ORIGINS OF DEMOCRACY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23178, 26 October 1938, Page 6

ORIGINS OF DEMOCRACY

BIRTH IN GREEK CULTURE DEPENDENCE ON EDUCATION VICTORIA LEAGUE LECTURE "Those who handed down to us the traditions of democracy counted personal sacrifice as nothing, but worked , always for the ideal they had before j them. It is only by mooting tho challenges bravely as they come that we can preserve tho best things in democracy for the next generation," said Mr. P. M. Rao, principal of tho Training College, when speaking to members of the Victoria League yesterday. "The spirit of liberty and freedom, which to-day we call democracy, was ovident as early as 500 8.C., when Athens was reconstructed," he continued. "Here democracy had its birth.. The freedom of the individual was recognised, and a premium was put on worth and ability. This great advance in civilisation, in which we are still taking part, was created out of adversity, and continued in spite of set-backs. "When the Romans conquered Athens they carried her ideals to Rome, and from there the spirit of democracy was spread all over the world. During tho Park Ages the ideal was kept alive by the travelling scholars, and, at the Renaissance, men looked back again to Athens for inspiration. Tho birth of Protestantism created the need for everv man to bo ablo to read his Bible, and thus was the fore-runner of universal education. This was the most important blow struck in tho cause of democracy. "By 1688 the English people had, in theory, chosen between democracy and autocracy," continued Mr. Rae. "The last 2no years have been spent in attempting to put tHe ideals into practice. Everywhere reaction stood in the way of progress. "Before the Great War tho British Commonwealth of Nations was showing thi- world how well democracy could work," concluded Mr. Rae. "Englishspeaking people have not given up their belief in democracy, but they are divided in opinions as to how to put their ideals into practice. To me the real possibility of success comes through education, in the broadest sense." Mr. G. J. Garland presided, and introduced the speaker. A vote of thanks was proposed by tho president, Mrs. J. B. Macfarlane. Mrs. Preston Chambers and Mrs. S. A. Stride were tho hostesses.