TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 112, 15 May 1933, Page 6

TRACTS FOR THE TIMES.

THE NEW NOTE. (By PEO BONO PIJBLICO.) There is coming into our serious literature in these days, and even into works on economics, a comparatively new note, which suggests that the social outlook of civilised peoples is definitely changing. It is not due to the depression, because I can recall its faint appearance in books written before the war, but the depression has no doubt intensified it. You will perhaps jump to the conclusion that I am thinking about the prevailing doubt as to the validity of our social organisation, but that is not at all new. Generally it may be expressed as a thinking iii terms of people and not of wealth. But that is not particularly helpful, because in all ages there have been reformers who tried to get the minds of men hack to the lives of men. For more than a century the aim and object of all civilised nations have been economic advancement, the accumulation of wealth with the intention of spending that wealth on material things. And for more than a century the objective was believed to be attainable most rapidly by the unrestrained competitive trading of individuals. Then towards the end of last century a considerable number of people began to think in terms of masses rather than individuals. They still had before them the objective of economic advancement, but they brought in the idea ot co-operative advancement, and especially they wanted to give the poorer sections the chance to progress economically as rapidly as the wealthier. At the same time, too, the world saw a rapid development of the idea of advancement by whole States, and we had the doctrine of nationalism developing side by side with the doctrines of Socialism in its various forms and phases. But the newer note that is becoming insistent is not really concerned with economic questions. It is a demand for leadership in living, not in getting. It is a demand that the people shall give their loyal support and adherence not to those who will assure them victory in war, or success in finance, or achievement in industry and trade, but to those who will teach them to live the,best, fullest and happiest lives. Unless I am much mistaken, this is the direction that advanced thought is going to take. It will lead •the revolt against nationalism and against mass ideas and movements of all kinds and will aim to elevate the" individual to his rightful place in the world. Its ideals arc not new, for noble minds have held them in all ages, but they have long been forgotten.