Loyalty in the inferior may be awakened by many things, but to be
permanent the follower must sooner or later feel himself a part
of the program. He must have not only duties and responsibilities
but benefits, and he must be given a visible symbol of
membership. A child becomes loyal when he is given a badge or
title, and so do men. This is the meaning of uniforms, badges,
titles and privileges; they are symbols of "belonging" and so
become symbols of loyalty. From the higher intellects loyalty can
only be won if they have a share in conference, in the exertion
of power and in identification with the institution in a
privileged way. Though cash and direct benefit do not insure
loyalty, they go a long way toward getting it. Many a man who is
a rebel as a workman is loyal as a foreman, and while here and
there is one who is loyal and leal{sic} whether the wind blows
good or ill, the history and proverbs of men tell very plainly
that loyalty usually disappears with the downfall of the leader,
or when benefits of one kind or another are too long delayed. A
man may be loyal to the leader or institution powerful and
splendid in his youth (usually pride is as much involved as
loyalty), but his children never are.
Disciplinability is a quality of the follower. He must be willing
to sacrifice his freedom of action and choice and turn it over to
another. Rules and regulations are necessary for efficiency. In a
larger sense, they become laws, and the law-abiding are the
disciplined, ready to obey whatever law. Thus the reformers do
not come from the law-abiding in spirit; it is the rebel who
changes laws. Without the law-abiding, disciplined spirit there
would be only anarchy, and though men have obeyed frightful laws
and still do, this is better than no social discipline. A
revolution occurs when the discipline, i.e., the rules and
regulations and the rulers and regulators, have not kept pace
with the new ideas that have permeated society. Men are willing
to be governed; nay, they demand it, but there must be at least a
rude conformity between the governed and the laws by which they
are governed. In other words, discipline of any kind is welcome
if the disciplined believe it to be right and just. Men accept
punishment for infraction of a law if they believe themselves to
be rightfully punished, but rebel against unjust discipline.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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