The house of Industry : a new estate of the realm

FOREWORD Xxill

industry. The Labour Government has so far ignored its crucial importance.

To sum up: First, we advocate the transformation of the House of Lords into a House of Industry because we do not want the Trade Union and Labour movement to waste time and energy in barren and futile attempts to reconcile the principles of political democracy with the continued existence of an hereditary and irresponsible second chamber possessing a suspensory veto on legislation. Hobson’s House of Industry would have no veto, suspensory or absolute: it would legislate for industry, but the power of veto would be transferred to the House of Commons. The elected of the people would thus be in possession of the supreme power—the right of saying the final word on all matters of legislation, plus the power of the purse. The age-long quarrel between the two chambers would be settled by a simple rearrangement and differentiation of functions and powers ; historical continuity and the sanctions of tradition would be preserved ; friction and conflict between the two Houses would disappear; bungling, inconsiderate, amateurish and panic-stricken interference with the governance of economic and industrial affairs by Ministers too overburdened with administrative responsibilities and political pre-occupations even to check the work of the bureaucrats in their own departments would become impossible. These things in themselves are worth the effort involved in the transformation of the House of Lords into the House of