CHRISTIAN DEMOCRACY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 30 May 1938, Page 9

CHRISTIAN DEMOCRACY

GREAT BRITAIN’S IDEAL. Dictatorship means the subordination of the individual to the State, it means the imprisonment of the mind, it means restriction on the written and spoken word, even the unuttered thought; it means that man is no longer free to be himself, but can only be the expression of another man’s personality, writes Colonel Sir Thomas Moore, M.P., in the "Empire Review.” If that is good for humanity, if it helps the development of civilisation, and therefore the betterment of mankind, if it indeed supports the underlying philosophy of Christianity, then we in Britain and those who think like us are all wrong. But are we? Surely the Creator meant us to live in His image, not in the likeness of a Dictator? Surely He meant us to cultivate each his own individuality as given to us and not restrict our growth to a common standard. Surely He meant us to contribute each according to his capacity to the common weal. For, on the sum total of those common contributions is democracy founded. If, therefore, we want to retain our Christian freedom, let us stimulate individual effort and the reasonable rewards that come from achievement. Let us narrow the gulf nationally and internationally between those who have and those who have not. Let us avoid strife, which retards understanding and breeds hate. Let us be just to nations and to men. Let us be strong physically and spiritually so that we may persuade our way to peace and progress on those nations and peoples who look to us for example and guidance. Let us insist that, as far as we are concerned, we shall have in truth a government of the people by the people for the people; according to Abraham Lincoln that is Democracy.