POINTS FROM LETTERS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 139, 14 June 1934, Page 22

POINTS FROM LETTERS.

DEMOCRACY HAS NOT FAILED. Is it not time that educated men, who probably have the welfare of their country at heart, ceased from making such rash statements as "democracy is a failure"? Such a statement is likely to ho harmful by penetrating into tfoa minds of those who do not think but merely follow those who do. Dcmocracy has not failed. Only those who believe and teacb that other fallacy that "all men are born equal" think it has. And it is quite possible that this latter teaching has something to do with the modern attitude towards democracy. Half-educated individuals who consider that they arc the equal of their betters fail, when exercising tlielr franchise, to distinguish between brains and promises, and the result is chaos. Democracy, as I understand it, means government of the people, for the people, by the people. That wo have not had this is shown by our sectional cries of protest instead of a united voice for those . things that would benefit the people as a whole. For instance, that the Government's first duty is to see that each individual is decently supplied with the common necessaries of life —food, clothes, and shelter —as a right, providing a willingness to render social service. It seems that just as we have been content with Churchianity for Christianity, 60 have wo been content with government by party caucas and outside financial groups, instead of true democracy. Now it is this "half-pie" democracy that has dissatisfied the people, because that, while it enabled a few individuals to amass huge fortunes, it failed to give economic security to-the masses. And this is where scheming politicians slipped in; and, preying on the credulity of over-religious peoples who thought that they could discern a parallel the corporate State and the spiritual State, both of which tend to drift away from individualism to collectivism and diminish strife between factions, became dictators using the failures of democracy as stepping stones ■to success. That this economic security will satisfy foreigners, I have no doubt, but I am afraid that Britishers would not exchange their personal liberty and tha freedom to expand spiritually and intellectually for this alone. Personally, I have 'always experienced that yearning and groping after that intangible something that appears to be the soul's everlasting quest, and if this .was crushed in me life would not be worth living. In conclusion, the British people are too level-beaded to accept either Fascism or Communism, and they will make democracy the "golden mean" by adjusting it to the true thing which promised such a glorious future to all those possessing innate intelligence. S. R. HALE.