ENDS "AND MEANS
those who rule such essentially militaristic societies should
take the initiative in eliminating the causes of war is,
of course, enormously improbable. One cannot be the
ruler of a militaristic society unless one is oneself a.
militarist, unless one accepts the beliefs and cherishes the
sentiments which result in a militaristic policy. This being
so, it is perfectly clear that most of the work of transforming
the modern militaristic community into a community that
desires peace and that proves the genuineness of its desire
by pursuing only such policies as make for peace, will have
to be done by private individuals, acting either alone or in
association. Reforms are seldom initiated by the rulers of
a nation. They have their source at the periphery and
work gradually inwards towards the centre, till at last the
strength of the reforming movement is so great that its
leaders either become the government or the existing
government adopts its principles and carries out its policies.
With the work which will have to be done by private
individuals and associations, I shall speak in the next
chapter. In what remains of the present chapter I shall
consider one by one the psychological causes of war, as
outlined in earlier paragraphs, and point out how they
might be eliminated.
(i) War, as we have seen, is tolerated, and by some
even welcomed, because peace-time occupations seem
boring, humiliating and pointless.
.The application of the principle of self-government to
industry and business should go far to deliver men and
women in subordinate positions from the sense of helpless
humiliation which is induced by the need of obeying the
arbitrary orders of irresponsible superiors; and the fact of
being one of a sAiall co-operative group should do some-
tiling to make the working life of its members seem more
interesting. Heightened interest can also be obtained by
suitably rearranging the individual's tasks. Fourier insi'sted
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