an English sentinel in my streets without longing to jump out
of my carriage and strangle him with my own hands."[92] The upper
classes feel much the same as their sovereigns. They regret their former
monopoly of privilege and office. This is especially true of the
Western-educated _intelligentsia_, who believe that they should hold all
government posts and resent bitterly the reservation of high-salaried
directive positions for Europeans. Of course many intelligent liberals
realize so fully the educative effect of European control that they
acquiesce in a temporary loss of independence in order to complete their
modernization and ultimately be able to stand alone without fear of
reaction or anarchy. However, these liberals are only a small minority,
hated by their upper-class fellows as time-servers and renegades, and
sundered by an immense gulf from the ignorant masses.

At first sight we might think that the masses would, on the whole, be
favourably disposed toward European political control. Despite certain
economic disadvantages that Westernization has imposed, the masses have
unquestionably gained most by European rule. Formerly exploited
ruthlessly by both princes and upper classes, the peasants and town
workers are to-day assured peace, order, justice, and security for
their landholdings and the fruits of their toil. Now it would be a
mistake to think that the masses are insensible to all this. The fact
is, they do recognize the benefits of European rule. Nevertheless, the
new rulers, while tolerated and even respected, are never beloved.
Furthermore, as the generation which knew the old regime dies off, its
evils are forgotten, and the younger generation, taking present benefits
for granted, murmurs at the flaws in the existing order, and lends a
readier ear to native agitators extolling the glories of independence
and idealizing the "good old times."

The truth of the matter is that, despite all its shortcomings, the
average Oriental hankers after the old way of life. Even when he
recognizes the good points of the new, he nevertheless yearns
irrationally for the old. "A Moslem ruler though he oppress me and not a
_kafir_[93] though he work me weal" is a Moslem proverb of long
standing. Every colonial administration, no matter how enlightened, runs
counter to this ineradicable aversion of Moslems for Christian rule. A
Russian administrator in Central Asia voices the sentiments of European
officials generally