A large part of our failure
to achieve anything memorable in Ireland is due to the fact that,
influenced by the example of our great neighbors, we reversed the
natural position of the aristocratic and democratic elements in the
national being. Instead of being democratic in our economic life, with
the aristocracy of character and intelligence to lead us, we became
meanly individualistic in our economics and meanly democratic in
leadership. That is, we allowed individualism--the devilish doctrine of
every man for himself--to be the keynote of our economic life; where,
above all things, the general good and not the enrichment of the
individual should be considered. For our leaders we chose energetic,
common-place types, and made them represent us in the legislature;
though it is in leadership above all that we need, not the aristocracy
of birth, but the aristocracy of character, intellect, and will. We had
not that aristocracy to lead us. We chose instead persons whose ideas
were in no respect nobler than the average to be our guides, or rather
to be guided by us.
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