106 THE SHADOW OF THE WORLD’S FUTURE
ably discussed some years back by Prof. Fedozzi of
Genoa, in Scientia. Issues as between nations may
have very little relation to the groups of individuals
concerned in their decision.
All possible progress depends upon the existence of
capital, that is upon the accumulations of suitable
forms of wealth, over and above the current needs of
persons and of communities. Formerly capital was
more largely, if not wholly, individually controlled;
and the sense of responsibility for the manner of its
use was correspondingly personal. In the world’s
economic system of to-day, larger accumulations occur
and are indispensable for the maintenance of the
greater activities and the larger schemes of transport.
But these are, relatively, impersonally controlled, and
the ethics of such control is humanly less satisfactory
than when it was associated with personal responsi-
bility. It is because of this that the larger economic
issues frequently cause trouble, often intensified by
national prejudices, since there is, as yet, very little
realisation -of any unity of interest among the peoples
of mankind, regarded as citizens of the world.
It is easy to see that as human difficulties increase
through the growth of populations, adjustments as
between its increase of numbers and its economic
organisation must take place, if trouble is to be avoided.
Keeping such considerations in mind, and having in
view the imminency of a food-shortage, “ New Mal-
thusianism ” proposes that we shall review the whole
situation carefully and not multiply without the
slightest regard thereto. What, then, is the world-
position in respect of this matter, and how does it
affect various divisions of the human race? On a very
superficial view the solution might seem to depend
merely upon migration from the thickly settled areas
to the sparsely settled ones, and therefore—in principle
at least—to be easy of solution. The trouble is,