The subdivision of London
into six or seven independent districts, each with its separate
arrangements for local business (several of them without unity of
administration even within themselves), prevents the possibility of
consecutive or well regulated cooperation for common objects,
precludes any uniform principle for the discharge of local duties,
compels the general government to take things upon itself which
would be best left to local authorities if there were any whose
authority extended to the entire metropolis, and answers no purpose
but to keep up the fantastical trappings of that union of modern
jobbing and antiquated foppery, the Corporation of the City of London.
Another equally important principle is, that in each local
circumscription there should be but one elected body for all local
business, not different bodies for different parts of it. Division
of labour does not mean cutting up every business into minute
fractions; it means the union of such operations as are fit to be
performed by the same persons, and the separation of such as can be
better performed by different persons. The executive duties of the
locality do indeed require to be divided into departments, for the
same reason as those of the State; because they are of diverse
kinds, each requiring knowledge peculiar to itself, and needing, for
its due performance, the undivided attention of a specially
qualified functionary.
Pages:
295
296
297
298
299
300
301
302
303
304
305
306
307
308
309
310
311
312
313
314
315
316
317
318
319