Britain, like the U.S., is slowly recovering from its longest recession in over half a century. Five years of low interest rates, poor returns on capital and cuts in living standards have taken their toll, but civic discipline has remained high.

With one notable exception there has been no mass rioting. Serious crime has actually fallen, as has petty theft in city centers. The British people, despite immigration and high birth rates among new arrivals (which will make Britain’s the largest population in western Europe by midcentury), retain their reputation for obeying the law.

My little street, though near the center of London and in fashionable demand, is very quiet. There appears to be no crime, and an intruder comes as a shock. A dozen years ago my wife and I returned from a party to find a burglar in our bedroom. I was recuperating from a hip replacement and was barely mobile. But as the man tried to get away, my wife chased him downstairs and into the street, shouting, “How dare you get into my room, you impudent scoundrel!” Our next-door neighbor, a banker at Goldman Sachs, joined in the chase and eventually collared the burglar. He was tried and convicted and received a hefty sentence.

A few weeks ago I returned from the country (my wife had remained with our grandchildren), and, being alone in the house, I retired early and fell fast asleep. I was roused around 10:30 p.m. by the beam of a flashlight and came fully awake to see the figure of a man in the doorway. Our bedroom is at the top of the house, and the intruder had obviously come straight up, hoping to make a quick snatch of my wife’s jewelry.

I leaped to my feet with a great shout, “Get out of here! Get out! Get out!” He fled. As there was no car in the garage–and it being the height of the August holiday season–he had plainly thought the house deserted. He vanished down the stairs and into the night. I followed in my bare feet and pajamas, a little more slowly, and then stood frustrated, unable to run down the street and capture him.

Before dialing the police I went to discover how the thief had gotten in. He’d gone to the back of our empty garage, where there’s a sturdy steel railing with a padlocked gate. He’d smashed the padlock, gaining access to the garden and back door of my house.

The outer back door leads into a conservatory, which leads to another door that opens into the dining room. Both doors have panes of reinforced glass and strong locks. Unfortunately, the key to the outer door is usually left on a ledge just inside it, which is visible–a great mistake. And, though I hate to admit it, I must have left that door unlocked.

The inner door was locked, but I’d left the key in the lock on the inside. The intruder simply smashed the pane of glass above it, put his hand through and turned the key. Then he was in, with all the house’s defenses down. I suspect that most successful break-ins are made possible by similar acts of carelessness on the part of the owners.

In my case the actual burglary was a failure. The police arrived within 20 minutes of my call–very polite and efficient. I have little doubt that in time the burglar will be apprehended. My biggest regret is that I wasn’t quick enough to catch the man red-handed. But friends and neighbors say, “You’re 84 and aren’t as strong as you once were. He might have done you a serious injury. Count yourself lucky!”

They may be right. But I believe that in a law-abiding country the psychological advantage of having the law on your side is enormous. Most criminals, when caught, are only too ready to “go quietly,” submitting to the law. Indeed, throughout the incident I never felt the least flicker of fear; I was simply outraged at having my house invaded and broken into by force.

I rejoice at feeling these emotions. They arise from the experience of living under the rule of law, which we tend to take for granted. But it’s the most glorious of all civil feelings. As Margaret Thatcher used to say, it’s far more important than democracy itself. For living under the rule of law is the foundation of all our freedoms, and from it all our blessings flow.

Being burglarized is not pleasant. But it is a reminder of how fortunate I am to live in a country like Britain.

Source: Forbes.com