PREFACE
Myfather’sescapefrom—andoppositionto—totalitarianismdominatedmuchofhiswriting.Itpermeatedhisbeliefsabouttheempowermentofindividuals,andthemoralresponsibilityoforganizations
toempowertheindividualswithintheirsphere.
Thiscollectionemphasizestheprinciplesofhumanchoice,dignity;self-worth;andsociety’sroletoachievetheseends,withinafairandequitablesystem.
ItwasbasedonthissharedbeliefsystemthatmyfatherandMingLoShaodevelopedawarmfriendship—afriendshipnurturedandmaintained,withmutualrespect,formanyyearsuntilmyfather’spassingin2005.
Thiscollectiondemonstratesthetimelinessofmyfather’swritings,andtheirapplicabilitytosomeofthecriticalsituationsfacingourworldtoday,almost90yearsaftertheywerefirstpenned.
TheDruckerfamilythanksMingLoShaoforhisworkincreatingthisanthology,andforhisdedicationtokeepingDrucker’swritingsaliveandrelevantforanewgeneration.
JoanDruckerWinstein
Denver,Colorado,USA
August,2020
TOOURREADERS
IhavelongwantedtocompileavolumethatbringstogetherPeterDrucker’sdiscoursesontotalitarianismandsalvationbysocietytomakethemeasilyaccessibletoreaders.Nowtheworkhasfinallybeencompleted.
ThebookiscomprisedofselectionsfromfiveofPeterDrucker’sworks,TheEndofEconomicMan,TheEcologicalVision,LandmarksofTomorrow,AdventuresofaBystander,andAFunctioningSociety.Myjobwastosortthecontentintoninechapters,drawuptitles,andwriterelatedintroductions
tothechapters.Drucker’sreflectionsonandcritiquesoftotalitarianismrunthroughmostofhisworks,buttheyaremorefocusedandsystematicinthefivebooksmentionedabove.Knownas“thefatherofmodernmanagement”,PeterDruckerhadalifelonghatredoftotalitarianism.Hestudiedmanagementbecausehefeltthatonlytheeffectivemanagementofpluralisticsocialorganizations—includingnon-profitorganizations,industrialandcommercialenterprises,andgovernmentagencies—couldprovideoptionsoralternativestoresisttotalitarianrule.
Totalitarianismisanuglyphenomenoninhumansocietyandpolitics,anditisalsoaterrifyingdisease.Ithascausedmoresufferingtohumankindthananyothertyrannyinhistory.Whatitseeksistofullyandthoroughlymanipulateandcontroleveryindividual,bothinbodyandmind,turninghumansnotonlyintoanimalsbutalsointomachinesandtoolsaswell.Totalitarianismaimsforabsolutepower,butnooneexcepttheCreatorhassuchpower.Hence,itmanifestsasastateofabsurdityandmadnessinwhich“themovement(persecution)iseverything,yetthereisnopurpose.”Byitsnature,totalitarianismcannottoleratetheexistenceofevenatinybitofhumanity.TheNazis’“finalsolution”(genocide),themassmurderofJews,isitslogicalresult.Today,highlydevelopednewtechnologiesarealsoprovidingimaginativephysicalandpsychologicalmethodsofmanipulation,givingthosewithtotalitarianambitionsthemeanstocarryouta“finalsolution,”theextinctionofunmankind(theextinctionofhumannature;thatis,essentiallyexterminatingthehumanspecies.)
Totalitarianismistheresultofthefailureof“salvationbysociety”.
Historyhasrepeatedlyproventhatanyperfect,ornearlyperfectsocietythatclaimstohavenoconflict,noclassdifferences,completefairness,justice,benevolence,andharmony,isautopia.However,usingsocietytoeliminateevilinhumannature,tosavehumanbeingsfromdepravity,andtransformthemintoperfectpeople,ismerelyanaïvefantasy.Marxismisthemostrecent,mostrigorous,andmostalluringsocialrescueplanbutalsotheutmostfailureat“salvationbysociety”.Today,politicalpartiesandnationsstillunderthebannerofMarxistcommunismorsocialismhaveessentiallysunkenintototalitarianism.
Fromtheperspectiveofphilosophy,“Salvationbysociety”belongstothecategoryofabsoluterationalism.Itoriginatesfromhumanbeings’prideandconceit,isthenotionthatpeoplecangraspabsolutetruthandbecomethemasterofeverythingintheworld,includingtheirowndestiny.
Tracingtheirrespectiverootsindifferentfieldsofknowledge,peopleregardtheirdiscoveriesastheonlycorrectness.Theydevelopvarious“isms,”includingprogressivism,scientism,economicutilitarianism,rationalliberalism,nationalismorethnocentrism,andsocialismandcommunism.
Thesedoctrinesmaybeimpeccablelogically,andsomeareemotionallymoving.Buttheyallhaveanapriorihypothesisthatcannotbeempiricallyprovenorfalsified—thatis,humanbeingscanbeabsolutelyrationalandcancomprehendabsolutetruth.
Nowwefinallyknowthispriorihypothesisiswrong,notbecauseoflogic’smeritsordemerits,butbecauseitsimplydoesn’tworkinreallife.So,whereisthewayout?PeterDruckersuggestedthatwereturntospiritualvaluesandfaith:toexperienceandrecognizethereisahigherauthoritybeyondsocietyandabovehumanbeings.Thatauthorityhasalreadyplantedcompassionandjusticeinhuman’shearts,whatweusuallycall“conscience.”Ifhumansindeedhaveapurelyrationalnature,conscienceisitsmaster.Withconsciencederivedfromfaith,rationalitycanperformitsbeneficialfunctions.Liketheconservatism’scounterrevolutionarymovementthattookplaceintheUnitedStatesandGreatBritainmorethantwohundredyearsago,itshineswiththegloryoftruefreedomandgenuinerationality:Thosemovementswereconstructive,not
destructive;theyappealedtothelove,faith,andhumilityofChrist.Basedonreligiousconviction,theyfirmlyrejectedhuman’sabsoluterationality,orirrationalabsolutism,andweresolemnlycommittedtohumandignity.
PeterDruckerinheritedthetraditionoftheconservatism’scounterrevolutionintheUnitedStatesandGreatBritain.InspiredbyobservingsocialandpoliticalrealitiesintheUnitedStates,heformedasocialconceptthatdiffersfromasocialrescueplan(salvationbysociety):lesser
evilsinsteadofgreatergood.Althoughimperfect,itwouldcreatealesspainfulandtolerablesociety.Suchasocietyshouldhavethefollowingcharacteristics:
1.Itwouldreplacesolipsistic“isms”withanopenandtolerantattitude.
2.Itwouldreplacecentralizedanduniformstructureswithdiversifiedsocialorganizationanddecentralizedpowercenters.
3.Itwouldreplacerevolutionarydogmawithexperimental,gradualimprovementandreviewfromtimetotime.
4.Itwouldreplacetherigidsocialrelationshipthatmutuallyexcludeandnegatebetweenindividualandthewhole,orbetweenthedifferentpartsofthesociety,withtheprincipleofmutual
dependenceandmutualbenefittoestablishadynamicequilibriumbetweentheindividualsandsociety,freedomandorder.
Suchasocietywouldnotfollowapresetscientificdesign,norwoulditneedtorelyoncharismaticleadersorsupermen.Itwouldnotbeperfect,butitwouldbebetterandachievable.
ItshouldbeemphasizedthatDrucker’sopenness,tolerance,diversity,andeclecticismarenotwithoutabottomline.Thebottomlineisthathewillnevertolerateanyformoftotalitarianautocracy.Druckernotedthathumanbeingshavetwoessentialqualitiesthatothercreaturesdon’t
have—knowledgeandpower.Theseattributescanneitherberemovednoravoided,andtheiraimsandusesmustberegulatedandrestricted.Hewaswaryofsovereignstatesandmoderngovernments.Hebelievedthatregardlessofwhethertheyadoptedademocraticsystemoranautocraticsystem,theywereessentiallythesamebutonlydifferentinextent,towhichtheyinfringedonindividualrightsandfreedoms.Therefore,withineverysovereignstateandmoderngovernment,thereexistsageneforthegrowthoftotalitarianism.Whenanynationabusesitsknowledgeandpowertoviolatehumanrights,theinternationalcommunitymustrestrictorevendepriveitofitssovereignty.
However,Druckerbelievedthatthusfar,theUnitedStatesmaybetheonlycountrythathasneverentirelyacceptedtheconceptandsystemofasovereignstate.Therefore,astheleaderofthefreeworldanddevelopedcountriesintheWest,theUnitedStatesisbestsuitedtobethefirsttoserveasamodelforglobalactionstoresisttotalitarianism.Constructivefrontiersofworkaremoreimportantanddecisivethanconfrontationsinthemilitarysphere.SuchfrontiersarenotfoundintheEast,wheretotalitarianismisfirmlyrootedandfar-reaching,butinthefreeworld,especiallyintheWest,wheretheU.S.hasanadvantage.These“West”frontiersare:
•theeducatedsociety;
•theworldeconomyofdynamicdevelopment;
•thenewpoliticalconceptsandinstitutionsneededinthispluralistage,internationally,nationallyandlocally;andcivilizationsthatcantaketheplaceoftheEastthathasvanished.
Ultimately,whenthe“West”constructiveendeavorsbringforththetolerablenewsocietythatDuckerenvisioned,restoringconfidenceinfreedomandequality,totalitarianismwillevaporatejustasthesunrisesandthedewwillnaturallybedisappeared,losingitsdeceptivemagic.
Forthosewhoarenotfreetoday,whounfortunatelyliveundertotalitarianruleorintotalitarianrevolutionarymovements,DruckeroffersadviceonhowtodealwiththeenvironmentbasedonhispersonalexperiencesinEuropeasateenager.Thefirstiswhatnottodo.Powerhasthepotentialforabsoluteandcomprehensivecontrol,andhumannatureisweak,unabletowithstandthethreatsandtemptationsofpower,letalonefacetheopeningof“Pandora’sBox”—totalitarianism.Ifapersonisnotreadytostandup,fight,andsacrificehim—orherselfforrighteousness—anditisonlythefewofthebest,noblest,andcourageousamonguswhocandothat—thewisestthingtodoistobreakoffwithtotalitarianism.
Ifsomepeopletrytocontrolitwithambitionortomakeadealwithitbyusingwisdomandingenuity,whetheroutofselfishmotivesorsinceregoodwill,totalitarianismwillusethem,andtheywillbecomeaccomplicestoitsevildoing.In“TheMonsterandtheLamb”ofthisbook,Druckertermedtheformertype“monster”andthelatter“lamb.”Comparedwithabovetwotypesofpeoplewhovoluntarilyjointhetotalitariancamp,theothertypeofpeopleisoftenthemajority.Althoughtheydonotparticipateinthemselves,theyacquiescetotalitarianismtoabuseothers,theyturntheirheads,safelylatchtheirdoorthenenjoy“peaceandquiet.”Totalitariancareeristsderivetheirgreatestencouragementfrompublicindifference,whichisan“endorsement”tobehaveunscrupulouslyanddowhatevertheyplease.
Asforwhatpeopleshoulddovswhatshouldnotdo,Druckerdidn’tgiveaneasyanswer.Hedidn’ttelluswhatproactiveactionswecantakeundertheterror,pressure,andfalsepropagandaoftotalitarianismthatwouldeffectivelyweakentotalitarianrulewhileprotectingasmuchaspossibleourselvesandfamilies.ThesituationissimilartotheBiblicalstoryofAbraham,whoacceptedGod’sordertosacrificehisson.AbrahamfeltcompelledtoobeyGod’scommand,yetalsowantedtosavehisbelovedsonIsaac.Consideringandformulatingwhatstrategiesandcoursesofactionistheresponsibilityofeveryentrepreneur,teacher,scholar,mediaperson,governmentofficial,professionalknowledgeworker,andcitizen.However,theprinciplesanddirectionshavebeengiven,andtheconstraintsoftheobjectiveenvironmentarealsoclear.Therefore,wecanatleastknowtheunderstandingofethics,morals,andperformancearerequiredforholdingapositionorrunningabusinessinatotalitariancountryaredifferentthantheywouldbeforthesamepositionorbusinessinademocraticcountry.Forexample,ifyouhavetosetupabusinessinatotalitariancountry,yourgoalshouldnotbetocontributetothecountry’s
GDPortaxrevenue.Norshouldyouaidinstrengtheningitsnationaldefenseor“stabilizing”itssociety.And,nottomentionthatyoushouldneverusethenationalideologytoeducateemployeesandunitethem.
Lastly,I’dliketopointoutthatthebookendsonanoptimisticnote,whichDruckerwrotein1959.Hewasfiftyyearsoldthen,vigorousandconfident.HesawapluralisticandautonomousorganizationalnewsocietytakingshapeintheUnitedStatesandtheWest.Theboominmodern
managementandtheemergenceofaneducatedgroupofknowledgeworkers(alsoknownasthe“middleclass”)complementingeachotheratthattime.Butontheotherhand,healsonoticedthatmankindhadbeguntomasterknowledgeofthenaturalscienceandbehavioralsciencethatcouldendupdestroyinghumanity.Andthatkindofknowledgewascreatingconditionsfortheexerciseofabsolutepower.Inthateraofgreatchange,heurgedsociety,humanbeings,andindividualsto“returntospiritualvaluesandreturntoreligion,”andheemphasizedknowledgeworkers’responsibilities,becauseininherence,“knowledgeispower,andpowerisresponsibility.”Itisalsobecauseonlythroughthespecificandsubtlepracticeofassumingresponsibilityandthusrealizingdignityattheindividuallevelcouldhumankind’slong-standinggrandandloftyidealof“freedomandequality”beachieved.Hereby,IwouldliketorevisitwiththereadersonDrucker’sclarioncallthathemadesixtyyearsagoasencouragementforusall:
“Everyonemustbereadytotakeoveraloneandwithoutnotice,andshowhimselfsaintorhero,villainorcoward...playedoutinone’sdailylife,inone’swork,inone’scitizenship,inone’s
compassionorlackofit,inone’scouragetosticktoanunpopularprinciple,andinone’srefusaltosanctionman’sinhumanitytomaninanageofcrueltyandmoralnumbness.
Inatimeofchangeandchallenge,newvisionandnewdanger,newfrontiersandpermanentcrisis,sufferingandachievement,inatimeofoverlapsuchasours,theindividualisbothall-powerlessandall-powerful.Heispowerless,howeverexaltedhisstation,ifhebelievesthathecanimposehiswill,thathecancommandthetidesofhistory.Heisall-powerful,nomatterhowlowly,ifheknowshimselftoberesponsible.”
MingLoShao,Editor
October2020,inLosAngeles,USA
diversity ISMS SCHOLAR USA MONSTER INTERNATIONALLY TEACHER REACHING PANDORA faith LAMB THEREFORE
