INDIVIDUALISM.

Waikato Times, Volume 113, Issue 18928, 24 April 1933, Page 9

INDIVIDUALISM.

(To the Editor.) Sir, —A r our correspondent “W.L.C.” says that the meaning of individualism is a social system in which each individual has the right to work for his own ends. I agree with every word he says; hence Robinson Crusoe was a real individualist; but modern society has evolved into a much more complex organism comprising the thinkers, planners and workers. The term “individualism” only becomes a phrase meaning “individual initiative,”' and it is not because of socialism, but for the want of it, that millions of individuals have lost the freedom to work—or, in other words, to use their individual initiative.

Captain Cook's initiative would have been useless unless he was aide to command capital and the cooperation of ail those other individuals, by their confidence in his leadership to bring to a successful conclusion this adventurous voyage. Mr Henry Ford’s initiative would also have been useless unless he commanded the cooperation of all his thinkers, planners, and workers—3,soo,ooo in number; all his managers, sub-managers and workers, right down to the messenger boys, all display their individual initiative. Even if Mr Ford was to turn himself into the Lenin of America and buy up all America, individual initiative would still remain.

No, socialism or advanced scientific development does not kill individual initiative. This is plainly evident today. j The evolutionary process of scientific development has given labour the power to produce in such enormous abundance that the foundation upon which our economic structure rests has collapsed, and is bringing the whole structure with it, engulfing individual initiative in the form of rusting machinery and humanity. The formation of the foundation was composed of private enterprise, gold standard and competition, but only private enterprise remains, the other two important parts having been destroyed by the combination of the world’s commercial forces into huge international trusts —in fact, enterprise has grown so private that our so-called democracy is only a farce, and it will not be until society gains its economic freedom that democracy will have its real meaning and that Is socialism—in oilier words, community-owned and worked by the community for tiic beneilt of the community. Our present economic system fails to deliver the goods, not because of the individual’s fault In falling to use his initiative, hut because he is deprived of tlie freedom to use it—in other words, he is deprived of the freedom to work. “W.L.C." reveals Ills mental material when lie says tiiat certain classes of machinery should lie scrapped to make work. Surely if “W.L.C." believes in individual initiative he must admit that for. this to he of any use lo society its object must lie to produce ns much as is possible with as little human energy as possible, llonce scientific organisation and production. The machine is not mail’s enemy, but it is man himself who lias not learned how lo control Hie machine and to make it his servant instead of 1 1 is master. 1 wonder where “W.L.C.” wishes to draw Hie line. Does he condemn the machine which produces the raw material lo equip Lite factory, which in turn produces the tractors and ploughs, or does lie condemn the tractors and ploughs in favour of shovels and spades to make work? Perhaps it would be advisable to scrap the machines which produce the spades and shovels, or even to scrap the spades and shovels and go hack to grubbing roots with our hands. — | am, etc., F. .). HALL. Hinuera, April 20, 1033,