Page:Neurath O. (1942) International Planning for Freedom.pdf/18

Rh serious tensions are always possible as is well known in the present, not to speak of new types of difficulties which may arise.

These and other possibilities may be imagined, when we want to discuss the 'history of the future'. The 'history of the future' does not tell us of the one future because we know only few of the important historical elements and have more than one useful hypothesis. Cautious scientists might tell us of a 'plurifuture', as it were. If we - because our imagination is limited - present only a 'uni-future', then we should stress the point, that we speak of only one of many possibilities. We are not much better off when we write the 'history of the past' if we wanted to 'deduce' statements about the 16th century solely from our statements about the 15th century by means of some hypotheses.

What a complicated situation there will be after this war! The whole atmosphere presumably will be less peaceful than after the first World War. It is to be expected that in some parts of Europe the conquerors will be removed by revolts. Many strange alliances in such a civil war and the coming of new types of organization may be anticipated. And there will be 'revenge' and 'punishment' in accordance with human tradition. Here we are concerned with the analysis of more permanent features of the future.

Some of the states may then continue, within a 'societal' pattern, based on planning - they would be organized in such a way that they would fit into the new pattern. In other states, democratic socialism may become the basis of the constitution; others may be of the Soviet type. There are now some one-party states, e.g. in Latin America, which presumably will remain as they are (adapted only to international planning) unless a much stronger revolution takes place than this World War seems to imply. In spite of all the cruelties and devastations so far, this world war does not seem to be shaking the structure of our whole society in its fundaments. The Western traditions seem to be stable, indeed very fixed.

Many movers of, and objectors to, planning think that a new world of planning requires perhaps the sacrifice of a whole generation, particularly the sacrifice of personal freedom. It seems likely that such an attitude often endangers freedom and civil liberty for decades. Therefore, it seems to be in our practical interest to study as carefully as possible the problem of 'Planning for Freedom'. Social organizations which were based on the preparedness to sacrifice the happiness of human beings for whatever