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CADMUS: The Personality of a Journal



ARTICLE | | BY T. Natarajan

Author(s)

T. Natarajan

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At great moments, great movements arise. Life makes history memorable by its revelation at such moments. Military movements were led by generals, political movements by great personalities. After the war, leadership of such movements was offering itself to great international organizations. Initially the UN responded to the mature moment. The world has been waiting for one organization or a group of them to accept such a leadership. It is a leadership of thought. Several organizations sprung up and played active roles. They often go into dormancy, while their original ideas organize themselves more solidly below the surface of life. When they resurface, they emerge with a greater effectivity and a compelling force for effectuation. They usually do so at the time of great anniversaries.

The world needs political direction with a realistic economic content to organize itself as a global eminence. Democratic liberties become real to the society when they are based on economic equality. Seminal ideas about service economy and unmonetized economic activity broaden the base of economic science, so that it may play a more energetic role in the affairs of the world. The spirit of the times recognizing the value of great ideas and the significance of the evolutionary movement seeks a forum for expression. As organizations followed outstanding leaders in the post war period, journals offer themselves as vehicles of leadership.

It is their personality. Britain, which went in search of trade, was offered an empire in the 18th century. America, which was isolationist, in the 20th century was offered world leadership, as she had that immense capacity for production. Trade alone was the creator of great wealth in the 18th century. Hence empire came to Britain.

The essence of today’s world leadership appears to be economic but, in truth, it requires political maturity to express it. Political inspiration that underlies economic realities qualifies for leadership in today’s world. Such a leader may, in time, offer helpful ideas to the world that is beset with problems. Great ideas are preceded sometimes by great crises, as if they are seeking redress.The 50th anniversary of an international organization is a ripe moment for its founding ideas to reemerge with greater vigour and a self-effectuating capacity. A journal with a personality can carry out that mission successfully.

About the Author(s)

T. Natarajan

President, The Mother’s Service Society, Pondicherry, India