Mein Kampf
membership of this institution remains unchanged, while the problems presented extend to almost every field of public life, and in fact would require a constant change of deputies to judge and vote upon them. It is impossible, after all, to let the same persons deal with matters of transportation as, for instance, with a question of important foreign policy. Otherwise they would all have to be universal geniuses such as in fact scarcely occur once in centuries. But unfortunately these are mostly not “brains” at all, but only narrow, conceited, and puffed-up dilettantes, an intellectual demimonde of the worst sort. That is in fact the reason for the often incomprehensible carelessness with which these gentry discuss and decide things that even the greatest minds would find a matter of anxious consideration. Measures of utmost importance for the whole state, nay of a nation, are taken as if a game of Old Maid or Tarock (undoubtedly more suitable for such people) were on the table, instead of the fate of a race.
Of course it would be unjust to think that by nature every deputy in such a parliament has so slight a sense of responsibility. Not at all. But by forcing the individual to make up his mind on questions which do not suit his talents, this system gradually corrupts the character. Nobody is going to have the courage to say “Gentlemen, I do not think we know anything about this matter. I, personally, at any rate, certainly do not.” (In any case it would make little difference, for surely that sort of frankness would not be understood, and besides people would hardly let such an honest donkey spoil everyone else’s game.) But anyone who knows human nature will understand that in such illustrious company nobody likes to be the dunce, and in certain circles honesty is always synonymous with stupidity.
Thus a representative who begins by being honorable is forced into the crowded path of falsehood and cheating. The very conviction that an individual’s abstention would in itself make no difference kills every honest impulse which this or that person may feel. He will end by telling himself that he personally is far from the worst of the lot, and that by joining in he may simply prevent worse things from happening.
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