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material use； as e。g。； menial servants。 But the gravest
significance of this cleavage that so runs through the population
of the advanced industrial countries lies in the fact that it is
a division between the vested interests and the common man。 It is
a division between those who control the conditions of work and
the rate and volume of output and to whom the net output of
industry goes as free income； on the one hand； and those others
who have the work to do and to whom a livelihood is allowed by
these persons in control； on the other hand。 In point of numbers
it is a very uneven division； of course。
A vested interest is a legitimate right to get something for
nothing； usually a prescriptive right to an income which is
secured by controlling the traffic at one point or another。 The
owners of such a prescriptive right are also spoken of as a
vested interest。 Such persons make up what are called the kept
classes。 But the kept classes also comprise many persons who are
entitled to a free income on other grounds than their ownership
and control of industry or the market； as； e。g。； landlords and
other persons classed as 〃gentry；〃 the clergy； the Crown where
there is a Crown and its agents； civil and military。
Contrasted with these classes who make up the vested interests；
and who derive an income from the established order of ownership
and privilege； is the common man。 He is common in the respect
that he is not vested with such a prescriptive right to get
something for nothing。 And he is called common because such is
the common lot of men under the new order of business and
industry； and such will continue （increasingly） to be the common
lot so long as the enlightened principles of secure ownership and
self…help handed down from the eighteenth century continue to
rule human affairs by help of the new order of industry。
The kept classes； whose free income is secured to them by the
legitimate rights of the vested interests； are less numerous than
the common man less numerous by some ninety…five per cent or
thereabouts and less serviceable to the community at large in
perhaps the same proportion； so far as regards any conceivable
use for any material purpose。 In this sense they are uncommon。
But it is not usual to speak of the kept classes as the uncommon
classes； inasmuch they personally differ from the common run of
mankind in no sensible respect。 It is more usual to speak of them
as 〃the better classes；〃 because they are in better circumstances
and are better able to do as they like。 Their place in the
economic scheme of the civilised world is to consume the net
product of the country's industry over cost； and so prevent a
glut of the market。
But this broad distinction between the kept classes and their
vested interests on the one side and the common man on the other
side is by no means hard and fast。 There are many doubtful cases；
and a shifting across the line occurs now and again； but the
broad distinction is not doubtful for all that。 The great
distinguishing mark of the common man is that he is helpless
within the rules of the game as it is played in the twentieth
century under the enlightened principles of the eighteenth
century。
There are all degrees of this helplessness that characterises
the common lot。 So much so that certain classes； professions； and
occupations such as the clergy； the military； the courts；
police； and legal profession are perhaps to be classed as
belonging primarily with the vested interests； although they can
scarcely be counted as vested interests in their own right； but
rather as outlying and subsidiary vested interests whose tenure
is conditioned on their serving the purposes of those principal
and self…directing vested interests whose tenure rests
immediately on large holdings of invested wealth。 The income
which goes to these subsidiary or dependent vested interests is
of the nature of free income； in so far that it is drawn from the
yearly product of the underlying community； but in another sense
it is scarcely to be counted as 〃free〃 income； in that its
continuance depends on the good will of those controlling vested
interests whose power rests on the ownership of large invested
wealth。 Still it will be found that on any test vote these
subsidiary or auxiliary vested interests uniformly range
themselves with their superiors in the same class； rather than
with the common man。 By sentiment and habitual outlook they
belong with the kept classes； in that they are staunch defenders
of that established order of law and custom which secures the
great vested interests in power and insures the free income of
the kept classes。 In any twofold division of the population these
are therefore； on the whole； to be ranged on the side of the old
order； the vested interests； and the kept classes； both in
sentiment and as regards the circumstances which condition their
life and comfort。
Beyond these； whose life…interests are； after all； closely
bound up with the kept classes； there are other vested interests
of a more doubtful and perplexing kind； classes and occupations
which would seem to belong with the common lot； but which range
themselves at least provisionally with the vested interests and
can scarcely be denied standing as such。 Such； as an illustrative
instance； is the A。 F。 of L。 Not that the constituency of the A。
F。 of L。 can be said to live on free income； and is therefore to
be counted in with the kept classes the only reservation on
that head would conceivably be the corps of officials in the A。
F。 of L。； who dominate the policies of that organisation and
exercise a prescriptive right to dispose of its forces； at the
same time that they habitually come in for an income drawn from
the underlying organisation。 The rank and file assuredly are not
of the kept classes； nor do they visibly come in for a free
income。 Yet they stand on the defensive in maintaining a vested
interest in the prerogatives and perquisites of their
organisation。 They are apparently moved by a feeling that so long
as the established arrangements are maintained they will come in
for a little something over and above what would come to them if
they were to make common cause with the undistinguished common
lot。 In other words； they have a vested interest in a narrow
margin of preference over and above what goes to the common man。
But this narrow margin of net gain over the common lot； this
vested right to get a narrow margin of something for nothing； has
hitherto been sufficient to shape their sentiments and outlook in
such a way as； in effect； to keep them loyal to the large
business interests with whom they negotiate for this narrow
margin of preference。 As is true of the vested interests in
business； so in the case of the A。 F。 of L。； the ordinary ways
and means of enforcing their claim to a little something over and
above is the use of a reasonable sabotage； in the way of
restriction； retardation； and unemployment。 Yet the constituency
of the A。 F。 of L。； taken man for man； is n