THE SCHIZOID STATE
Sm,—Two things need to be said in answer to Mr. Allighan's argument about Bantu morals. The first is that he can have read or taken in very little anthro- pology or anything on the subject of primitive religion and society. If he had, he would know that modern research and inquiry into these matters have shown that so-called 'Primitive' religion and social organisation have a much stronger moral foundation than has been realised in the past. Granted that there may be much in tribal life that to us seems terrible and often cruel, but usually there is found to be an underlying cause for these practices that can be turned to good use if dealt with sympathetically. It is not so much the Bantu's tribal background that is to blame for his present morals, but the fact that in common with tribal groups all over the world, his old social and religious system is being broken up by industrialisation.
Which brings me to the second thing : it is com- mon knowledge to those who have lived in areas where a rural economy is giving place to an indus- trial that troubles start when the old communities are broken up Tribal peoples leave their villages and are catapulted into 'civilised' society. Far from giving a 'coating of civilisation.' as Mr. Allighan says, it is more likely to demoralise them. They are not yet equipped to cope with living in an industrial community, especially if the people for whom they work make no attempt to understand their problems. In India,.where the Government is rapidly increasing industrial projects, the same problem of teaching people to live in an industrial society arises. South Africans seem to want the rest of the world to think that their problem is a unique one. It is not. It is 0 common problem which•they are making unique bY their coloured approach to it. Not only will they be unable to build up a stable industrial society with their present approach, but they will ruin their own economy, and they will have only themselves to blame.—Yours faithfully,
Ballavpur PO, Raniganj, E. Rly., West Bengal, North India
MARGARET D. BUDD
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