Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Editor's introduction
- Principal events in Bagehot's life
- Note on the text and annotation
- The English Constitution
- I The Cabinet
- II The Prerequisites of Cabinet Government, and the Peculiar Form Which They Have Assumed in England
- III The Monarchy
- IV The Monarchy (continued)
- V The House of Lords
- VI The House of Commons
- VII On Changes of Ministry
- VIII Its Supposed Checks and Balances
- IX Its History, and the Effects of That History – Conclusion
- Introduction to the Second Edition (1872)
- Biographical notes on persons mentioned in the text
- Bibliographical note
- Index
- Title in the series
II - The Prerequisites of Cabinet Government, and the Peculiar Form Which They Have Assumed in England
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 June 2012
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Editor's introduction
- Principal events in Bagehot's life
- Note on the text and annotation
- The English Constitution
- I The Cabinet
- II The Prerequisites of Cabinet Government, and the Peculiar Form Which They Have Assumed in England
- III The Monarchy
- IV The Monarchy (continued)
- V The House of Lords
- VI The House of Commons
- VII On Changes of Ministry
- VIII Its Supposed Checks and Balances
- IX Its History, and the Effects of That History – Conclusion
- Introduction to the Second Edition (1872)
- Biographical notes on persons mentioned in the text
- Bibliographical note
- Index
- Title in the series
Summary
Cabinet government is rare because its prerequisites are many. It requires the co-existence of several national characteristics which are not often found together in the world, and which should be perceived more distinctly than they often are. It is fancied that the possession of a certain intelligence, and a few simple virtues, are the sole requisites. These mental and moral qualities are necessary, but much else is necessary also. A cabinet government is the government of a committee elected by the legislature, and there are therefore a double set of conditions to it: first, those which are essential to all elective governments as such; and second, those which are requisite to this particular elective government. There are prerequisites for the genus, and additional ones for the species.
The first prerequisite of elective government is the mutual confidence of the electors. We are so accustomed to submit to be ruled by elected ministers, that we are apt to fancy all mankind would readily be so too. Knowledge and civilisation have at least made this progress, that we instinctively, without argument, almost without consciousness, allow a certain number of specified persons to choose our rulers for us. It seems to us the simplest thing in the world. But it is one of the gravest things.
The peculiar marks of semi-barbarous people are diffused distrust and indiscriminate suspicion. People, in all but the most favoured times and places, are rooted to the places where they were born, think the thoughts of those places, can endure no other thoughts.
- Type
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- Information
- Bagehot: The English Constitution , pp. 23 - 33Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2001