《论自由·第五章·应用》第19节
It is not, also, to be forgotten, that the absorption of all the principal ability of the country into the governing body is fatal, sooner or later, to the mental activity and progressiveness of the body itself. Banded together as they are--working a system which, like all systems, necessarily proceeds in a great measure by fixed rules--the official body are under the constant temptation of sinking into indolent routine, or, if they now and then desert that mill-horse round, of rushing into some half-examined crudity which has struck the fancy of some leading member of the corps: and the sole check to these closely allied, though seemingly opposite, tendencies, the only stimulus which can keep the ability of the body itself up to a high standard, is liability to the watchful criticism of equal ability outside the body. It is indispensable, therefore, that the means should exist, independently of the government, of forming such ability, and furnishing it with the opportunities and experience necessary for a correct judgment of great practical affairs. If we would possess permanently a skilful and efficient body of functionaries--above all, a body able to originate and willing to adopt improvements; if we would not have our bureaucracy degenerate into a pedantocracy, this body must not engross all the occupations which form and cultivate the faculties required for the government of mankind.
注释摘要
这一段落在《论自由》全书的论证链条中，属于密尔对政府职能界限进行系统思考的尾声部分。密尔此前已经提出，即便某种政府干预并未侵犯个人自由，它仍然可能因为其他理由而不应实施。他列举了三种反对理由，这一段所展开的，是他所说的第三种、也是最有力的理由：不必要地扩大政府的权力，本身就是一种巨大的恶。而他在这里要证明的是，这种恶的作用机制，不仅在于政府权力对社会的压制…