Social Credit : The Policy of a Philosophy

Major Douglas has twice defined Social Credit. The first time, he defined it as "the policy of a philosophy”.

This definition, which at first sight conveys little, is of tremendous importance.

A policy is a course of action designed to secure a particular result.

Now, Major Douglas has never claimed that Social Credit is wholly new; and in fact, Social Credit bears to the world situation the same relation as a new strategy bears to an old battle. In this case, the battle is the battle between the will-to-dominate of the tyrant, and the will-to-freedom of the individual.

The philosophy, of which Social Credit is the policy, is the belief that the individual man has a right to self-development and self-determination. It is exactly opposed to the philosophy of collectivism, of which Socialism is the policy.

The will-to-dominate is the organization of mankind into ever larger and fewer units. We call it collectivism, or totalitarianism, or Socialism. One of its expressions is Internationalism.

Douglas has expressed the situation beautifully:

"Internationalism, with its corollary a World State... is one end of the scale, and self-determination of the individual is the other... The smaller the genuine unit, the nearer you are to getting to self-determination of the individual."

Collectivism, in all its expressions, means the subordination of individuality to the group.

Social Credit, on the other hand, is the policy which aims to emancipate individuality. It aims to place the achievements of modern industry at the service of the individual, in order to set him more and more free from the necessity of being organized for some collective purpose..

Technically, that aim can be accomplished with the greatest ease. The simplest way to visualize the result is to imagine yourself growing richer, and independent of the mass of regulations by which at the present time we are enslaved. You would be free to make your own world; to go where and when you liked; to order what you wanted. You would have to work for it, of course; but with every improvement in the efficiency of industry, you would need to work less.

This policy is the antithesis of the policy of “full employment”, which, at the moment, is the major expression of the will of the few to dominate the world.

"Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your Heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin... Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass in the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast in the oven, shall He not much more clothe you, Ô ye of little faith?”

The second definition of Social Credit is — applied Christianity...

The Social Credit Movement is a set of people who are endeavouring to secure such a rectification of policy as will result in making the individual secure in his rights as an individual, and to prevent his becoming permanently something to which a bureaucrat gives orders, employed by the State on international projects in which he has no interest.

(From 'Social Credit' – An Explanation to New Readers.)