Creative Demobilisation

Abstract

ALLIED successes in the autumn of 1942 were immediately reflected in Great Britain in the new focus of attention towards post-war programmes and policies. The warm welcome of the Beveridge Report was in. large measure attributable to its timely appearance. Since then dozens of plans for agriculture, for particular industries, for special areas and for bombed cities have appeared. Yet it is remarkable that there have appeared only two works which discuss comprehensively the objectives and principles of planning. Prof. Hutt diagnoses pre-war trends and practices in his “Plan for Reconstruction” and outlines a consistent post-war economic policy for Britain which, he believes, removes the major defects that have hitherto marred a smooth working of economic forces. The second work is that by Dr. Gutkind, who establishes the general principles of town and country planning, and applies them to Britain. It would be instructive to examine the common features of these two essays, both of which are published in the International Library of Sociology and Social Reconstruction. Here, however, we can simply note the sense of urgency with which both authors write. Dr. Gutkind believes that “failure to identify the demobilisation with a creative beginning of a new era will be tantamount to a new declaration of war”. The unpreparedness for peace shocks him, yet he will have none of hand-to-mouth policies. From the armistice we must concentrate our whole might on the “goal of making Britain one good house” ; and this attitude helps to explain the author's impatience with possible criticisms of his approach, and his contempt for laisser faire.

Creative Demobilisation

(International Library of Sociology and Social Reconstruction.) Vol. 1: Principles of National Planning. By E. A. Gutkind. Pp. xvi+331. 21s. net. Vol. 2: Case Studies in National Planning. Edited by E. A. Gutkind. Pp. viii+280. 21s. net. (London: Kegan Paul and Co., Ltd., 1943.)