The cult of incompetence

This ebook contains a few words in Greek. English transcriptions of these words can be viewed by hovering the mouse pointer over them. THE CULT OF INCOMPETENCE First Edition November, 1911. Second Edition July, 1912. THE CULT OF INCOMPETENCE By EMILE FAGUET Of the French Academy TRANSLATED FROM THE FRENCH BY BEATRICE BARSTOW WITH AN INTRODUCTION BY THOMAS MACKAY NEW YORK: E. P. DUTTON & COMPANY 1912 CONTENTS. PAGE INTRODUCTION 1 I. THE PRINCIPLES OF FORMS OF GOVERNMENT 12 II. CONFUSION OF FUNCTIONS 37 III. THE REFUGES OF EFFICIENCY 59 IV. THE COMPETENT LEGISLATOR 66 V. LAWS UNDER DEMOCRACY 82 VI. THE INCOMPETENCE OF GOVERNMENT 92 VII. JUDICIAL INCOMPETENCE 96 VIII. EXAMPLES OF INCOMPETENCE 123 IX. MANNERS 156 X. PROFESSIONAL CUSTOMS 162 XI. ATTEMPTED REMEDIES 172 XII. THE DREAM 216 INDEX 237 THE CULT OF INCOMPETENCE. INTRODUCTION. Though it may not have been possible in the following pages to reproduce the elegant and incisive style of a master of French prose, not even the inadequacies of a translation can obscure the force of his argument. The only introduction, therefore, that seems possible must take the form of a request to the reader to study M. Faguet's criticism of modern democracy with the daily paper in his hand. He will then see, taking chapter by chapter, how in some aspects the phenomena of English democracy are identical with those described in the text, and how in others our English worship of incompetence, moral and technical, differs considerably from that which prevails in France. It might have been possible, as a part of the scheme of this volume, to note on each page, by way of illustration, instances from contemporary English practice, but an adequate execution of this plan would have overloaded the text, or even required an additional volume. Such a volume, impartially worked out with instances drawn from the programme of all political parties, would be an interesting commentary on current political controversy, and it is to be hoped that M. Faguet's suggestive pages will inspire some competent hand to undertake the task. If M. Faguet had chosen to refer to England, he might, perhaps, have cited the constitution of this country, as it existed some seventy years ago, as an example of a "demophil aristocracy," raised to power by an "aristocracy-respecting democracy." It is not perhaps wise in political controversy to compromise our liberty of action in respect of…