THE INDIVIDUAL IN SOCIETY

Press, Volume LXXXI, Issue 24567, 16 May 1945, Page 3

THE INDIVIDUAL IN SOCIETY

SOLUTION OF WORLD PROBLEMS NEED FOR PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY The vital need for individuals to accept full'personal responsibility in the solution of world social and economic problems, in spite of increased State control, was emphasised by Mr H. R. Rodwell, senior lecturer in economics at Auckland University College, in an address at the Dominion conference of the Church of England Men’s Society in Christchurch last evening. The present, like every other, age, was an age of change, said Mr Rodwell, but men were too prone to accept somewhat uncritically institutions and ways of thought which were appropriate to conditions which once prevailed, but which were now no more. Change, if it was to serve the interests of mankind, must be change for the better, and it was the duty of all Christians to examine all proposed changes in the light of Christian principles. For some people, he continued, the Church had proved merely a. refuge where they might escape the searchmg discipline which the attempt to understand and mould the changing world involved. But to tolerate the evils of this world because the sufferer would receive his reward in the world to come was to fail in one’s Christian duty. Increase in State Control In all countries there had been a rapid increase in the control exercised by central governments over the economic life of the people. The search for efficiency through the subdivision of industrial .processes and the adoption of machine methods had resulted in a great growth in the size of the individual business unit. Many of these units were to-day enormous, and inevitably exercised control.over considerable proportions of the world's resources and over large numbers of people. - There had also been a tendency, for the combination of businesses into groups. Here a danger arose, in that such giant firms or groups of firms were irresponsible, in the sense that any action they might take was not necessarily designed deliberately, to serve any social purpose. They might at times be powerful enough to adopt monopoly practices to the detriment both of the consumers and of the people they employed. The existence of these large and irresponsible control groups nad led to a widespread demand that they should be subjected 1 to some measure of regulation by the community through central governments. , ... The growth in size of the productive unit and combination between them had rendered production less responsive to changes in demand, Mr Rodwell continued. The situation was made worse by the fact that demand was less stable than formerly. Populations in "western” countries had ceased to expand, and indeed showed signs of decreasing. This meant that there was a larger proportion of older people in the community, and their demand t was concentrated to a greater extent upon luxuries and semi-luxuries. Such*a demand was far less stable than others, for it was easier to refrain from purchasing luxuries -than necessities. Thus we were faced with increased rigidity in production on the one hand, and on the other greater instability in demand. The result had been intensification of general economic instability characterised by fluctuating prices, prolonged unemployment for increasing numbers of people, loss of capital and profits by owners of industries. Governments had been forced to intervene to alleviate distress caused by unemployment, and had subsequently attempted to modify industrial fluctuations themselves. Wider Control Forecast Mr Rodwell said he believed that, wider State control was the only possibility left open 1b us. The danger was that a system might develop in which individual personality became completely submerged. This was the real crux of the problem which faced the world to-day. The supreme importance of human personality was a cardinal principle of Christianity, and it was the task of the Christian to evolve methods of reconciling a continuation and even an extension of State activity in economic affairs with the preservation of individual liberty. The totalitarian State demanded the whole-hearted allegiance of the individual, body and soul, and individual personality was subordinated, or even crushed out of existence. It was the Christian’s duty to resist such domination; he must not render unto Caesar the things that are God’s, Plans of economic reconstruction, Mr Rodwell said, were too often developed on a purely national basis, and devices were evolved to safeguard ourselves at the expense, possibly, of people elsewhere. A government’s power to plan might stop at the frontier, but the Christian • principle of the brotherhood of man did not. We had a responsibility to use the resources at our disposal to promote the good of all mankind, even if this entailed some sacrifice. Reliance on Science The widening activity of the State tended also to weaken the sense of personal responsibility, added Mr Rodwell. The problems we faced were so immense and complex that we often preferred to leave the solution of them, to science, to politics, and to economics. We tended to rely on techniques and mechanisms to solve problems which were essentially human and personal. We asked too much of science, politics, and economics, and in doing so we neglected the sense of purpose in favour of technical means, which were not enough. Techniques were but means to an end clearly envisaged, and .adjudged good not on technical but on spiritual grounds. There was no nobler standard by which to judge ends than the Christian ethic. Too often we failed to accept full personal responsibility, said Mr Rodwell? The spirit of high adventure and high purpose was replaced by a cynical in-

differenqe which'sometimes masqueraded as a virtue, and was called tolerance. But the Christian had his standard, which was not relative, but absolute. This was the true lead out of the maze of world problems, but it was no short cut! The Christian must take his full part in the public life of the community, and use his influence in moulding policy and institutions in conformity with the Christian ethic.