The Future Of Britain — Olaf Stapledon, lecture notes

Original manuscript — sheet 1

Transcription

U11Future of BritainBirkenhead West
LNU Youth Groups
March 1938
How Britain rose to power
insularity, king's power
unity, securityF11
commerce
[11]science, industry
workshop of the world
increased population, cheap labour (fluid)
economic imperialism - selling, lending,
enforcing order
interest on loans stimulated home trade
workers wrested higher wages
increased consumption
rise of standard of x living
good start in ð capitalist race
Competitors for Power
later industrial states
competition for markets
imperial rivalries
economic nationalism — tariff walls
stimulation and repression of backward peoples
Today
trade monopoly broken
industrial population & declining markets
our privileges envied
our force no longer predominant
our liberal reputation waning
our rulers cling to outworn aims
power politics — badly played
economic planlessness
increasing attack on liberties
property's fear of communism

Original manuscript — sheet 2

Transcription

2
India angry — Sahib's prestige waning
prison record
Egypt lost?
Italy in Mediterranean
Japan in Far East
Dominions no longer trust our strength
Oppression in crown colonies
psychological conflict — imperialism
& peace will
declining population — sense of decline.
Alternative policies
Imperialism
Little Englandism (cp Sweden)
1. Imperialism: keep ð empire for trade & strength
extreme arming
subordination of liberty to strength
culture " Fascism
insulation of Empire for trade — Tariffs etc
firm hand in India & Africa
trade bargains with Dominions
power politics in Europe
abandon League
∴ Collective Security won't help us —
to keep ill gotten goods.
alienation from USA
bargains with Fascist powers
for world-partition.

Original manuscript — sheet 3

Transcription

3
2 Little Englandism
face ð facts —
1. we can't keep ð empire
2. θ empire morally indefensible
3 imperialism means reaction
war
disaster
but the alternative is grim
1. surrender empire
(to International Commission)
Free Trade stipulation
2. decline to Second Class Power
3. rely on Collective Security
4 fall of standard of living
5 ∴ social reconstruction
6 ∴ Communal control of —
means of production
7 ∴ depose present ruling class — how?
8 creation of a new patriotism
New Jerusalem
full life for all — after Transition
sanity & culture
ð alternative —
despair
discord
chaos

Original manuscript — sheet 4

Transcription

· || ·
* ideal - possible?
- Christianity & social'm worthwhile
immensity     - one man?
capital city?
representatives?
etc
superhuman
piece meal federation?
com economic policy
— America fascism N due
— anarchy - liberty.
Russia - econ security
pol freedom
— under orLIVERPOOL UNIVERSITY LIBRARY · STAP. · F 4/1

Original manuscript — sheet 5

Transcription

1
11·5The Future of Britain Univ. Staff
Discussion Club
This Island – not British Imperialism 27.10.38
A layman's view – synopsis for discussion W K Toc H Jan 1939
Beechcroft 28, Jan
Britain's past : pioneer of nationalism, democracy, industrialism
commercial imperialism
social betterment F11.5
mother of parliaments
workshop of the world ; usurer of the world
Britain today (post Munich)
economic decline
loss of trade to USA, Germany, Japan
main
interest in
investmentBackward lands industrializ'd – markets lost
failure of adaptability
productive power tends to stagnation
slumps and unemployment
lost lead in social betterment
due to: economic decline, & lassitude (ships)
stamina undermined by long industrialism (Montague)
no serious attempt to tackle health
empire undefendable potential German power
Indian unrest
threat by Germany, Italy, Japan
cost of imperial pride
× decay of the Sahib Egypt, Palestine, India
vulnerability of England
London can be destroyed
danger of air blockade and starvation
decline of prestige abroad – due to post-war diplomacy
Britain does not count
insincere idealism + stupid self seeking
“decadence”
increase of authoritarianism at home
parliament ignored
police aggression + secret Gov interference
Sandys, Vernon
dead hand of oligarchy (not decadence)
∴ bourgeoisie has lost its grip
lassitude widespread
chaos in politics !! of
democracy suspect
craving for leadership
apathy & defeatism
5 mins all the signs of Eclipse

Original manuscript — sheet 6

Transcription

Future of Britain 1946
Our record now: literature — poetry
political institutions
θ English spirit
industry
empire
Battle of Britain
Our past:
island security
prosperity — bourgeoisie
fight for democracy
liberal commercial individualism
Labour Movement
Workshop of θ World
Pax Brittanica
Our prospect:
lost industrial supremacy
lost imperial supremacy
lost naval domination
lost "foreign securities"
lost arrogance
no longer a great power
between Russia & America
overstraining to remain a great power?
dependence on foreign food
tired & aging population
failure of capitalism — slumps
threat of unemployment
need to plan, & nationalize.
at an unfavourable time
financial involvement with USA
The Choice before us
1. try to triumph in power politics,
& with "private enterprise"
2. profound change: of aims
of structure
of politics.

Original manuscript — sheet 7

Transcription

2
New Hope for Britain
what we want
not imperialism
″  economic dominance
but full life for all in our island
full human development
Jerusalem in England's - - - .
what we can give ð world
1, high grade goods
2, an example of social democracy
without blood letting .
3, spirit of mutual forbearance etc
i.e just what ð world needs.
unite ð good of liberalism + of communism
liaison of Russia & America
our first concern is Europe
we must help to revive Europe
economically, culturally
combine European tradition with —
novelties of Russia & America
Federal Europe?
but not against Russia
two foci - Brit & France
but France is sick
ð Northern Democracies
liberal at heart
but forced to socialize
hence liberal communism.
ð Dialectic, social
thesis: liberal commercialist individualism
ant: collectivism; good - Rus
bad - Germ
synthesis: Western liberal communi
personality-in-community

Original manuscript — sheet 8

Transcription

age balance
/ emigratn
────────
Brit n Germ , ?
Russian pow politics.
Fed wd USA
────────
model state
[illegible] d'clyng pop
θ ð best class.
ed o ð masses
────────
pagan state — Xty
ð Xxs mst c'vert
Bd'm
com, obj o lo'ty.
N ( ð SP
Abyssin
democ? ð ideal of
gvt natrl clas
a suprem deity?
univl suffg?
Ruzn
────────────────
German
empires — d N c'tribut
mst @ ð pek
────────
leisure — →

Original manuscript — sheet 9

Transcription

2
Britain's main assets
machinery, plant, minerals
skill
political and moral tradition
respect for individuality, kindliness
x give & take — compromise
very strong — may make all the difference
but — not indestructible
Britain's Problem Today
radically new circumstances
∴ radically new aims, & habits of thought & feeling
our task: get the policy clear
x propagate the new feeling
a new kind of patriotism
if we fail — disaster
Two possible futures for Britain
1. automatism — business as usual — unimaginative
2. conscious reorientation — Britain Born Again
1. Automatism : orthodox imperialism — tarif walls, & arms
orthodox capitalism
x exploitation of Africa etc & of British Workers
gruelling rearmament
decay of social services
x education for discipline
police rule. end of free thought
imperial war — Germany, Italy, Japan
defeat, ruin
10 minsBritain a Nazi dependency, no freedom
2. “Britain Born Again”
prerequisites for the policy:
pressure of circumstances
eg Munich effects
vigorous propaganda for new patriotism
not merely for a policy
but a national renaissance
& change of social aim
x ð policy presupposes national renaissance
i e popular will for renaissance

Original manuscript — sheet 10

Transcription

3
firmness + generosity
freedom + responsibility
in training fr a great task
propaganda
‖ Learn much from ð Nazis
^ but emphasize ð difference ^
stress: freedom of the individual
Democracy:responsibility of the individual
essentials xie a community as against herd behaviour
+ non-essentialsstress equality of opportunity
final sanctionstress English genius for democracy
ð English spirit Up England
Britain’s message to the world
stress: building up a new community
need for new slogans & symbols
avoid old labels — as far as possible
play on patriotic emotions
but revile military glory
social & cultural example
disparage imperialism
expose its danger
expose abuses
wean ð public from traditional patriotism
expose the faults of the present oligarchy
lack of imagination, traditionalism
subservience to finance
20 mins
policy — when the renaissance is widespread
overthrow the oligarchy — it will resist
constitutional means if
but fight if attacked — & defend Parliament
x infect the armed forces
propaganda to German people
private, ostensibly
planes, smuggling, broadcasting
for peace & anti-imperialism
home defence scheme — for invulnerability
shelters, fighting planes, evacuation
dissipate Londn
food stores
reduction of “attack forces” — battleships
prepare for Plan B warfare
abolition of empire
x immediate self-government to India
& other advanced regions
invite trustees for crown colonies
from democratic powers
democratic alliance
defensive only
open to all

Original manuscript — sheet 11

Transcription

4
✓declaration to the World – strict defence
within frontiers
abandon Empire
world conference – imperial & economic questions
but after self-government to India
social reconstruction
intensive agriculture
× (avoid food duties by building 2 year store)
training schemes
nationalization of land
nationalization of all main productive forces
in some form: ware “socialism”
control of finance
control of the Press and Radio
under semi-independent boards
cp. the Law
cp. New Zealand scheme
education:
now – two kinds of education
(masters and slaves)
then – state schools for all (cp. France)
educate for responsibility
initiative
individuality
30 minscommunity
× Unemployed: Pioneers of Community
the immediate task
1. experts must work out the policy
this is well under way
2 propaganda – much more important
& more difficult
aim – new patriotism
for new internationalism
expect resistance by ð Government
& by ð whole oligarchy
Chamberlain’s control of ð cinemas
needed a huge rank & file effort
ð part of the universities.

Original manuscript — sheet 12

Transcription

1
idealistssuperiority
Germ N/powerRussia & Germ
N. soci. control tradec' Hitler & Ital
br mpl collapse
Macmurray
assets →
economic origin
internationalism   Japan
infra C/federalism
LIVERPOOL UNIVERSITY LIBRARY · STAP.  F4/2
mob problem
proletar
minimum   food etc.
Young parentsmen - race
equal incomes   no land andfamily needs / clothes