Abstract
TURNING to the domestic affairs of Great Britain, Mr. Churchill said he would propose a Four Years Plan to cover the period of transition and reconstruction which must follow the end of the war in Europe. Such a Plan would comprise five or six large measures of a practical character, all of which would require careful preparation in advance in order that they might fit into the general scheme. This scheme would have to receive the approval of the country at large. One such measure should be a scheme for compulsory national social insurance, and Mr. Churchill said that he and his colleagues are making the necessary preliminary legislative preparations. Agriculture must be maintained at a higher level by reviving healthy village life, so that Great Britain will not be so dependent on imported foodstuffs as hitherto. A national health service is another necessity, to combat the dwindling birth-rate as well as to carry on the war against disease. Education is also being actively studied. “The future of the world is to the highly educated races who alone can handle the scientific apparatus necessary for pre-eminence in peace or survival in war.” Education must be broader and more liberal, with due consideration of the lessons of the past ; and opportunities for advanced education must be available to all. Religion has been a fundamental element in the schools of Great Britain, and must continue to play its part in building character. Secular schooling must be extended, and plans made for part-time education for those entering industry. The physical reconstruction made necessary by air-raid damage must also be planned effectively and preparations made well in advance.
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The Prime Minister's Four Years Plan. Nature 151, 359 (1943). https://doi.org/10.1038/151359b0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/151359b0