'Personal Comment' the Concept of Limitations
| Date | 01 October 1979 |
| Author | Geoffrey Bell |
| DOI | 10.1177/004711787900600407 |
| Published date | 01 October 1979 |
| Subject Matter | Articles |
694
’PERSONAL
COMMENT’*
THE
CONCEPT
OF
LIMITATIONS
by
GEOFFREY
BELL
OVER
the
whole
range
of
democratic
activities,
in
politics,
industry,
education
and
administration,
the
road
to
success
appears
to
lie
in
restraint.
Logic
might
seem
to
require
unlimited
allegiance
to
one
or
other
political
programme,
but
in fact
progress
is
more
often
forged
by
combining
the
best
of
opposing
doctrines-the
big
as
well
as
the
small,
equality
as
well
as
liberty,
state
control
as
well
as
free
enterprise.
The
Greeks
were
the
first
to
evolve
theories
about
politics
and
freedom,
and
one
of
their
main
principles
was
&dquo;nothing
in
excess&dquo;.
We
could
do
worse
than
accept
the
wisdom
that
does
not
age.
The
importance
of
balance
is
seen
throughout
nature,
from
the
solar
system
down
to
the
realm
of
politics.
Too
much
or
too
little,
of
state
interference,
for
instance
can
lead
to
breakdown.
The
welfare
state
may
proceed
on
Socialist
or
Conservative
lines;
the
one
would
stress
individual
freedom
even
if
it
sacrificed
some
equality,
the
other
would
aim
at
a
measure
of
equality
even
if
it
sacrificed
some
freedom.
It
is
excess,
the
lack
of
balance,
that
would
be
the
undoing
of
our
society.
It
is
arguable
that
today
the
battle
cry
for
equality
obtains
the
loudest
approval.
Equality
has
its
appeal
on
account
of
its
idealism
and
its
suspicion
of
competition.
In
so
far
as
this
approach
includes
equality
of
opportunity,
the
pursuit
of
excel-
lence
by
the
gifted,
it
must
commend
itself
to
our
sense
of
justice.
But
if
it is
Procrustean
(that
is
&dquo;violently
making
conformable
to
a
standard&dquo;),
it
offends
reason
and
humanity.
Similarly
liberty
can
have
both
the
freedom
to
develop
and,
on
the
reverse
side,
the
taint
of
license.
The
extremes
of
both
are
suspect.
Egalitarianism
is
at
present
the
most
disturbing,
the
most
hazardous
of
influences
in
the
field
of
politics.
It
uses
the
word
61ite
in
a
way
to
convey
scorn.
It
is
founded,
in
part
at
least,
on
jealousy
and
could
stultify
invention
and
diversity,
individuality
and
enterprise.
The
egalitarian
hopes
to
achieve
his
type
of
society
by
acts
of
parliament.
The
new
Prime
Minister
hopes
to
promote
her
own
conception
of
the
true
quality
of
the
national
life
by
freedom
*
We
hope
from
time
to
time
to
carry
similar
contributions
from
our
readers.
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