FREEDOM OF THE SPIRIT IS GOAL OF ECONOMISTS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18016, 29 November 1926, Page 13

FREEDOM OF THE SPIRIT IS GOAL OF ECONOMISTS.

“ WE PUT NO FAITH IN MECHANISM,” SAYS PROFESSbft CONDLIFFE. That freedom o i the individual human spirit was the goal of ail economic thought, was the contention of Professor J. B. Condliffe, when address ing the Society for Imperial Culture on "Contemporary Economic Thought on Saturday night. The subject was to have been deal*, with by Mr A. H. Tocker, but owing to his being called suddenly to Auckland. Professor Condliife lectured in his stead. There was a good attendance, over which Professor Shelley presided. The chairman read correspondence re-

lating to the work and study of the holder of the Sawtell travelling scholarship, Mr William E. J. Crook. He was now in Rome, and would study art painting there for perhaps a year. He had visited Paris, and Florence, and travelled through Brittany and England and Scotland. "Information which has come to New Zealand confirms the opinion that the scholarship was given to the right student,’' said the chairman. Social jealousies and political disturbances often upset sound economic theories, said Professor Condliffe. An instance of this was to be seen in France, where the stabilisation ot the franc could be brought about by two groups of people, the politicians and the bankers. Neither, however, would perform the surgery necessary for stab b .-ation They argued that the had not caused the decline in the v . of the franc, so why shou.d they -abilLo it? Economic theories that were work j able had, owing to the human equation, ' to be allied with psychology before they could be put into practice; in fact, all social and economic problems were intermingled. Scarcely any theory was not challenged by at”least one of.

the economists of standing. These men, the speaker suggested, were inclined tp be regarded by the public more seriously than they regarded themselves. Social sciences, especially psychology, had been developed greatly in the last 100 years, and economists had now many more ways of dealing with problems. Mr J. M. Keynes, of Cambridge, chairman of the inter-Allied Finance Commission, argued that it was difficult to define economy as a science. Rather was it valuable as a scientific habit of mind Applied to problems of human social life, and of nature both animate and inanimate. These problems were exceedingly complex in their working, aS they acted and reacted On; each other and merged indefinitely. The stress and difficulty of finding and stating clearly the facts of problem? had some compensations, for the u.;ch for them forced the economist, .own from his chair to the marketplace. A professor might be able to see life as through a glass, darkly; but the economise could not. Their science, with the ethics of economic reasoning, was of vigorous growth, and as honest as it was possible for men to be intellectually, in view of their human

prejudices. People who criticised economists were generally of the type with stereotyped minds and fixed sets of opinions, to disturb which by the placing of uncomfortable facts before them, was to incur their disdain. "The goal of contemporary economic thought is the freedom of the individual human spirit,” concluded the Professor., “ W.e delve into statistics, but we put fib faith in mechanism as the ultimate, solution of our problems.” Musical items Added greatly to the enjoyment of the evening, And were given as follow: Songs, "One Spring Morning’’ (Ethelbert Nevin), Mr Harold Prescott; ” I Would I were a King” (Arthur Sullivan), and "The Floral Dance,” Mr G. M. SmiJi. Violin solos, •* Chant Pathctique ” and “Im Paradies ” (Kreisler), Mr George Murray; “ March for Two Violins,” and “Second Movement from Double Concerto for Violins” (Bach), Dr Ilight and Mr Bernard Barker. Pianoforte solo, “ Andante from Wely’s Pastorale,” Mr Raynor White.