On The Rule of The Road by A.G. Gardiner is a witty essay in a comic style that deals with one’s public responsibilities and civic sense. The central idea of the essay is that the protection of every person’s freedom involves the limitation of the liberty enjoyed by all. Liberty is not chaos, and it is not unbridled freedom. A.G. Gardiner gives us the meaning of true liberty, and how it necessitates a measure of control. The essay is characterized by its simplicity, and the relevance of the content at the time of its publishing meant that it would catch the eye of many.
To read the text of the essay, click here.
On The Rule of The Road | Summary
An old lady was walking carelessly in the middle of the road, and when told that she should walk on the pavement, she responds that because she has liberty, she has the power to do anything she likes. However, if that were true, then the world would be chaos. Anarchy would exist over liberty because if everyone was free to do as they pleased, nobody would have any kind of protection. So, it is essential to not lose ourselves in the concept of liberty and understand what the rule of the road is.
A policeman enforcing the laws of the land, or more specifically, the rules of the road, is a symbol of freedom, not a symbol of dictatorship. One may believe that such law enforcement is infringing on their freedom, but a reasonable person will also understand that law enforcement is what allows a semblance of order to exist in the world, which in turn supports true liberty. We can see that liberty is a social contract, an acceptance of everyone’s needs and an accommodation of them.
However, when what one does is unrelated to anyone else’s liberty, then there are no restrictions to worry about. The way you choose to dress, or the style in which you choose to portray yourself, or when you sleep, wake up, eat, bathe, and what religion you follow are completely irrelevant with regard to another person’s liberty, and so does not require any sort of regulation. Yet, once this lack of regulation impinges upon someone else’s freedom, that is where the line of your restriction-less liberty ends. If you want to learn to play the trombone, it’s completely up to you, and you do not require anyone’s say-so. If you practice that trombone in the wee hours of the morning, thereby disturbing family and neighbours, then there is a problem. It is easy to point out the mistakes of others when they infringe upon our liberty, but not as easy for us to be conscious of not infringing upon theirs. A civilized person will be civilized in matters both big and small. They will follow the rules of the road, and they contribute to the little things that make life for everyone that much sweeter. Consideration for one another is integral to real liberty.
On The Rule of The Road | Analysis
In this text, a single example is used as a thread throughout the essay, that is, the titular “Rule of the Road”. This single example is used to explain liberty, and it is a metaphor for all the regulations that exist to protect one’s liberty. This seemingly insignificant rule or example has a big impact in the big picture, as it represents the little things each person must adhere to in order to support the structure of life.
Liberty exists when a person is free from oppression from authority and free from restrictions imposed on their behaviour, political views, decisions, and so on. It gives people the power to act as they want to, and this is how they become “liberty-drunk”. People reach a point of not being able to relinquish their freedom, even at the cost of someone else’s freedom. Liberty for the civilized is a willingness to restrain or restrict themselves out of consideration for the comfort and needs of another person. Anarchy exists when there is an absence, or ignorance, of rules or controls. It is a political ideal of absolute freedom of every individual, without a care for the needs of others. It is, colloquially, a state of confusion due to the absence of any regulation.
The mention of “social contract” is in reference to the Social Contract Theory by philosopher John Locke. This theory contains the idea that people in a society live together with the mutual agreement of certain rules or regulations that will be followed. It shows that people themselves decide to live under a moral and political rule that has been reasonably set and thus form a society. Liberty is a social contract because liberty for everyone requires restraint from everyone, and this is an agreement between all the people in society to curtail their individual liberty in the interest of mass liberty.
The essay begins with an anecdote, and it is one that easily sums up the content that follows it. In this anecdote, the woman’s idea of freedom did not seem to include the fact that people on the road have the same liberty to drive straight into her, because she was on a public road. The cars on the road are respecting her liberty to be alive and unhurt, while she disrespects their liberty to have a safe and peaceful drive. Liberty in society requires mutual respect, and thus this example is used by the author to show us why the consideration of others is so integral to community liberty. “Petrograd” is the old name for St. Petersburg, which is a city in Russia. The anecdote about the woman is set in Russia.
The two main concepts of liberty have been laid out in this essay, that is, individual liberty and community liberty. The author uses several examples of personal liberty and ends with the example of playing the trombone. The trombone example is used to show how the illusion of individual liberty can interfere with community liberty. As the saying goes, your freedom ends where my nose begins. The personal liberty of one person can never infringe upon the personal liberty of another. Any overlap requires consideration for each other and regulation of each one’s individual liberty. The willingness to participate freely in a society without feeling the need to be chaotic is the hallmark of a civilized human in a liberalized world. A “Maelstrom” is a state of confusion or chaos. The lack of regulation will lead to this sort of violet turmoil that is inescapable.
The crux of this essay is that a truly liberal world requires that people be considerate of each other. This requires that each person determines the impact of their actions on others, and on society as a whole. The point is not to look out at others and see their shortfalls, but to look within and resolve our own. This essay reinforces this as it begins with the recognition of another person’s mistakes and ends with the assertion that it is simple to see where others fall, but difficult to recognize our own inadequacies. Liberty in society requires the sacrifice of individual desires to support the greater good. Consideration for other people and sacrifice of one’s own liberty go hand in hand, and the compromises and agreements that the population accepts becomes the social norm and the expected behaviour.
Little drops of water make the mighty ocean, as Julia Carney says. In this context, it is the little changes that people make that provide freedom for everyone. It is not commonplace for a person to have an opportunity to undertake an immense or heroic sacrifice for the freedom of the general population, but the little everyday sacrifices that people cumulate into a sweeter life for all involved.
In this essay, when speaking about the freedom to play the trombone, the author saying “If I went to the top of Everest” is the usage of hyperbole. It is a wild exaggeration in order to get the point across, and also adds a slight comedic effect
“It means that in order that the liberties of all may be preserved, the liberties of everybody must be curtailed” is an oxymoronic statement that catches the attention of the reader by its perceived contradiction. However, this contradiction is resolved through the explanations of the story.
On The Rule of The Road | About The Author
A.G. Gardiner, or Alfred George Gardiner, was born on 2 June 1865, in Essex, England.
He was well known as an author, journalist, and editor who wrote and published several essays that are recognized for their quality and content. In 1902, he became the editor of the Daily News, and under him, it grew into one of the most popular liberal journals. He also published essays under the pseudonym “Alpha of the Ploughs”.
His writing style is simple, graceful, and humorous, and is characterized by his ability to pass on basic truths in a comedic way. He was an activist for a minimum wage in industry and chaired the “National Anti-Sweating League”, an advocacy group for this campaign.
Some of his notable works are “Pebbles on the Shore” and “The Variety of Old Age”
He died on 3 March 1946, in Buckingham, England.
