And a world constitution will be a declaration that nations are no longer significant. They can exist as functional units but they are no longer independent powers. And if the whole intelligentsia of the world is behind this convention it will not be very difficult to convince the generals of the world to move away from the politicians.

And what power do politicians have? All the power that they have we have given to them. We can take it back. It is not their power, it is our power. We just have to find a way to take it back – because giving is very easy, taking is a little difficult. They will not be so simple and innocent when you take the power back as they were when they were asking it from you. It is our power, but they will go on having it if the mob remains there to give it to them; the mob can be convinced about anything.

It is the function of the intelligentsia…. I would like to say that now if anything happens to humanity, the whole condemnation will go to the intelligentsia: “What were you doing? If those idiots were ready to kill humanity, what were you doing? You could not even manage those idiots? You simply went on grumbling, being grumpy, but you did nothing else.”

And the time is running short. Once we decide that the voting power is not the birthright of every human being but is a right which you have to earn…. You have to see the distinction. It is not a birthright, it is a right that you have to earn by your intelligence. Everybody is given the opportunity to earn it, there is equal opportunity for all to earn it, but it is nothing birth – given; you have to prove it.

Once we move the power from the mob into the hands of the few intelligent people and the people who know what they are doing…. If a man who has devoted his whole life to thinking about education and its problems – has done all that was possible to do to find out every detail, every fundamental of education, all the possible philosophies of education – if he becomes an education minister, there is a possibility that he will do something. And at the same time, I want to shift completely from the mob to the chosen few.

I am not against the people. In fact, in the hands of these politicians, the people are against themselves. I am all for the people, and what I am saying can be said to be exactly what has been said about democracy: for the people, by the people, of the people – just “by the people” I will have to change. This intelligentsia will be for the people, of the people. It will be serving the masses.

It is so simple a thing. You don’t elect a doctor, that just anybody can stand, it is a birthright, and people can vote. Two persons fighting to be the doctor or to be the surgeon? What is wrong in it? The people choose for themselves: for the people, by the people, of the people. They choose one person, a surgeon, because he speaks better, he looks good on the television and he makes great promises.