二十世纪并没有摧毁阶级制度(The twentieth century did not destroy the class system)

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thesedayswehearalotofnonsenseaboutthe‘greatclasslesssociety’.theideathatthetwentiethcenturyistheageofthemonmanhasbeeoneofthegreatclichésofourtime.thesameoldargumentsareputforwardinevidence.herearesomeofthem:monarchyasasystemofgovernmenthasbeenpletelydiscredited.themonarchiesthatsurvivehavebeendeprivedofallpoliticalpower.inheritedwealthhasbeensavagelyreducedbytaxationand,intime,thegreatfortuneswilldisappearaltogether.inanumberofcountriesthevictoryhasbeenplete.thepeoplerule;thegreatmillenniumhasbeeapoliticalreality.buthasit?closeexaminationdoesn’tbearouttheclaim.

itisafallacytosupposethatallmenareequalandthatsocietywillbeleveledoutifyouprovideeverybodywiththesameeducationalopportunities.(itisdebatablewhetheryoucaneverprovideeveryonewiththesameeducationalopportunities,butthatisanotherquestion.)thefactisthatnaturedispensesbrainsandabilitywithatotaldisregardfortheprincipleofquality.theoldrulesofthejungle,‘survivalofthefittest’,and‘mightisright’arestillwithus.therspreadofeducationhasdestoryedtheoldclasssystemandcreatedanewone.rewardsarebasedonmerit.for‘aristocracy’read‘metitocracy’;inotherrespects,societyremainsunaltered:theclasssystemisrigidlymaintained.genuineability,animalcunning,skill,theknackofseizingopportunities,allbringmaterialrewards.andwhatisthefirstthingpeopledowhentheybeerich?theyusetheirwealthtosecurethebestpossibleopportunitiesfortheirchildren,togivethem‘agoodstartinlife’.forallthelip-servicewepaytotheideaofequality,wedonotconsiderthisworonginthewesternworld.privateschoolswhichofferunfairadvantagesoverstateschoolsarenotbannedbecauseoneoftheprinciplesinademocracyisthatpeopleshouldbefreetochoosehowtheywilleducatetheirchildren.inthisway,thenewmeritocracycanperpetuateitselftoacertainextent:anablechildfromawealthyhomecansueedfarmorerapidlythanhispoorercounterpart.wealthisalsousedindiscriminatelytofurtherpoliticalends.

insocietieswhollydedicatedtotheprincipleofsocialequality,privilegedprivateeducationisforbidden.butevenherepeoplearerewardedaordingtotheirabilities.infact,sogreatistheneedfroskilledworkersthattheleastablemaybeneglected.brightchildrenarecarefullyandexpensivelytrainedtobeefuturerulers.intheend,allpoliticalideologiesboildowntothesamething:classdivisionspersistwhetheryouareruledbyafeudalkingoraneducatedpeasant.