Democracy [antikvár]

PREFACE Democracy has probably been more talked about in the last few years than ever before in the history of the world. In the vocabulary of Hitler and Mussolini the very name of it has become a term of abuse, while for English-speaking men and women everywhere it is the watch-word of a great ideal. But a word which is bandied about in this way is liable to lose some of its significance. Like a coin hard-worn in the traffic of many markets it runs the risk of getting defaced. And if our belief in Democracy is to retain its vitality and sustain us in the struggle in which we are engaged, we must not take it for granted without thinking about its nature and implications. It is indeed with words and ideas as with coins. If we pass coins from hand to hand without looking at them just because they are familiar, we^may be deceived by a counterfeit. And when coins become defaced, an authentic coin may be deemed false merely because it is old and worn with long service. , I believe that misunderstandings of the kind I have in mind are not uncoihmon. If this little book helps its readers to clear up any such misconceptions^it will have fulfilled its purpose. Though the stern taSks of war allow most people little time for reflection, there is^all the more reason for taking such opportunities as ocdir