 This principle can, in a much more limited form, be traced back to Walter Bagehot, the third editor of "The Economist", who argued that the Bank of England should support major banks that got into difficulties.Karl Marx deemed "The Economist" the "European organ" of "the aristocracy of finance".The newspaper has also supported liberal causes on social issues such as recognition of gay marriages, legalisation of drugs, criticises the US tax model, and seems to support some government regulation on health issues, such as smoking in public, as well as bans on spanking children.