File:The peril of Prussianism (1917) (14589522509).jpg

Identifier: perilofprussiani00johnrich (find matches)
Title: The peril of Prussianism
Year: 1917 (1910s)
Authors: Johnson, Douglas Wilson, 1878-
Subjects: European war, 1914-1918 -- Causes Germany -- Civilization Germany -- Politics and government 1871-1918
Publisher: New York, London, G. P. Putnam's sons
Contributing Library: University of California Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: MSN

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the most successful govern-ment is the one which most effectivelypromotes the free development of itscitizens. The growth of this ideal of 2 The Peril of Prussianism government ean be traced through thewhole history of the Anglo-Saxon race,but first reached Its full fruition In theAmerican Declaration of Independence.Because of the supreme faith of ourforefathers In dedicating their lives, theirfortunes, and their sacred honor to themaintenance of this ideal In the NewWorld, Canada and the other Englishcolonies to-day enjoy a freedom whichwould not otherwise be theirs. The lossof her American colonies taught Englandthe fearful cost of obstructing mansaspirations for true self-government, withthe result that both in her colonies andat home the growth of democratic idealshas seldom been seriously checked.France lit her torch of freedom at theAmerican altar, and in Russia when thebureaucrats would denoimce Milyukoffor his democratic aspirations they hurlat him the epithet^^^American. It
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Two Ideals of Government 3 will not appear unseemly, therefore, tocall the ideal of government just describedThe American ideal.* In a peculiardegree America has long stood beforethe world as its champion and defender.The second ideal of government isdiametrically opposed to the first. It isbased on the conception that the individ-ual is the servant of the government andexists for the benefit of the government.According to this ideal, the State iseverything, the individual nothing. Theperfect government is one which sodisciplines its citizens that they renderabsolute and unquestioning obedienceto every order of the State, performingwith machine-like precision the tasks as-signed to them. Organized efficiencyand team work replace the imcoordinatedand ineffectual efforts of individualswhich forever clog the clumsy mechanismof democracy. Individual liberty is per- 4 The Peril of Prussianism mitted only where it does not interferewith the good of the State, and it is theState, not the citperilofprussiani00johnrich

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