable of accomplishing the Agenda.I will illustrate what I have in mind by twoexamples.

(i) I believe that in many cases the idealsize for the unit of control and organisationlies somewhere between the individual andthe modern State. I suggest, therefore, thatprogress lies in the growth and the recognitionof semi-autonomous bodies within the State—bodies whose criterion of action within theirown field is solely the public good as theyunderstand it, and from whose deliberationsmotives of private advantage are excluded,though some place it may still be necessaryto leave, until the ambit of men’s altruismgrows wider, to the separate advantage ofparticular groups, classes, or faculties—bodieswhich in the ordinary course of affairs aremainly autonomous within their prescribedlimitations, but are subject in the last resortto the sovereignty of the democracy expressedthrough Parliament .

I propose a return, it may be said, towards

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