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I shudder to think what would become of immense numbers of intelligent and high-minded men and women who at present earn their livelihood by advocating some reform which is very unlikely to be carried, if, by some magician's stroke, all their various measures were to be achieved. The ranks of the unemployed would be swelled most dangerously. The motto of the secretary of a society should be 'To travel hopefully is a better thing than to arrive', for arrival spells ruin.
Source: Mortals and Others, v.1, 1975
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a brief comment
There are a great many affiliated and related organizations under each ministry. Many of them are respectable bodies with clear reasons for existence, but not a few are suspected of having been established as post-retirement landing spots for senior bureaucrats. Quite a number of these organizations appear to appoint a well-known figure as the head of the organization (in a largely honorary role), while making retired senior bureaucrats from the ministries permanent directors (or executive secretaries).
From the viewpoint of the public, there are many organizations whose absence would not cause much inconvenience. Yet, as Russell points out, once such an organization were to accomplish its stated purpose, it would lose its very reason for existence, and its officers would lose their positions. Therefore, in order to avoid such an outcome, they devise various means of prolonging their life. As a result, such organizations end up surviving almost indefinitely.
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