Sheltering Ideologies; L.E. Read

LEONARD E. READ IDEOLOGIES he magistrates who play, "protect me, I'll protect you." -Petronius SOME THINGS never change, ap parently: the nature of politicians, as distinguished from statesmen, for example. There is cameraderie in the trade; they take care of each other. "You play ball with me, and I'll play ball with you." No wonder the Roman magistrates winked at one another when they met! However, I do not damn the politicians who play the game that Petronius so rightly decried. My attitude is rather one of pity: they do not know any better! Let us define our terms. What is meant by ideology? It is "the study of ideas, their nature and source . . . the doctrines, opinions, or way of thinking of an individual, class, etc." And sheltering?' As used here, it means protection from life's problems - seeking refuge from , difficulties - not by building and strengthening one's own intellec tual and physical assets but by using force or coercion to live-off the resources of others. In politico economic parlance these sheltering ideologies .. range from protection ism and state interventionism to socialism, welfarism, the planned economy, nazism, fascism, Fabian ism, communism.