large/7264/free_press_1206_librivox_64kb_mp3/freepress_20_belloc_64kb_14
large/7264/free_press_1206_librivox_64kb_mp3/freepress_20_belloc_64kb
English
7264
So far as I can gather from the life around me, the popular appetite for freedom and even for criticism has disappeared. The wage earner demands sufficient and regular subsistence, including a system of pensions, and, as part of his definition of subsistence and sufficiency, a due portion of leisure. SO FAR AS I CAN GATHER FROM THE LIFE AROUND ME THE POPULAR APPETITE FOR FREEDOM AND EVEN FOR CRITICISM HAS DISAPPEARED THE WAGE EARNER DEMANDS SUFFICIENT AND REGULAR SUBSISTENCE INCLUDING A SYSTEM OF PENSIONS AND AS A PART OF HIS DEFINITION OF SUBSISTENCE AND SUFFICIENCY A DUE PORTION OF LEISURE
of shocked incredulity at hearing that such-and-such a Minister had been mixed up in such-and-such a financial scandal. We take such things for granted nowadays. XX What I do doubt in the approaching and already apparent success of the Free Press is its power to effect democratic reform. It will succeed at last in getting the truth told pretty openly and pretty thoroughly. It will break down the barrier between the little governing clique in which the truth is cynically admitted and the bulk of educated men and women who cannot get the truth by word of mouth but depend upon the printed word. We shall, I believe, even within the lifetime of those who have taken part in the struggle; have all the great problems of our time, particularly the Economic problems, honestly debated. But what I do not see is the avenue whereby the great mass of the people can now be restored to an interest in the way in which they are governed, or even in the re-establishment of their own economic independence.  CHAPTER TWENTY OF THE FREE PRESS BY HILAIRE BELLOC RECORDING BY SHAW MC CLEAN WHAT I DO DOUBT IN THE APPROACHING AND ALREADY APPARENT SUCCESS OF THE FREE PRESS IS ITS POWER TO EFFECT DEMOCRATIC REFORM IT WILL SUCCEED AT LAST IN GETTING THE TRUTH TOLD PRETTY OPENLY AND PRETTY THOROUGHLY IT WILL BREAK DOWN THE BARRIER BETWEEN THE LITTLE GOVERNING CLICK IN WHICH THE TRUTH IS CYNICALLY ADMITTED AND THE BULK OF EDUCATED MEN AND WOMEN WHO CANNOT GET THE TRUTH BY WORD OF MOUTH BUT DEPEND UPON THE PRINTED WORD WE SHALL I BELIEVE EVEN WITHIN THE LIFETIME OF THOSE WHO HAVE TAKEN PART IN THE STRUGGLE HAVE ALL THE GREAT PROBLEMS OF OUR TIME PARTICULARLY THE ECONOMIC PROBLEMS HONESTLY DEBATED BUT WHAT I DO NOT SEE IS THE AVENUE WHEREBY THE GREAT MASS OF THE PEOPLE CAN NOW BE RESTORED TO AN INTEREST IN THE WAY IN WHICH THEY ARE GOVERNED OR EVEN IN THE REESTABLISHMENT OF THEIR OWN ECONOMIC INDEPENDENCE
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