POSITIVE PATRIOTISM
[To the Editor of THE SPECTATOR.] Sia,—The inspiration of Mr. Bellerby's article on " Positive Patriotism " lies in its suggestion that every individual and every family can here and now begin to put into practice positive patriotism by entering upon the life of giving. Hitler's and Mussolini's success depends upon their grasping the psychological law that practice generates and maintains belief, and so always calling upon each believer to do some- thing himself and to do it at once. The appeal which the War made in spite of all its horrors also depended on the same law : devotees were really called upon for acts of devotion. Mr. Caradog Jones calls for a movement of men and women " consumed with a flaming passion to set the world in order." By all means let us have such a movement. But let it not be like all the other movements we have had— one of which the participants are always telling someone else to do something, and arc trying to set the world, but not themselves, in order. The world suffers from a plethora of movements which consist of people coming together and marking time while they call upon someone to make a move.
It is certain that unless we have some passionate inspiration like that of positive patriotism, beginning with and depending upon the individual, the British Empire is doomed. For although we still have the might, we no longer have the belief in might which others—Italians, Germans, Japanese—have ; nor have we any other stronger belief. And throughout history belief has always won over mere might.—Yours, &c.,
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