War and the Psychological Conditions of Peace
- Author:
William Brown, D.M.(Oxon), D.Sc.(Lond.),F.R.C.P.
& C. Black Ltd. 7s. 6d. net.
This is a second and enlarged edition of the author’s War and Peace which increases the book’s extent by one-half.
The general thesis adopted is that ” the problem of war and peace is one which needs to be treated con- structively with an energy and determination as free as possible from mere uncontrolled emotion and hysteria and it might be added, unhindered by exaggerated political and economic considerations. As is pointed out (p. 57) the life of the individual ” is penetrated through and through with social influences “. This fact must ultimately govern not only our own national life and destiny but that of the world in its international relations. At every point the individual is reacting to the Society to which he belongs. Ignorance, vanity, prejudice, hate, whether racialized or nationalized, depend at present on artificial, political or sentimental groupings. Mental forces continue to manifest themselves in an unconscious form even while the conscious mind is fully alert; indeed, under the influence of mass suggestion, racial or national, they are very apt to do so.
Perhaps in time the old conceptions of ” War ” and ” Peace ” will be superseded by a real balance of power: strength and courage balanced by goodwill and under- standing; if so, bloodshed may thereby be limited or prevented. It is curious that the most revolutionary promise of the Atlantic Charter, namely, that of the abolition of Fear has been overlooked by many students of social psychology.
As Dr Brown says, human unconscious urges are not just skeletons in the cupboard: they are very live and potent forces. The tiger is there, and the wolf, and the jackal, and the snake, not forgetting the donkey. This book is one of a select nucleus of similar essays in the psychology of group relationship; and as such it is to be commended. A.B.
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