Political Considerations of Vienna Period
of his own real dimensions, the more loudly he will praise a system which does not demand a giant’s strength and genius, but is contented with the slyness of a village mayor, nay even prefers this sort of wisdom to that of a Pericles. Besides, that sort of ninny need not be plagued with responsibility for his actions. He is quite beyond reach of such worries, because he well knows that no matter what the results of his “statesmanly” muddling, his end has long since been written in the stars; some day he will have to give way to another and equally great mind. For it is one of the signs of such decay that the number of great statesmen increases at just the rate that the standard for individual statesmen shrinks. But the individual statesmen is bound to grow smaller with increasing dependence on parliamentary majorities, since great minds will refuse to be the hireling of silly incompetents and windbags, while on the other hand the representatives of the majority, that is to say of stupidity, hate nothing more fiercely than a superior brain.
It is always a consoling feeling for one of these town meetings of Podunk selectmen to know they have a leader whose wisdom is on a level with their own. In this way, after all, each man from time to time has the pleasure of letting his intellect sparkle; and more than this, if Jack can be boss, why not Bill?
But this invention of democracy is most truly paired with a quality which in more recent times has grown to a real scandal, namely the cowardice of a great part of our so-called “leadership.” What luck—in all real decisions of any importance they can hide behind the skirts of a so-called majority! Just look at one of these political footpads carefully begging the approval of the majority for every action in order to assure himself of the necessary accomplices and thus to be always able to unload the responsibility! That is perhaps the chief reason why this sort of political activity is disgusting and hateful to any really decent and therefore courageous man, while it attracts all the contemptible characters—and anyone who will not take the personal responsibility for his actions, but hunts for cover, is a craven scoundrel.
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