The World Beyond Hitler — Olaf Stapledon, lecture notes

Original manuscript — sheet 1

Transcription

Sheffield FU
3rd 6/44
17 THE WORLD BEYOND HITLER
Introductory. I missed Hitler (in L+FM) Surprises ahead + ⊕
This war a bigger turning point than the last F17
after ð last, we could still muddle along as before
power politics
unplanned economy
after this war — change or regression
∴ mechanization has gone further
ð world is smaller
& more close knit.
The meaning of Hitler
not a freakish phenomenon
inevitable in the circumstances
Germany after ð last war
military defeat of Reich-proud nation
economic crisis
let down by the democracies
∴ social inferiority neurosis
X + clear view of ð worst side of “civilization”
sense of wrongness of liberal culture
disgust with — liberalism
Christianity
materialism
rationality
Rise of Hitler
military failure
artistic    ”
social     ”
boundless ambition
sensed ð prevailing subconscious disillusion
produced a new myth:
race cult — not sham internationalism
X
individual subjection—
not freedommight  ” — not sham love
unreason ” — not rationalism
pseudo-mysticism
X death cult — individuals must sacrifice
↘ scapegoat — Jews

Original manuscript — sheet 2

Transcription

2
Hitler clicked with Germany
with ð German subconscious
Haffner x they laughed at him — & followed him.
The case of Italy similar
World-wide Fascist tendency.
Analysis of a “Liberal” Civilization
insincerity throughout
Theoretical — universal happiness by laissez faire
internationalism
the rule of reason, free speech
human brotherhood
Actual — slums, unemployed, inequality
nationalism, imperialism
“economic man”, exploitation
unchecked individualism
summary: 1. nationalism
2. commercial exploitation
3. materialism
How meet Hitler’s challenge?
(a) by military resistance — but not enough
(b) with an Idea — (Nazism’s strength is an idea)
something positive to fight for
a new order in Europe, & in ð world
a new cultural ideal
not liberal individualism
not Nazism
a new synthesis

Original manuscript — sheet 3

Transcription

3
Changes of mental climate
try to see the large movement of culture
of values
1. Liberal Democracy, Christian morality — no sanction
brotherhood → rationalism
freedom materialism
individual fulfilment
legal self enterprise
economic man
2. Socialism stressed community
kept liberal values, Christian brotherhood
3. Marxian Communism accepts economic man
disparaged θ individual, exalted society
morality socially conditioned, solely
but tried to keep Christian values — in vain
4. Italian Fascism denies economic man
self abnegation
State cult.
5. Nazism denies economic man, & love
neurotic appeal
emphasis on virility, ruthlessness
pseudo mystical
amoral morality —
right = what serves the race.
6. New synthesis needed

Original manuscript — sheet 4

Transcription

⊕
Aims of Federalism
to prevent war
to turn human energy from armaments
to prosperity
+ fulfilment of human capacity
to create θ instrument of world-planning
Causes of War
1. armed independence of national states
2. economic imperialism, rivalry for markets.
3. tribalistic passion
1. Federalism abolishes armed nationalism
supra-national government
"  " police force
"  " citizenship
"  " law
2. Federalism might abolish economic imperialism
if it does not abolish "  "
federalism won't work
3 Federalism educates men out of tribalism
based on a will for intertribal cooperation
+ supra-tribal loyalty
Machinery of Federalism.
based on likemindedness about social aims
dual vote
hierarchy of governments
common citizenship
federal control of — foreign policy
armaments
currency
economic organization
law ?
justice?
education?
Possible Federations
1. USA + Britain + Dominions
2. Europe
3. Democracies of θ World
4. Federation of Man

Original manuscript — sheet 5

Transcription

4
The three great problems, all interconnected
1  supra-national order — Federalism
2  social harmony — creative social planning
3  clarification of fundamental values—
Federalism ⊕X
meaning of federalism
intermediate form between—
world state & national sovereignty
a government over ð national governments
common citizenship
dual voting
federal control of common affairs
foreign policy
armaments
economic planning!?? free trade?
socialism?
likemindedness on social ideals
otherwise disruption

Original manuscript — sheet 6

Transcription

⊕ Good = 1. what ð developed mind cannot but desire
knowing ð facts
& not perverted
& what it desires is —
2. fulfilment of individual human capacity.

Original manuscript — sheet 7

Transcription

5
Creative social planning, a planned economy
1. Federal purists or: federalism alone enough
end war, the rest will follow
Socialists or: socialism first, then federate
capitalist states essentially cannibals
Solution: Federal Government must have economic control
to prevent autarke & economic imperialism
currencies must be assimilated
2. Positive planning needed — for plenty, for human welfare
(Stalin & Hitler have taught us)
Xcontrast sponge and mammal
world-economic organization now vital
danger to freedom — robot world; dictatorship
Nazism has grasped ð need for planning —
but lost the goal of planning
Democracies have rudiments of the goal
but dare not plan creatively
or are prevented by effete ruling class
Re-statement of values.
need for a new democratic ideal + theory
aim — to make ð most of individuals
as knowers-feelers-strivers
equality of opportunity
equality of freedom
equality of sacrifice
we accept ð duty of sacrifice —
(a)  when needed
(b)  when we can trust the god
we need to have ð call to sacrifice
but it must be voluntary, open-eyed, occasional
not imposed, blind, perpetual
if our rulers manifestly care for our freedom —
we will sacrifice our freedom at their bidding
Rediscovery of the Good
Catholics — Church interprets God's will
Puritans — individual conscience
Scientists — no morality — greatest pleasure
Liberals —     "            " ?
Socialists — community is good
Communists — "good" is what furthers social evolution
Nazis — "good" = what serves ð herrenfolk
Next ?
⊕X

Original manuscript — sheet 8

Transcription

THE WORLD BEYOND HITLER
This war ends an age, & begins a new age
 
The meaning of Hitler

Original manuscript — sheet 9

Transcription

6
Who can take us into the promised land?
not the present leaders — tied up with ð old order
some may se serve a temporary purpose
(Churchill)
not the old-school-tie-financial class
not the proletariat
not the intellectuals
The "middle class" must lead — a broad middle class
∵ ð middle class has power
ð technicians
engineers
airmen
mechanics
artizans
ð applied scientists
ð teachers
ð ordinary people
but they are slow to wake
a few have wakened — ð more sensitive
ð mass are still clinging to ð old world
circumstances are not yet ripe—
(for ð great awakening of ð middle class
suffering will wake them

Original manuscript — sheet 10

Transcription

⊕ What was it that I missed?
not an individual but a movement
× revulsion from civilization
+ " reason
" love
(in ð popular mind.)
× & from insincere internationalism
ð inter-war period
dominant mode of thought:
economic man — utilitarianism; "self-fulfilment"
appeal to "reason"
amorality (under cloak of liberal Christianity)
suppression of emotion
appeasement policies
eruption from ð sub-conscious
irrationalism
self-abnegation
back to primitive values
a neurotic regression to infantilism
after failure on ð adult level
next → either deeper regression
or recovery of adult mentality
LIVERPOOL UNIVERSITY LIBRARY
STP.
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