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Alternative Futures
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Transcription
ALTERNATIVE FUTURES
1.
43
Cambridge Univ Democratic Front
Feb 1938
Introductory
F43
prophesy is futile
I missed Fascism, & Russia
but envisage possibilities—
implicit in Man's present state
∴ analyse Today
How Man gained his present position
intelligence and sociality
not merely by weapons
× Future depends on these
① intelligence: insight + habit-breaking
power of dealing with novel situations
Spectral Tarsier — small & weak
hands, eyes, brain
manipulation, binocular, versatility
man's equipment—
1 sensory discrimination increased
2 more delicate manipulation
3 greater versatility
analysing & relating
/
② human sociality
contrast mere gregariousness
(will to conform & enforce conformity)
herd-mentality
self and others not realised
c/p. Heard's pre-individual
most human sociality is of thethis Type
but a leven of something better
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2
human sociality (continued)
self-consciousness & other-consciousness
(neglect philosophical problem of “self”)
awareness of oneself as —
⊕　implicit goal:an enduring conscious centre
fulfilment of capacity—& system of particular needs ↗⊕ //
knowing
feelingcorresponding awareness of others
willing or doingonly of one or two others
fragmentary, precarious
hence “self-conscious” love & hate
X
andcommunity^, contrasted with gregariousness
contrastrespect for others as individuals
individualism —
1. community of Contact, small scale
X　mutualBased on mutual personal awareness))
enrichmentmates, family, group; “fraternity”
↘2. community of principle, large
based on established will —
part played byto treat others as individuals
“community” into respect differences
human societies:diversity encouraged
slight, precariousfor mutual enrichment
but importantsynthesis by common purpose
in crisis
^
prerequisites of community
a modicum of —
intelligence & sensibility
mutual knowledge — information
education for “personality-in-community”
freedom of expression
mutual acceptance
absence of serious frustration
eg. economic justice
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3
How does History happen
not by dialectical idealism
(logical necessity in ideas)
by dialectical materialism?
yes, cautiously stated
X impact of environment on human nature
but human nature changes
by force of tradition
three factors of human nature (for this purpose)
1. herd-mentality – gregariousness
will to conform
& enforce conformity
2. individualism, shrewd self-seeking
for self, family, group
3. will for community, true social will
for society of developed individuals
mutually enriching
ideal: personality-in-community
all are products of past environmental pressure?
individualism for the strongest
Econ Determinism operates on all three
X i.e. desire for food, comfort, safety
individualism normally dominant now
herd mentality interferes —
wars, partly from nationalist passions
will for community interferes
rarely & precariously
Early Christianity
French Revolution
Russian Revolution
in estimating ð future bear all three in mind.
and their fluctuations
X no hope unless community-will wins
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4
In estimating the future, take into account: —
1. θ course of economic determinism individualism
2. θ future of herd-mentality
will it increase or decrease?
3. θ future of will for community
will it eventually dominate?
Analysis of Today
θ cause of all our trouble:
impact of science + mechanical power —
on primitive mentality
traditional behaviour inadequate
sug such instruments demand —
1. a planned world-economy
(but ours is haphazard.)
2. and real community will
A science opens vistas of progress
(material and spiritual)
B but: gives power to reactionaries
(to θ dominant class)
power of propaganda & oppression
X what our struggles are all about:
effort to achieve —
integration and individuality
unity
and
diversity1. integration of the human race
so that peoples shall be—
organic to the whole
& occupational groups ditto
parts must function harmoniously
+ freely, willingly
for the whole
X contrast integration of an organism
human individuals are not cells
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5-
2  fulfilment of individuality
seeming conflict with integration
cp. conflict of State + individual
but, rightly understood,—
community & individuality —
involve one another
ie real community demands,—
high grade individuality
(conflict is only between —
The temperherd-mentality & individualism)
of our age :(or between ð abstract State
+ ð abstract individual)
λ (The flight from Liberalism: policy & culture
causes of Liberalism
bourgeois battle for power
at first, allied to proletariat
puritanism ; science
essentials of Liberalism
1  individualism: Keyed egoisms
2  democracy
3  free intelligence
4  Christian morality
⊙ it deservedhow Liberalism failed ⊙
it deserved to1. did not deliver ð goods
      fail;∵ no equality of bargaining power
but —∵ insincere morality
keep ð good2. workers combination
individualism useless to them
Russia: triumph of combination
individualism discredited
up collectivism
⊙ intelligence —X herd mentality; community
harnessed?democracy postponed
tyranny for good ends ⊙ //
para-fascism
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6
Italy + Germany: also 1 reject individualism
capitalism harnessed to totalitarianism
but: Also: rejection of "materialism"
(revulsion from licentiousness)
+ intellectualism
mystical cravings
racial divinity
4 suppression of2 rejection of democracy
free intelligenceglorification of discipline
3 rejection of Christian morality
up mastery, ruthlessness
Britain: same tendencies, less violent
1. tendency to trustification
cartels in each industry
to keep up prices
future coordination?
Fascist Grand Council
2. failure of democracy
futility of parliament
3. curtailment of civil liberties
police encroachments
gas drill; physical culture
sedition bill
Vernon case etc
4. disgust with intellectualism
Eddington
praxis
activism
5. change of moral temper
blood sports
bull fights
Hemmingway
Other countries
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Transcription
industry - specialised
integrate
——
① Russia — due to Arm & attack
inevitable war Plan +
afterwards — no Arm
② Xtn ethics turns up again
——————
private initiative in Cap'm
————
sacrifice initiative; econ & cultural
—————
moral standard
·
——————
centralization — decentralization
all  local group —
sacrifice cultural initiative
·
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7
Summary of Today's Tendencies
1. economic determinism tends toward —
1. unification of control
(ultimately world-wide)
2. suppression of individuality
„      „ freedom
„      „ free intelligence
3. ruthlessness
i e loss of intelligence & sociality
by which Man climbed
2 what the Marxian says
dialectic will breed strong proletariat
& rickety capitalism
(trade cycles & wars)
finally, World Communism
3. Marxians overlook —
1. power of oppression & propaganda
(in modern world)
2. herd mentality
3. after θ Revolution — what ?
(θ bad side of Russia)
para-fascism
4 Can will for true community interfere ?
not out of the blue
through left Wing movement
Yes, if we keep essentials in view
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8
Left Wing Mentality today
heroic aspect of Communism - Spain.
⊕
glorification
of biasbut: doctrinaire - oversimplified
partizan ⊕ /social theory
ruthless & filosofy
Len
rightious indignation -
well justified, against θ Smug.
& indignation a driving force
but: do they always keep θ goal in view?
i.e. personality - in-community
2nd Rank Left Wing Leaders
Facts θ must be faced
Britain is “middle class”
∴ θ appeal must be middle class
i.e to θ best motives of middle class,
& to self-interest for θ future
What θ best Middle Class fears -
(not for itself merely)
≠ suppression of kindliness
& intelligence
∴ θ left must stress these.
″ ″ ″ character
integrity
Huxley’s solution: he has θ core all right
stresses:intelligence
individuality
kindliness
⊕
× idealizes
human naturebut oversimplifies ⊕ /
1. no absolute precepts works
(non violence theory)
2. vague economics
3. mysticism too Eastern
but non-attachment needed
Both for strength
& to impress θ masses
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9
What we need : · Levy + Huxley
X spirit of Christ + practice of Lenin
(cp Macmurray, but vague)
Alternative Futures : up intelligence + sociality?
or down?
1. crash in world war
2. cycles, wars, decline
3. world-communist-revolution
then: community or tyranny?
4 Fascist future : (a) national conflicts
(b) world fascism
5 Huxley's future
6 Decline of ð West
7 Falling population — good or bad?
Trouble certainly ahead
no hope without revolution
of some sort
Beyond the trouble?
small world population
unified, classless.
aristocrats
full mechanization
simple life
concentration on “knowing, feeling, willing
toward ð Stars
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Transcription
2
SUMMARY
Introductory: no prophesy: potentialities in today
FUTURE depends on: Intelligence + Sociality
How man gained is position
intelligence: Tarsier } discrimination
manipulation
versatility
human sociality: self-c & other-c
(community-personality
pre-requisites of community
History: not dialectic of ‘idea
not pure materialistic dialectic
environment's impact on human nature
three factors: herd-mentality
individualism
will for community
economic forces act on all
but individualism strongest
i e will for food, comfort, safety
Today: root cause: impact of science & power
what is at stage stake?
integration of ð human race
advance of individuality
Temper of
Today:
Flight from “Liberalism” ( doctrine & mentality)
causes of liberalism
essentials of liberalism:
1 individualism
2 democracy
3 free intelligence
4 Christian morality
Liberalism why liberalism failed
deserved to fall; did not deliver ð goods
contrary to Econ Det
but- insincerity
keep what is good workers combination
Russia - death blow of liberalism
collectivism + materialism
+ intelligence, but regimented
Italy & Germany - also anti-individualist
“corporate state
⊙ capitalism controlled
suppression of but also - anti-materialist
tenderness mystical craving - racial deity
and - suppression of free-intelligence ⊙
Britain - cartellization
failure of parliament
loss of civil liberties
over
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Transcription
Summary of Today
The real trend of economic determinism
toward Fascism, or para-fascism
bureaucracy
regimentation, ruthlessness
suppression of individuality
"      "  free intelligence
What θ Marxian replies
rise of proletariat
capitalism falling — trade cycles
What θ Marxian overlooks
power of propaganda & modern oppression
& gullibility — herd-mentality
Future: Can we interfere with this Econ. Determinism?
(reinstate intelligence & individuality)
Can Communism do it?
good side of Communism: devotion, energy
bad side: doctrinaire, narrow?
indignation not enough.
Levy
Huxley's Gospel: important principle
over simplified
1. no absolute precepts
2. feeble economics
3. mysticism too Eastern
4. idealizes human nature
5. ignores θ concrete situation
unite Levy & Huxley
put θ spirit of Christ into θ practice of Lenin
Alternative futures: intelligence & community — up or down?
Possibilities: 1. crash in world war LIVERPOOL UNIVERSITY LIBRARY · STAP. · F11/28
2. cycles, wars, decline
3. Marxian: world Revolution
community or tyranny?
4. Fascist Future: (a) national conflicts
(b) world fascism
5. Huxley's future
6. Decline of the West
7. Falling population
After θ trouble
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Manuscript images by permission of the Olaf Stapledon estate · University of Liverpool Special Collections & Archives