large/7264/free_press_1206_librivox_64kb_mp3/freepress_11_belloc_64kb_52
large/7264/free_press_1206_librivox_64kb_mp3/freepress_11_belloc_64kb
English
7264
The determination to be rid of such a secret monopoly of power compelled a reaction: and that reaction was the Free Press. THE DETERMINATION TO BE RID OF SUCH A SECRET MONOPOLY OF POWER COMPELLED A REACTION AND THAT REACTION WAS THE FREE PRESS
 the risk of exposing their features, and to whom no responsibility whatever attaches. The knowledge that this was so provided the third, and, perhaps, the most powerful motive for the creation of a Free Press. Unfortunately, it could affect only very few men. With the mass even of well-educated and observant men the feeling created by the novel power of the great papers was little more than a vague ill ease. They had a general conception that the owner of a widely circulated popular newspaper could, and did, blackmail the professional politician: make or unmake the professional politician by granting or refusing him the limelight; dispose of Cabinets; nominate absurd Ministers. But the particular, vivid, concrete instances that specially move men to action were hidden from them. Only a small number of people were acquainted with such particular truths. But that small number knew very well that we were thus in reality governed by men responsible to no one, and hidden from public blame.  WHO DO NOT EVEN TAKE THE RISK OF EXPOSING THEIR FEATURES AND TO WHOM NO RESPONSIBILITY WHATEVER ATTACHES THE KNOWLEDGE THAT THIS WAS SO PROVIDED THE THIRD AND PERHAPS THE MOST POWERFUL MOTIVE FOR THE CREATION OF A FREE PRESS UNFORTUNATELY IT COULD AFFECT ONLY VERY FEW MEN WITH THE MASS EVEN OF WELL EDUCATED AND OBSERVANT MEN THE FEELING CREATED BY THE NOVEL POWER OF THE GREAT PAPERS WAS LITTLE MORE THAN A VAGUE ILL EASE THEY HAD A GENERAL CONCEPTION THAT THE OWNER OF A WIDELY CIRCULATED POPULAR NEWSPAPER COULD AND DID BLACKMAIL THE PROFESSIONAL POLITICIAN MAKE OR UNMAKE THE PROFESSIONAL POLITICIAN BY GRANTING OR REFUSING HIM THE LIMELIGHT DISPOSE OF CABINETS NOMINATE ABSURD MINISTERS BUT THE PARTICULAR VIVID CONCRETE INSTANCES THAT SPECIALLY MOVE MEN TO ACTION WERE HIDDEN FROM THEM ONLY A SMALL NUMBER OF PEOPLE WERE ACQUAINTED WITH SUCH PARTICULAR TRUTHS BUT THAT SMALL NUMBER KNEW VERY WELL THAT WE WERE THUS IN REALITY GOVERNED BY MEN RESPONSIBLE TO NO ONE AND HIDDEN FROM PUBLIC BLAME
large/7264/free_press_1206_librivox_64kb_mp3/freepress_11_belloc_64kb
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