Page 103 - artebrasileiros-66

progress of modern science, this topic Recognition of this fact, however, is answers, explicit or implicit, to all aspects
has acquired the significance of a matter simply the first step towards an assessment of this urgent and obsessive problem. But
of life and death for civilization, as we know of the current situation. Another question it would be of the greatest use to us all if
it; However, despite all the commitment soon arises: how is it possible for this small you presented the problem of world peace
shown, all attempts to resolve it ended in group to bend the will of the majority, which from the perspective of your most recent
regrettable failure. is resigned to losing and suffering from discoveries, as such a presentation could
… As for me, the habitual aim of my a situation of war, in the service of the well mark the path for new and fruitful
thought does not permit me an inner ambition of a few? (When speaking of the methods of action.
understanding of the obscure regions of majority, I do not exclude soldiers, of all Very cordially,
human will and feeling. Thus, in the inquiry ranks, who chose war as a profession, in Albert eINSTeIN
now proposed, I can do little more than the belief that they are serving to defend
seek to clarify the question in question the highest interests of their race and that in rESPonSE, FrEud WritES:
and, by preparing the ground for the most attack is often the best means of defense). ViEnna, SEPtEMBEr 1932
obvious solutions, enable you to provide It seems that an obvious answer to this
an elucidation of the problem with the question would be that the minority, the Dear Professor Einstein,
help of your profound knowledge of man’s current ruling class, has the schools, the When I learned that you intended to invite
instinctive life. . press and, generally, also the Church, me to an exchange of views on a subject that
… As a person free from nationalist under its power. This makes it possible interested you and that seemed to deserve
prejudices, I personally see a simple way to organize and dominate the emotions of the interest of others besides you, I readily
of approaching the superficial (that is, the masses and make them an instrument accepted. I was hoping that you would
administrative) aspect of the problem: of this minority. choose a problem located on the frontiers
the establishment, through international Still, even this answer does not provide a of what is currently knowable, a problem in
agreement, of a legislative and judicial body complete solution. Hence a new question relation to which each of us, physicist and
to arbitrate any conflict that arises between arises: how do these mechanisms manage psychologist, could have our own special
nations . Each nation would submit to to awaken such extreme enthusiasm in angle of approach, and in which we could
obedience to the orders issued by this men, to the point of them sacrificing their find ourselves, on the same terrain, although
legislative body, to resort to its decisions lives? There can be only one answer. It is starting from different directions.
in all disputes, to accept its decisions because man contains within himself a You caught me by surprise, however,
unrestrictedly and to put into practice desire for hatred and destruction. when you asked what can be done to
all measures that the court considered In normal times, this passion exists in a protect humanity from the curse of war.
necessary for the execution of its decrees. . latent state, it emerges only in abnormal Initially I was frightened by the thought
Right from the start, however, I am circumstances: it is, however, relatively of my – I almost wrote ‘our’ – inability to
faced with a difficulty: a court is a human easy to awaken it and raise it to the power deal with what seemed to be a practical
institution that, in relation to the power of collective psychosis. Perhaps this is the problem, a matter for Statesmen. Later,
at its disposal, is inadequate to enforce crux of the entire complex of factors we are however, I realized that you had proposed
its verdicts and is very prone to seeing considering, an enigma that only an expert the question, not as a natural scientist and
its decisions annulled by extrajudicial in the science of human instincts can solve. physicist, but as a philanthropist: you were
pressure. This is a fact we have to reckon With that, we come to our last question. Is following the suggestion of the League of
with; law and power inevitably go hand it possible to control the evolution of man’s Nations, just as Fridtjof Nansen, the polar
in hand, and legal decisions come closer mind, so as to make him proof against the explorer, took up the task of helping the
to the ideal justice demanded by the psychoses of hatred and destructiveness? hungry and homeless victims of world war.
community (in whose name and in whose Here I am not just referring to the Furthermore, I considered that I was
interests these verdicts are pronounced), so-called uneducated masses. Experience not being asked to propose practical
insofar as the community effectively has proves that it is, above all, the so-called measures, but simply to define the problem
the power to impose respect for its legal Intelligentzia that is most inclined to give in to avoid war as it appears in the eyes of a
ideal. “… to these disastrous collective suggestions, psychological scientist. Also on this point,
…” The failure, despite the evident since the intellectual does not have direct you have said almost everything there is
sincerity, of all efforts over the last decade contact with the rude side of life, but finds it to say on the subject. Although you have
to achieve this goal leaves no room for doubt in its easiest synthetic form in printed page. anticipated me, I will be happy to follow
that major psychological factors are at play To conclude: so far I have only spoken in your wake and I will be satisfied with
that paralyze such efforts. Some of these about wars between nations, those known confirming everything you said, expanding
factors are easier to detect. The intense as international conflicts. I am, however, it to the best of my knowledge or my
desire for power, which characterizes the well aware that the aggressive instinct conjectures.
ruling class in every nation, is hostile to any operates in other forms and under other You started with the relationship between
limitation of its national sovereignty. This circumstances. (I think of civil wars, for law and power. There can be no doubt
hunger for political power is accustomed to example, due to religious intolerance, in that this is the correct starting point of
flourishing in the activities of another group, previous times, nowadays, however, due our investigation. But, allow me to replace
whose aspirations are of an economic, to social factors; furthermore, also of the the word ‘power’ with the more naked word
purely mercenary nature. I refer especially persecution of racial minorities.) ‘violence’?
to that small but determined group existing My insistence on what is the most typical, Currently, law and violence appear to
in each nation, made up of individuals who, most cruel and extravagant form of conflict us as antitheses. However, it is easy to
indifferent to social conditions and controls, between men was deliberate, as here we show that one developed from the other,
consider war, the manufacture and sale have the best opportunity to discover ways and if we go back to the earliest origins
of weapons simply as an opportunity to and means of making any armed conflict and examine how these things happened,
expand their personal interests and expand impossible. the problem is easily solved. Forgive me
your personal authority. I know that in your writings we can find if, in these considerations that follow, I

3