Economic Factors in the Maintenance of Peace

THE immediate object of the war has been fully attained.The ~ danger to liberty and democracy from the attack of the Central Powers has been effectually overcome.It is now our task to establish conditions which, so far as may be humanly possible, will remove the danger of future conflicts between the nations.Territorial changes on the basis of independent nationalities will remove grievances which might endanger the future peace of the world.The establishment of democratic governments throughout Europe and the discontinuance of secret diplomacy will do much to eliminate causes of trouble which spring from personal ambition, and flourish in an atmosphere of intrigue.These political changes are necessary if a peaceful world is to be established, but very much more is required to accomplish the end in view.Economic causes of international strife would remain, and these causes may well prove an even more serious men- ace to the peace of the world than they have been at any previous period in the history of civilized peoples.At least four influences will be present tending to embitter international economic rela- tions.These influences, arranged in the order of increasing im- portance, are: (1) the intensification of national sentiment which is the invariable consequence of war; (2) the increasing size of the business organizations conducting foreign trade, transportation and finance; (3) the urgent needs of many countries during the years immediately following the war; and (4) and by far the most important, the technical requirements of modern warfare, which involve the use of the products of a great variety of highly de- veloped industries

Business · Regional Development and Management Studies