the jurists and the diplomatic corps。 Meantime the far…reaching；
swift…moving； wide…sweeping machine technology has been drawn
into the service of national pretensions； as well as of the
vested interests that find shelter under the national
pretensions； and both the remedial diplomats and the
self…determination of nations are on the way to become a tale
that was told。
The divine right of nations appears to be a blurred
after…image of the divine rights of kings。 It rests on ground
more archaic and less open to scrutiny than the Natural Right of
self…direction as it applies in the case of individual persons。
It is a highly prized national asset； in the nature of an
imponderable； and； very much as is true of the divine right of
kings； any spoken doubt of its paramount validity comes near
being a sin against the Holy Ghost。 It can not safely be
scrutinised or defined in matter…of…fact words。 As is true of the
divine right of kings； so also as regards the divine right of
nations； it is extremely difficult to show that it serves the
common good in any material way； in any way that can be
formulated or verified in terms of tangible performance。
Evidently it does not come in under that mechanistic conception
that rules the scheme of knowledge and belief wherever and so far
as material science and the machine technology have reshaped
men's habits of thought。 Indeed； it is not a technological
conception； late or early。 It is not statable in terms of
mechanical efficiency； or even in terms of price。 Hence it is
spoken of； often and eloquently； as being 〃beyond price。〃 It is
more nearly akin to magic and religion。 It should perhaps best be
conceived as an end in itself； or a thing…in…itself again in
close analogy with the divine right of kings。 But there is no
question of its substantial reality and its paramount efficacy
for good and ill。
The divine that is to say inscrutable and irresponsible
right of kings reached its best estate and put on divinity in the
stirring times of the Era of State…making； when the princes and
prelates 〃tore each other in the slime。〃 It was of a proprietary
nature； a vested interest； something in the nature of intangible
assets which embodied the usufruct of the realm； including its
population and resources； and which could be turned to account in
the pursuit of princely or dynastic advantages at home and
abroad。 This divine right of princes was disallowed among the
more civilised peoples on the transition to modern ways of
thinking； and the sovereign rights of the prince were then taken
over at least in form and principle by the people at large；
and they have continued to be held by them as some sort of
imponderable 〃community property；〃 at least in point of form
and profession。 The vested interest of the prince or the dynasty
in the usufruct of the underlying community is thereby presumed
to have become a collective interest vested in the people of the
nations and giving them a 〃right of user〃 in their own persons；
knowledge； skill and resources。
The mantle of princely sovereignty has fallen on the common
man formally and according to the letter of the legal
instruments。 In practical effect； as 〃democratic sovereignty〃 it
has been converted into a cloak to cover the nakedness of a
government which does business for the kept classes。 In practical
effect； the shift from the dynastic politics of the era of
state…making to the Liberal policies based on the enlightened
principles of the eighteenth century has been a shift from the
pursuit of princely dominion to an imperialistic enterprise for
the protection and furtherance of those vested interests that are
domiciled within the national frontiers。 That such has been the
practical outcome is due to the fact that these enlightened
principles of the eighteenth century comprise as their chief
article the 〃natural〃 right of ownership。 The later course of
events has decided that the ownership of property in sufficiently
large blocks will control the country's industrial system and
thereby take over the disposal of the community's net output of
product over cost； on which the vested interests live and on
which； therefore； the kept classes feed。 Hence the chief concern
of those gentlemanly national governments that have displaced the
dynastic states is always and consistently the maintenance of the
rights of ownership and investment。
However； these pecuniary interests of investment and free
income are not all that is covered by the mantle of democratic
sovereignty。 Nor will it hold true that the common man has no
share in the legacy of sovereignty and national enterprise which
the enlightened democratic commonwealth has taken over from the
departed dynastic r間ime。 The divine right of the prince included
certain imponderables； as well as the usufruct of the material
resources of the realm。 There were the princely dignity and
honor； which were no less substantial an object of value and
ambition and were no less tenaciously held by the princes of the
dynastic r間ime than the revenues and material 〃sinews of war〃 on
which the prestige and honor rested。 And the common man of the
democratic commonwealth has at least come in for a ratable share
in these imponderables of prestige and honor that so are
comprised under the divine right of the nation。 He has an
undivided interest in the glamour of national achievement； and he
can swell with just pride in contemplating the triumphs of his
gentlemanly government over the vested interests domiciled in any
foreign land； or with just indignation at any diplomatic setback
suffered by the vested interests domiciled in his own。
There is also a more tangible； though more petty； advantage
gained for the common man in having formally taken over the
sovereignty from the dead hand of the dynastic prince。 The common
man being now vested with the divine right of national
sovereignty； held in undivided community ownership； it is
ceremonially necessary for the gentlemanly stewards of the kept
classes to consult the wishes of this their sovereign on any
matters of policy that can not wholly be carried through in a
diplomatic corner and under cover of night and cloud。 He；
collectively； holds an eventual power of veto。 And this power of
veto has in practice been found to be something of a safeguard
against any universal and enduring increase of hardship at the
hands of the gentlemen…investors to whom the conduct of the
nation's affairs has been 〃entrusted；〃 a very modest safeguard；
it is true； but always of some eventual consequence。 There is the
difference that in the democratic commonwealth the common man has
to be managed rather than driven； except for minor groups of
common men who live on the lower…common levels； and except for
recurrent periods of legislative hysteria and judiciary
blind…staggers。 And it is pleasanter to be managed than to be
driven。 Chicane is a more humane art than corporal punishment。
Imperial England is； after all； a milder…mannered stepmother than
Imperial Germany。
And always the common man comes in for his ratable share in
the glamour of national achievement； in war and peace； and this
imponderable gain of the spirit is also something。 The value of
these collective imponderables of national prestige and
collective honor is not to be made light of。 These count for very
much in the drift and set of national sentiment； and moral issues
of national moment are wont to arise out of them。 Indeed； they
constitute the chief incentive which holds the common man to an
unrepining constancy in the service of the 〃national interests；〃
So that； while the tangible shell of material gain appears to
have fallen to the democratic community's kept classes； yet the
〃psychic income〃 that springs from national enterprise； the
spiritual kernel of national elation they share with the common
man on an equitable footing of community interest。
The vested rights of the nation are of the essence of that
order of things which enjoys the unqualified sanction of the
modern point of view； Like any other vested interest； these
rights are conceived in other terms than those which are native
to the new order of material science and technology。 They are of
an older and more spiritual order； so far as regards the
principles of knowledge and belief on which they rest。 But
whatever may be their remoter pedigree； they have the sanction of
that body of principles that is called the modern point of view；
and they belong in the scheme of things handed on by the Liberal
movement of the eighteenth and nineteenth century。 Apart from the
imponderable values which fall under the head of national
prestige； these vested rights of the nation can be defined as an
extension to the commonwealth of the same natural rights of
self…direction and personal security free contract and
self…help that are secured to the individual citizen under the
common law。
Yet； while the national policies of the democratic
commonwealths are managed by Liberal statesmen in b