To sanguine observers, the subscription of modern states to humanistic values appears to temper the power of nationalistic elements over minority groups. The weapons it gives minorities are ones which are liable to multiply their problems, by making them a source of international embarrassment for their national masters. The only way that minorities can back up claims against a majority refusing them social justice is by looking for external patrons who are willing to intervene on their behalf. Within a reasonably strong state there is a lot to be said for assuming that the current national masters are the best patrons available. Discomfort is minimized by looking for a way of accommodating simultaneously to the different demands made by the main sections of the host community. Minority leaders enjoy the greatest integrative power when using this patrimony to impart a universal style to their masters' national causes.