Intensive Survey Of Modern Russia

Manawatu Times, Volume 61, Issue 6, 8 January 1936, Page 2

Intensive Survey Of Modern Russia

BRITISH WRITERS’ VIEW

LONDON, Dec. 23

Sidney and Beatrice Webb (Lord and Lady Passfield), both in their own words "nearing their ninth decade," have written an intensive Survey of the Soviet Union. The work, which runs into more than 1000 pages, is published in two expensive volumes under the title, "Soviet Communism: A New Civilisation.’’ The authors deny the view that two Soviet is under a dictatorship. "Tho universal pattern,” they state, "shows even an exaggerated devotion to collegiate decision. Front one end of the hierarchy to the other, the members of every council or committee, including its president, can always be ‘recalled’ without notice by a resolution passed by the body (or at a meeting of the electorate) to which they owe their office.

"Our own conclusion is that, if by autocracy or dictatorship is meant government without prior discussion or debule, either by public opinion or in private session, tho Government of the Soviet is, iu that sense, actually less of an autocracy than many a Parliamentary Cabinet. "The Soviet Union,’’ add the autnors, “has quite obviously grown richer in the very years iu which most, if not all, other countries have grown poorer.

"Will this new' civilisation, with its abandonment of tho incentive of pro-fit-making, its extinction of unemployment, its planned production for community consumption and the consequent liquidation of the landlord and tho capitalist, spread to other countries?

“Our reply is: ‘Yes; it will.’ But how, when, where or-with what modifications, and whether through violent revolution or by peaceful penetration or even by conscious imitation, ari questions we cannot answer.’’