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otypically obsessed with gold, a German “colony” that has crucified a victim, and a “gigantic Negro” practising Voodoo) and a decadent aristocracy (Lady Angela, a degenerate aristocrat described as “rotten to the core”).78 As Ruddick notes, London is populated by those who “have been masquerading as civi- lised human beings”, suggesting that “For Connington […] the new urgency for survival in the moral ruins of the post-war necessitates a hunt for scapegoats, rather than a period of introspection that might locate and confront the source of the catastrophe within.”79 However, it is in its introspection, its attempt to “locate and confront the source of the catastrophe within”, that Nordenholt’s Million provides scapegoats in order to justify its eugenic agenda and achieve its wish-fulfilment conclusion. The implicit eugenic objective of Nordenholt’s strategy is the elimination of those judged to be degenerate: the lazy, the weak, foreigners and the upper class. However, as “Nuit Blanche” makes clear, another form of selection is cru- cial to Nordenholt’s plans: selection based upon efficiency is also fundamental. Eugenics is not associated solely with selecting the best people as progenitors of future generations; it also informs how different vocations are classified as worthy or unworthy. VOCATION, EFFICIENCY AND ELITISM The vocations Nordenholt’s Million presents as most valuable are practical, par- ticularly relating to industry and science. Although Nordenholt is a businessman rather than a scientist, his decisions and actions are predicated on National Ef- ficiency and scientific rationalism and he gathers scientists around him in order to facilitate his actions as saviour, and initiator, of the novel’s overall wish-ful- filment rebirth fantasy. Indeed, the catastrophe is overcome by scientific in- novation and the sacrifice of selfless scientists. The “better order” offered by Nordenholt’s Million is based on a society governed by a dictator whose policies are implemented by a scientific and industrial elite composed of the most com- mitted and productive in society. In this respect, the text is a departure from Nietzschean thinking. Where for Nietzsche great importance is placed on artis- tic creativity in relation to “higher men”, here scientific discovery and efficiency are central to the creation of “higher types”. Progress, the novel affirms, is se- cured by the elevation of the competent in order to shape an efficiency-based society. As Martin Pugh notes, champions of National Efficiency complained of the decay of parliamentary systems and the incompetence of mature party pol- iticians in tackling complex issues. They sought to reduce the role of parliament 78 Connington 1923, 159–178. 79 Ruddick 1994, 117. Totalitarian Opportunism | 65www.jrfm.eu 2019, 5/2, 51–68