Publisher's Synopsis
Book may have numerous typos, missing text, images, or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1917. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER VII COMPETITION AND HUMAN MOTIVES We have seen in earlier chapters that the competitive system is defended upon the ground that it is adapted, as no other system is, to the facts of human nature. The work of the world must be carried out, and men will only do it, it is claimed, either to get more wealth, or power, or fame than other people, or for the sake of material reward. So long as these are the motives which animate men to work, so long will the fundamental evils of competition remain, though they may be tempered or mitigated by Social Reform legislation, or by Socialism or Syndicalism. What is needed is a change of heart with regard to the motives for work. It is because the motives for which men work are wrong that the system which is the expression of 147 L 2 I these motives is wrong also. In a genuine commonwealth all work should be performed either from a desire to carry out God's work in the world, or from a desire to serve the community, or from the joy of creation--or in many cases from all three motives. Indeed, .for a Christian there must always be some joy in work and some sense of serving the community in any work that is carried out in obedience to God's will. A great deal of the world's work is already done from one or other of these motives. The missionary goes out to foreign lands because he feels a call from God and finds that his real vocation lies in the mission field. This is true of many social workers and many religious workers at home. All that they ask is sufficient money to keep their bodies in health and their souls vital. They are in no way influenced by the desire to get more money, or more fame, or more power than other people. All that they desire is to make the world a better place to carry out what they believe to be God's work. So, too, ...
