"At the Still Point of Turning World"

Abstract

ideas are slow of adoption; thus it is difficult to make a proof of superiority of liberty, freedom, and democracy. Yet one should not lose patience when one recalls that teachings of Jesus, which Thomas Jefferson after one of his characteristic studies proclaimed the most sublime and benevolent code of morals ever offered to mankind have not gained universal adoption after thousand years of currency. Indeed, we ourselves, the harbingers of sometimes doubt democracy's efficacy, especially when it is functioning poorly; but even its most discerning critics give it two cheers' To quote E. M. Forster: is less hateful than other contemporary forms of government, and to that extent it deserves our support. It does start from assumption that individual is important, and that all types are needed to make a This content downloaded from 207.46.13.111 on Tue, 09 Aug 2016 04:48:09 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms AT THE STILL POINT OF TURNING WORLD 317 civilization.... The people I admire most are those who are sensitive and want to create something or discover something, and do not see life in terms of power, and such people get more of a chance under a democracy than elsewhere. They found religions, great and small, or they produce literature and art, or they do disinterested scientific research, or they may be what is called 'ordinary people' who are creative in their private lives, bring up their children decently, for instance, or help their neighbors. All these people need to express themselves, they cannot do so unless society allows them liberty to do so, and society which allows them most liberty is a