 Bertrand Russell Quotes 366 |
At present, in most parts of the world, schools teach co-operation within the nation but competition elsewhere; this practice is bringing our era to a disastrous end, and will probably prevent most of those now in school from reaching middle age. It would be just as easy to teach loyalty to mankind, and on the basis of this sentiment to build an international State, by means of which the human race could attain a level of happiness and well-being far surpassing anything hitherto achieved. But no Great Power would dream of accepting such a measure of intellectual disarmament, though all know that the penalty for continuing the present policy is universal destruction.
Source: Bertrand Russell: Human Society in Ethics and Politics, (1954), chapter 8：Ethical Controversy
More info.:https://russell-j.com/cool/47T-0813.htm
* a brief comment, Translated with DeepL.com (free version)
This part of the book was written just after the end of World War II (1945 or 1946). Fortunately, people back then did not die before reaching middle age, but the situation in the world was not much better. At that time, the conflict between the U.S. and the Soviet Union was prominent, but while Soviet power has waned, China's power has grown, and today the conflict has become more complicated and various new conflicts have emerged.