be primarily of
only local interest. The former group includes, besides the army, the
state taxes and domains, ecclesiastical affairs, police (in the wide
Prussian meaning of the term), and the supervision of local
authorities; whilst roads, poor relief, and a number of miscellaneous
matters are left to the localities. These two groups are kept
carefully separate, even when they are entrusted to the same
authority. Secondly, the work of the central government is
'deconcentrated,' that is, the country is divided into districts
(which may or may not be coincident with the areas of local
self-government), in each of which there is a delegation of the
central authority, doing its work, and thereby lessening the pressure
upon the departmental offices in Berlin. Something like this
deconcentration is found in the educational organization of France,
and also in the office of the Prefect, but it is far more elaborate,
and the machinery much more complex, in Prussia. Thirdly the
comparative independence of the executive from the deliberative
authority, and the predominance of the officials, which characterize
the central government of Prussia, repeat themselves throughout the
whole of local government. And, finally, in all except the (p. 268)
largest of the Prussian areas of local self-government, the executive
agents of the locality, elected by it, are also the representatives of
the central government; as such they are members of the bureaucracy
and controlled by it, and in consequence they naturally look to the
center for guidance and direction in regard to local affairs.
Therefore, whilst it would be inaccurate to say that local
self-government, as understood in England, does not exist in Prussia,
it is true that self-government there is weak, that it is not so much
the exercise of the will of the locality within limits prescribed (for
the protection of the whole community) by the central power, as the
exercise of the will of the latter by the locality. In fact, the
bureaucracy rules; and it is fortunate for Prussia that hitherto the
bureaucracy has remained intelligent and respective of new
ideas."[392]

[Footnote 392: Ashley, Local and Central
Government, 130-132.]

At the same time it is to be observed that, while the professional,
life-long holders of office continue to preponderate as in no other
important country of western Europe, the class of non-professionals is
lar