In the 19th century, when democracies were increasingly becoming popular across Europe, not everyone was a fan of the movement towards the universal franchise. In fact, the populace was looked on as a mob who the wielders of power had to tame. In Britain for example, the view held by some was that democracy should be introduced in stages with some arguing that the right to vote should be based on those who own property and belong to a certain class. Others like J.S. Mill argued that there should be a “variable franchise” rather than a universal one, where the right to vote would depend on the education one had. Walter Bagehot, another prominent economist, proposed that the monarchy be used “as a theatre” that would not only entertain the masses but also distract such distracted masses from the true wielders of power.