DICTATORS AND FREEDOM

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 100, 1 May 1935, Page 6

DICTATORS AND FREEDOM

■yY/HEN dictators are finding themselves hoisted to power in parts of the world, it might be as well to enquire why they are not invited to take control of the destinies of British communities. Human nature is very much the same all the world over; the only difference being experience. In the Scandinavian countries, that is to say, Norway, Sweden and Denmark, there is a very advanced condition of democratic government. Holland is also of like kind. The United Kingdom, for ail its faults, is still a good sample of democracy. It is perhaps not so pure in form as the Scandinavian countries, but it nevertheless is not to be decried because of that. It must be remembered that the difficulties which arise in a complicated piece of machinery are absent in a simple mechanism. 'The difficulties of government in a country with a large population and a complex economy are greater than in countries where there is a small population and the economy is comparatively simple. Switzerland also is a fair example of a small country with a simple economy managing its affairs with conspicuous success. How comes it that these countries have attained to such a high level of accomplishment in the art of Government? Coming to the core of the matter immediately, it can be stated that the influence of the study of the Bible lias made it possible. 'The church communities drew people voluntarily into association with each other, and in these little cells of social life men and women learned the essential lesson of democracy, namely the need for each to make accommodations for the desires and opinions of others. It is only by preserving the maximum of personal freedom to the individual that the human family can progress at its quickest pace, and all the present-day talk of regimental ion—for that is what a dictatorship amounts to goes counter to the experience of history. Had dicatorships been in existence when the crisis came upon the world—as actually was the ease in Russia—they would have been ruthlessly swept away. People without a light turn and rend their ruUirs when they are faced with a crisis. As if is the lamp of Liberty has been very much dimmed over .vast areas of the earth’s surface. What is to restore Liberty in the regimented areas ol the world? There is not much chance of an alteration being made which shall materially benefit conditions without, a change in the minds of the mass of men. What has changed the minds of men more than anything else .in the past? It will be found to be the influence of the Bible. Does not this suggest that the same instrument might be used to better present conditions? That being so, there is some importance Io be attached to the work of the British and Foreign Bible Society. In very truth the importance of such a society as this cannot be over-emphasised in the presenf-dav world.