THE W.E.A.

Hokitika Guardian, 29 March 1923, Page 4

THE W.E.A.

WORKERS’ EDI '('AT'IOXAI. ASSOCIATION. TjoKITrKA ECONOMICS CLASS. At 1.1n.' opening Iff!tiro of the lord i W.H.A. class in tlie Education j Hoard Rooms on Tne-day evening. tin* i tutor. Mr 11. Bch-huu. dealt v.itli the : modern com 'option of the “Idriil of !)••- ; mor-racy." The followin'; r- a I)ri• ■ I out ii lie of tli!.' lecture, | An important mail; of the devej lopnient of civilisation said Air ; Bel-haw. i> tlm growing power of ideals. An ideal is n com cption in the minds of men pi a state of alfairs , better than the present. Ideals arc the ; ultimate motive forces of all ['real ! movement':. The growing power ol : ideals makes it imp' rative that the ideal I prompting a movement .shall he clearly | defined ami properly understood. There is "nun dancer in the loose and careless handling of terms. Abstraction.- : undefined are like louse signposts win Ti I are hlown in Che wind—the traveller ! may take them as pointin'; in any way he pleases; the term “Bolshevism'’ for I example should have a clear and definite meaning in the minds of men. instead, it is used by journalism as to empty vefnolc oi abuse. !)emcerar\ | enmes to mean very little because it ; moans till things to all men. Ihe idea iis very hazy. Literally demoera v I means “people's, power’’; or “goveriij nielil of the people by the people, for ; the people." Bui in practice it comes ' tu mean nil" hy a mini-try selected i from the majority in a legislative as- | senibly. This gives no guarantee that I the majority of the p-'ople have a real ■ share in the control of the policy uf the > members who represent them, i An organisation must he criticised j with reference tn an ideal or central I serial purpr. e. This purpose should nr | in further the maximum development |oj the individual.” A democracy j should In' a sueietv of independent ! group - so organised, that every man ; shall have eiptal opportunity to develop S the finest that is in him. It is obvious ; that the idea has ne-t-'T in an lealized. ; Such a of m ention d' maud- rqualitt .d iippur tunity for sell-development ; the | felled possible -hare in i niitrolliug all I the ai tiviiics uf life: the maximum j fri.'ednm compatible with order ; and I Lee recognition of an obligation <or re- • 1 pnuding to every right, i In modern democracies minoritiej have little effective share in . mitrol. ami the people a- a a hole have liiih j ; control over the elected repre.-entat ive I Hepresentalife assemblies an overbur j : dolled and political cfiliality is pi.went I | "-ii hy economic ineqiialily ; luit the , hie • weakness of democracy is that flu right In vote i. not hacked up by tie - I ability to vote and the apatiiv i 1 tin j t liter.- makes it possible for the inter J c.-ti'd few to rxerrie undue power J ; The existence of any t toveriinmiit d" “ rends on the will of the governed: bu I j at pre-ent this v. ill I- represented im 3 ! |,v an aet ive passum lor seT-deiermi in’ |I I i'll hut by a l ns-ive a< <plie •ecnec. i. 1 : ideal ••• nr: r.n ;. demand- fret f ■!' ... In Athens V. he," tills idled v.e g ...... ue.irlt r. ale,:, d li I c-lllted in S V oil'll I 1 til ell! burst of a Ill'll" , ' s pIV" ■■ iull. The highta t forms of --If 7 e\pr."iuii are only jMissihle under ioi a ; (btioiis of I'rt'.'flom. But fiveilom mm ■ ■ mu: be confused with I icon.v. It. w i | the fuiii t it'll oi last cut nry in ii ; i 3 ! ale; lint li;.- ai: tint- of effective <o 1 i h elite mu t r,d resulted in Inm-e. I f ! i, the function of tin' pr.-.si nl rentin' o !to eotii.ru! tile Lreineiiftuus lurees It f loose hy the industrial revolution an _ refoneile the claims for Id erly with 111 J j necessity for order. “ i This involves a courageous aualys ,ij j of the < omiitie.iis of representation, an h j t. eleeming of the < olistriietive erit j | i i-m whi. h i- now met the world ~v, | | hy oflii ial intolerance. In any moder 5 | state the riel, gal inn of powers i- nece 'j ; .-‘ary so that the method of electing I | I- pi e-ell ta ti ve becomes a vital coot ti j '.lie.' modern system of I'epreseiiiatio ; iu countries i- based ,u' a mist om-cpi ua i uf the meaning ol renix • entatioii. an •v as ih-iguod to Intel .simple im. i ; uliu li hate now hr.-nmc iiiliiiilely neu ' erunplil a I ;'ii. li epf. .-ell I tit i V ills! 11 I ; tiolls represent purpose-, net p' lipl. . ; A growing limit of palilleai tluukei suggests that the p ohleiu should I' solved iu two ilt reel lot's : hy decent re! satiuii of iniilrel into ii'udl i unit' an hy the decelooineul ol a :-y-t"iu , fii iielieua I rt pit vntation. flic, methods wen!'! involve more '"•pr. •-i O' ■ ■ "lid'h- Imt pi '.'bab!;. I epei -rni.a l.iv, (bail at pte-,. pi. tin 11 j pre-entiiiive : . performing .-impe l fum lions. I I e prohl -u of (h nioeraiy iu im'nstr noe-t ! t .insider;, d with icirem.- i the ideal; lor the chief ea Use:. preteUl mg lhe a ppro.it It lo tlm demoernii ' ideal arc ctonomic. The ae'e of eon petition is rapidly dying out and il: i power of trn-ls and combines i- in i 'leasing. The key to ilemeera-ey in in I on-try is not higher wages i,ut a io,h.. jti il. all i,ni of rowu - . A large portion n |i he average eit izen's til- is spent i I earning a living si that if condi'.i ui ere mg eeae: rat i. in industry it i • im i j .' "-;li!.’ in realize the ik'inncrulie ideal j l.mlu-lrv is a means, not at end. Th ml! life can t.lily be lived when eo'idi | tions ef work provide p.roper stop;- fn I -ell \| ;vs>j,m. The highest iueentiv I to effort is self-dii e, tctl service. The vital prim-iplc of demot racy i. ; j i’nuciioiud one; ihai is it depend , m I the Slice v sfn 1 performance bv caeii in | dividual of the i’liiietinns i r job h j ill' 11-' sor has nibbled to him. Tin j probh-m is. i herel'aie, to det i-e a me.mi jw It litv.' tlie individual obtains the m jv. im is most titled ft: r il whether ilia I job he the itniirul of industry or ill | L ulling of the young. In oilier wolds | the wliu!;.' suece-s of a democracy d ; pends ~n the establishment ol an aristo i i'.vy i,!' merit. Tim only true nieihoi jof bringing this a.'.nut v through eipia! j ily of c.pi'.orfunity, 'll." chief xiimibiiu; j block to 111 i ideal is the com enti at i'll I of wealth into a few hand-: for ("intro of v. celt li means the control of induslm wlii.-h mean- the control ol other men lives. Tiie control of wealth should j idcali-ti* ellv speaking. depend on tin

proper performance ol a function. It. can le seen that the tree democracy is diflit-nit of realization. Approach to it can eniy he brought about by a revision of our conception of human values and hy the subordination of all activities to a common aim. the maximum develrpmeut ot . the individual.'’

A hearty invitation is extended, to any who wish tn iiiiclerstiiiid the subject of Economies. It is anticipated to extend the activities of the (lass to literary and debating, hut Ibis can only he brought about hy individual interest of the members.