AUSTRAIA( A
PRIME MINISTER
CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY EMBARGOED UNTIL DELIVERY
SPEECH BY THE PRIME MINISTER AT THE COMMONWEALTH STUDY
CONFERENCE, MELBOURNE, 12 May 1986
ON BEHALF OF THE PEOPLE OF AUSTRALIA I WELCOME ALL PARTICIPANTS
IN THE SIXTH DUKE OF ED iNBR'S COMMONWEALTH STUDY CONFERENCE.
AUSTRALIA IS HONOURED TO JOIN WITH INDIA AS HOSTS AND I PARTICULARLY
WELCOME YOU, I. R JHA, AS PRIME RLUISTER GANDHI'S REPRESENTATIVE.
YOU WILL LIVE THROUGH THIS CONFERENCE INCREASINGLY CONSCIOUS OF
THE PARADOX THAT THE IJWT OBVIOUS PERMANENT FEATURE OF OUR
EXISTENCE IS THE FACT OF CHANGE. THE THEMES OF THE CONFERENCES
MAKE THE POINT FOR US OURS IN 1962 WAS ' HUMAN CONSEQUEN; CES OF
THE CHANGING INDUSTRIAL ENVIRONMENT IN THE COMMONWEALTH AND EMPIRE";
YOURS, A CENERATION LATER, IS 0BANAGING CHANGE IN AN INDUSTRIAL
SOCIETY". BUT THAT DOESN'T REALLY BEGIN TO TELL IT ALL. WHEN I STRUGGLE
HOW BEST TO CONVEY THE DIMENSION OF CHANGE IN THAT GENERATION
BETWEEN MY CONFERENCE AND YOURS, I AM INEVITABLY DRIVEN BACK TO
THE WORDS OF KENNETH BOULDING, An: AMERICAN SCHOLAR: " I WAS
BORN IN THE MIDDLE Of HUMAN HISTORY. THE WORLD IN WHICH I
LIVE TODAY IS AS DIFFERENT FROM THE WORLD IN WHICH I WAS BORN
AS-THAT WORtDWAS* RT3t THE-WORLD* OF JULIUS CAESAR".
IT IS NOT UNREASONABLE TO SPEAK OF THE GENERATION BETWEEN CANADA
19b2 AND AUSTRALIA 1% 6 IN THOSE TERMS.
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CONSIDER FIRST THE SPECTACULAR DEVELOPMENTS IN COMPUTER AND
TELECOMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY WHICH HAVE CHARACTERISED WHAT HAS
BEEN RIGHTLY IDENTIFIED AS THE INFORMATION REVOLUTION. THE PACE
OF CHANGE IN THIS AREA IN A SINGLE GENERATION HAS BEEN FRENETIC.
THOSE OF US WHO CAN REMEMBER THE OFFICE OF 1%. 02, RECALL LONG-DISTANCE
PHONE CALLS AS AN EXPENSIVE, DIFFICULT, BIG PRODUCTION ITEM; DOCUMENT
COPIES BEING PRODUCED WITH CARBON PAPEFN AND CUMBERSOME ELECTRO-MECHANICp
CALCULATORS. THE COMPUTER WAS A LABORATORY CURIOSITY. OUR INFORMATION
BASES WERE THEREFORE REGIONAL, INCOMPLETE AND ALWAYS OUT OF DATE.
TODAY WE HAVE ACCESS TO WORLD-WIDE COMMUNICATIONS AT THE TOUCH OF
A BUTTON; EXCHANGE-RATES QUOTED IN H~ EW YORK ARE AVAILABLE HERE IN
MELBOURNE WITHIN SECONDS.
POWERFUL COMPUTERS PROVIDE ACCESS TO DATA BASES AND DECISION
SUPPORT SYSTEMS AND ARE ACCESSIBLE FROM THE MANAGER.' S DESK.
PHOTOCOPIERS LINKED TO WORD PROCESSING COMPUTERS AND TO
COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS, FACILITATE THE WIDEST DISTRIBUTION OF
INFORMATION AND THUS. ENABLE: TOTALLY RELEVANT CONSULTATIONS.
THE SPECTACULAR DEVELOPMENTS OF THE INFORMATION REVOLUTION ARE,
OF COURSE, NOT SPENT OR EVEN WANING. ON THE CONTRARY THE PACE
IS QUICKENING. IN IMMEDIATE PROSPECT IS AN INTEGRATED SYSTEM WHICH
COMMUNICATES WORLDWIDE IN VOICE, TEXT, GRAPHICS, DATA AND IMAGETHE
INTEGRATED SYSTEMS DIGITAL NETWORK. AND JUST BEYOND THAT,
ONE CAN ANTICIPATE SUCCESS FROM WORLDWIDE RESEARCH PROCEEDING NOW
INTO SO-CALLED FIFTH GENERATION COMPUTING LEADING TO A DEGREE OF
INTELLIGENCE IN THESE MACHINES.
MlAY I SAY PARENTHETICALLY THAT IF YOU THINK THIS IS FRIGHTENING
THEN I JUST ASK THE MALE MEMBERS OF THIS AUDIENCE TO CONSIDER THE
HEADLINES IN SATURDAY'S MELBOURNE AGE; " THE DAY WHEN DAD CAN ALSO
BE NIUM P11GHT NOT BE FAR AWAY". THE REPORT WENT ON.: " r-' ANY SCIENTISTS
AGREE ON THE PROBABILITY OF MEN GIVING BIRTH, ACCORDING TO THE LATEST
ISSUE OF MAGAZINE ' NEW SOCIETY'.
' SOME AMERICANS THOUGHT IT WOULD HAPPEN WITHIN FIVE YEARSIT SAYS".
AND JUST TO GIVE IT A COMPLETELY LOCAL TOUCH, THE REPORT CONTINUES;
" AN AUSTRALIAN EXPERT, ALAN TROUNSON, DIRECTOR OF THE INSTITUTE
OF EARLY HUMAN DEVELOPMENT AT r: ONASH UNIVERSITY, IS QUOTED AS SAYINGi
THE TECHNICAL AND) ETHICAL DIFFICULTIES WOULD BE ENORMOUS BUT IT COULD
BE DONE..
THAT WAS PRECISELY THE LANGUAGE OF THE SCIENTISTS IN THE DECADE
BEFORE THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE ATOMIC BOMB.
THIS REPORT MAY CAUSE A CERTAIN WRY AMUSEMENT IT WILL CERTAINLY
CAUSE MATURE-AGE GENTLEMEN LIKE SIR ERIC NEAL AND MYSELF* TO BE
GLAD THAT WE WERE BORN WHEN WE WERE BUT IT SURELY HIGHLIGHTS
THE FACT THAT NO ASSUMPTION IN RESPECT TO OUR PHYSICAL WORLD IS
INVIOLATE.
THAT I SPEND RELATIVELY LITTLE TIME.-ON THE VAST POLITICAL CHANGES
OF THIS PAST GENERATION IS NOT TO DENY THEIR FUNDAMENTAL IMPORTANCE.
THE PROCESSES OF DECOLONISATION HAVE BEEN SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLETED.
SOUTH AFRICA, WHERE A GREAT MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE HAVE STILL TO
ACHIEVE SOVEREIGNTY AND CONTROL OF THEIR OWN DESTINY, STANDS OUT
LIKE AN ISLAND OF REACTION IN A SEA OF CHANGE.
TODAY, THE RECENTLY INDEPENDENT NATIONS BRING A TOTALLY NEW
DIMENSION TO INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS THEIR CONCERNS AND
PRE-OCCUPATIONS FEATURE PROMINENTLY, IF NOT YET SUFFICIENTLY,
ON THE INTERNATIONAL AGENDA.
AND MAY I SAY, IN PASSING, THAT WE OF THE COMMONWEALTH ARE ENTITLED
TO BE PROUD OF ITS ROLE IN THIS TRANSFORMATION OF THE INTERNATIONAL
LANDSCAPE. THIS UNIQUE INSTITUTION REPRESENTS A QUARTER OF THE
WORLD'S POPULATION, AND NOW, A THIRD OF ITS SOVEREIGN AND INDEPENDENT
NATIONS. AS I HAVE SAID ELSEWHERE, WE MEET AS EQUALS BECAUSE, HOWEVER
FALTERItNGLY AT TIMES, WE HAVE TOGETHER LEARNED THE LIMITS OF POWER.
THE COMMONWEALTH HAS DEVELOPED A PARTICULAR CAPACITY TO RECOGNISE
IN TIME THE NEED FOR CHANGE; TO DISCUSS CIVILISED DIRECTIONS FOR
CHANGE; AND, AT IMPORTANT TIMES, TO BE AN EFFECTIVE AGENT FOR
CHANGE. IF THIS GENERATION BETWEEN OUR CONFERENCES HAS WITNESSED THESE
CHANGES IN THE POLITICAL LANDSCAPE, THE ECONOMIC CANVAS IS ALMOST
EQUALLY UNRECOGNISABLE.
A PARTICULAR FEATURE OF THE PERIOD HAS BEEN THE GROWING IMPORTANCE
OF NORTH ASIA OF CHINA AND JAPAN ESPECIALLY AND THE ECONOMIC
DYNAMISM OF THE WESTERN PACIFIC BASIN.
I WOULD VENTURE TWO OBSERVATIONS IN THIS RESPECT. FIRST, THE
REVOLUTION WHICH IS OCCURRING IN CHINA IS THE SINGLE MOST SIGNIFICANT
EVENT OF OUR TIME. SECOND, THE PATTERN OF DYNAMIC ECONOMIC GROWTH
IN THIS REGION WILL CONTINUE TO CHARACTERISE THE PERIOD TO THE END OF
THIS CENTURY.
BUT VIRTUALLY IN ALL REGIONS THE PACE OF ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL
CHANGE HAS ACCELERATED DRAMATICALLY OVER THE LAST FEW DECADES.
PERHAPS THE MOST ENCOURAGING DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD ECONOMY
OF TODAY AS COMPARED WITH A GENERATION AGO IS THAT VIRTUALLY
EVERY COUNTRY IS CONSIDERABLY RICHER. THAT OF ITSELF IS
REMARKABLE. BUT PERHAPS MORE REMARKABLE ARE THE NEW PATTERNS OF DEMAND FOR
GOODS AND SERVICES IN THE DEVELOPED COUNTRIES IN PARTICULAR, WHICH
HAVE BEEN ASSOCIATED WITH THAT WEALTH.
SOCIAL GOODS AND SERVICES HAVE BECOME FAR MORE IMPORTANT IN THE
DEMANDS MADE ON THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC SYSTEM. THIS IS EVIDENT IN THE
INCREASED DEMAND FOR EDUCATION, HEALTH-CARE, URBAN TRANSPORT AND
TOWN PLANNING.
IN SO MANY COUNTRIES CHANGING SOCIAL VALUES HAVE BEEN REFLECTED
ALSO IN INCREASED PARTICIPATION BY WOMEN IN THE WORK-FORCE WHICH
IN TURN HAS REQUIRED A NUMBER OF ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL ADJUSTMENTS
AND THE PROVISION OF A RANGE OF NEW SERVICES INCLUDING CHILD CARE
FACILITIES.
MORE GENERALLY, SPENDING ON SERVICES HAS INCREASED DRAMATICALLY, FAR
FASTER THAN SPENDING ON GOODS THEMSELVES. THIS IS ESPECIALLY SO
IN THE OLDER INDUSTRIALISED COUNTRIES. AND THERE HAS PROBABLY BEEN
NO MORE DRAMATIC A RISE IN THE DEMAND FOR SERVICES THAN IN THOSE
AREAS WHICH NOW FORM THE LEISURE INDUSTRY.
ONCE THE PRESERVE ONLY OF THE RICH, MORE AND MORE INDUSTRIALISED
NATIONS ARE CHOOSING TO SPEND THEIR INCREASED WEALTH ON MORE
LEISURE, BRINGING WITH IT AN ASSOCIATED DEMAND FOR COMPLEMENTARY
GOODS AND SERVICES.
THOSE DEMANDS HAVE REQUIRED A REDIRECTION OF ECONOMIC ACTIVITY IN
THE COUNTRIES CONCERNED, ESPECIALLY AS ONLY A SMALL PROPORTION
OF THIS INDUSTRY IS CAPABLE OF BEING TRADED ACROSS NATIONAL
BOUNDARIES. BUT TO THE EXTENT THAT INCREASED LEISURE HAS MEANT
INCREASED TOURISM, THERE ARE CONSIDERABLE OPPORTUNITIES FOR MANY
DEVELOPING COUNTRIES.
WHEN REFLECTING ON THESE CHANGES, ONE MUST APPRECIATE HOW FUNDAMENTAL
HAVE BEEN THE STRUCTURAL AND SYSTEMIC ADJUSTMENTS TO BE ACCOMMODATED
BY ALL PARTICIPANTS IN THE INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC SCENE.
THESE DEVELOPMENTS IN PART REFLECT MASSIVE SHIFTS IN PATTERNS OF
WORLD TRADE AND INVESTMENT. BUT FOR MANY OF THE DEVELOPED
COUNTRIES THEY ALSO PRESENT NEW CHALLENGES.
AS NEW CENTRES HAVE DEVELOPED THE EXPERTISE TO PRODUCE THE
TRADITIONAL PRODUCTS OF THE DEVELOPED COUNTRIES AT COMPARABLE
OR BETTER QUALITY AND FOR LOWER COST, THE DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
HAVE HAD TO EXAMINE CLOSELY THE KINDS OF ACTIVITY IN WHICH THEY
ENGAGE. FOR MANY WORKERS AND MANAGEMENTS IN THE DEVELOPED WORLD THAT
HAS MEANT QUITE RADICAL CHANGES IN THEIR WORK PATTERNS. AT
TIMES INDIVIDUAL ECONOMIES HAVE RESISTED THE NECESSARY CHANGESAND
HAVE CHOSEN TO SHELTER FROM THE EMERGING PRESSURES. INDEED
IN SOME AREAS MOST RECENTLY AGRICULTURE THE TENDENCY HAS BEEN
TO RAISE THESE WALLS RATHER THAN REDUCE THEM.
IN A SENSE THAT HAS ALWAYS BEEN A FACTOR IN HUMAN BEHAVIOURTHE
CORN LAWS OF SEVENTEENTH AND EIGHTEENTH CENTURY ENGLAND
HAVE HAD MANY PRECURSORS AND DESCENDANTS. BUT INCREASINGLY WE
IN THE DEVELOPED WORLD ARE COMING TO REALISE THE COSTS NOT ONLY
TO THE WORLD ECONOMY BUT ALSO TO OURSELVES OF SEEKING SHARPLY
TO DENY OURSELVES THE BENEFITS OF GOODS PRODUCED MORE CHEAPLY BY
OTHERS. WHAT IS CLEAR IS THAT THE PACE AT WHICH THAT RECOGNITION
CAN AFFECT OUR ACTIONS IN TRADING RELATIONSHIPS DEPENDS VERY MUCH ON
HOW QUICKLY OUR SOCIETIES ARE WILLING TO ADAPT.
ONE RELATED DEVELOPMENT, IS THE EMERGENCE OF " POST-INDUSTRIALI SATION"
PROBLEMS IN SOME DEVELOPED COUNTRIES SUCH As BRITAIN. IN THESE
CASES THERE HAS BEEN A MARKED SLOWDOWN IN THE RATES OF PRODUCTIVITY
GROWTH AND MAJOR SHIFTS IN EMPLOYMENT PATTERNS.
OLD SECTORS SUCH AS TEXTILES, IRON AND STEEL MAKING AND SHIPBUILDING
HAVE BEEN SEVERELY AFFECTED, WHILE NEW SECTORS NOTABLY HIGH
TECHNOLOGY, SOPHISTICATED BANKING AND INSURANCE SERVICES HAVE
GROWN AT FANTASTIC RATES.
IF WE ARE TO BEGIN TO COPE WITH AND MANAGE CHANGE OF THE DIMENSIONS
I HAVE OUTLINED THEN MAY I SUGGEST, HUMBLY, THAT CERTAIN THINGS
ARE ALMOST SELF-EVIDENTLY NECESSARY.
HAVING RECOGNISED THE FACT AND ACCELERATING RATE OF CHANGE,
WE SHOULD NOT BE AFRAID OF IT. THAT INFINITELY MARVELLOUS MECHANISM,
THE HUMAN MIND, WHICH CONTINUALLY AMAZES US WITH ITS CAPACITY FOR
TRIUMPHS OF TECHNOLOGICAL ENGINEERING HAS, IF WE WISH TO HARNESS ITP
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THE SAME CAPACITY FOR GENIUS IN THE FIELD OF SOCIAL ENGINEERING.
IF WE ARE TO STRIVE FOR THAT SYMMETRY THEN WE MUST RECOGNISE WHAT
ARE THE CONSTANTS OF HUMAN BEHAVIOUR AND SO IDENTIFY THE BUILDING
BLOCKS FOR A PROGRAM OF SOCIAL ENGINEERING TO MATCH THE CHALLENGE OF
OUR TIMES. THE RELEVANT CONSTANTS FOR OUR PURPOSES WOULD SEEM TO BE
A) MEN AND WOMEN WILL SEEK TO ACHIEVE AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE
STANDARD AND QUALITY OF LIFE FOR THEMSELVES AND THOSE
DEPENDENT UPON THEM
B) THEY WILL SHAPE THESE ASPIRATIONS ON THE ASSUMPTIONS AND
ATTITUDES OF A PAST ENVIRONMENT
c) THEY WILL NOT NORMALLY IDENTIFY THEIR CAPACITY TO SATISFY
THOSE ASPIRATIONS WITH OTHERS BEYOND THEIR OWN ORGANISATIONAL
GROUPING IN THE ECONOMY
I DO NOT PRETEND THAT THIS IS AN EXHAUSTIVE LIST BUT I BELIEVE IT
IS SUFFICIENT FOR OUR PURPOSES.
IT MEANS THAT WE WHO HAVE RESPONSIBILITY IN GOVERNMENT, IN THE TRADE
UNIONS, AS EMPLOYERS, INDIVIDUALLY OR IN ORGANISATIONS, SHOULD
STRAIGHTFORWARDLY ACKNOWLEDGE THE LEGITIMACY OF THIS ASPIRATION FOR
AN IMPROVED STANDARD AND QUALITY OF LIFE. FOR THE FACTS OF OUR
EXPERIENCE, AND AN INTELLIGENT ANTICIPATION OF THE FUTURE, CAN NOT
DENY IT.
THIS DOES NOT MEAN THAT CIRCUMSTANCES MAY NOT REQUIRE A PAUSE FROM
THE PROCESS OF IMPROVEMENT -INDEED SUCH A PAUSE MAY BE THE VERY
CONDITION FOR ENSURING SUBSEQUENT SUSTAINABLE GROWTH IN STANDARDS.
HOWEVER, IF AGAINST ALL THE EVIDENCE, WE DENY OR SEEK BLINDLY TO
FRUSTRATE THESE ASPIRATIONS WE WILL, AS SOCIETIES, IN FACT BE
DIMINISHED BY THE FORCES OF CHANGE WHICH MAKE SUCH IMPROVED STANDARDS
POSSIBLE. THE NEXT IMPLICATION FOR US FROM OUR LIST IS THAT WE MUST CONSTANTLY
AND ASSIDUOUSLY ATTEMPT TO KEEP OUR COMMUNITY, AND ITS IMPORTANT
CONSTITUENT ORGANISATIONS, INFORMED ABOUT THE ELEMENTS OF CHANGE IN
OUR DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT. WHAT MAY
HAVE BEEN AN APPROPRIATE ASSUMPTION OR ATTITUDE IN SHAPING YOUR
ASPIRATIONS EVEN FIVE YEARS AGO MAY BE QUITE INAPPROPRIATE TODAY.
IF YOU WERE A MONOPOLY OR A VERY SUBSTANTIAL SUPPLIER OF A
NON-SUBSTITUTABLE COMMODITY IN STRONG INTERNATIONAL DEMANII THEN
THAT FACT WOULD HAVE INFORMED THE THINKING AND THE DEMANDS OF THOSE
ENGAGED IN THAT INDUSTRY. WAE ALL KNOW HOW RAPIDLY THAT TYPE OF
SITUATION CAN AND HAS BEEN CHANGING. IT IS NO GOOD BEMOANING OUTOF-
DATE ATTITUDES IF UP-TO-DATE INFORMATION IS NOT DISSEMINATED.
IN MY OWN COUNTRY, WE WERE ABLE IN THE POST WAR PERIOD TO BUILD
UP A GROWING MANUFACTURING SECTOR, ABSORBING A MASSIVE IMMIGRATION
INTAKE, BEHIND A HIGH PROTECTIVE APPARATUS OF TARIFFS AND QUOTAS.
iA HUNGRY WORLD AND A EUROPE DEVASTATED BY WAR PAID HIGH PRICES
FOR THE PRODUCE OF OUR EFFICIENT PRIMARY INDUSTRY. THIS WAS SOON
SUPPLEMENTED BY THE INITIAL BOOM IN OUR VASTLY EXPANDED EXTRACT IVE
INDUSTRIES.
THAT PICTURE HAS CHANGED BEYOND RECOGNITION. EUROPE, THE LARGEST
IMPORTER OF AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS HAS NOW BECOME, IN PRODUCT AFTER
PRODUCT, THE LARGEST PRODUCER AND EXPORTER AS A RESULT OF MASSIVE
SUBSIDIES UNDER ITS COMMON AGRICULTURAL POLICY.
IN THE AREA OF MINERALS A COMBINATION OF MASSIVE NEW SUPPLIERS AND
PRODUCT SUBSTITUTION HAS DRAMATICALLY CHANGED THE ASSUMPTIONS AND
REALITIES OF THE PAST.
IF WE IN AUSTRALIA ARE EFFECTIVELY TO MANAGE CHANGE, IF WE ARE TO
HARNESS AND DIRECT THE ENORMOUS CAPACITIES WE HAVE TO GROW IN AND
WITH OUR REGIONTHEN OUR PEOPLE, AND THEIR ORGANISATIONS, MUST BE
INFORMED OF AND COME TO UNDERSTAND THESE AND OTHER FUNDAMENTAL
CHANGES SHAPING THE NEW ENVIRONMENT WITHIN WHICH WE OPERATE.
THE PACE OF CHANGE IS SO FRENETIC, IT MAY BE ARGUED THAT IT IS
ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO DISCHARGE THIS RESPONSIBILITY TO INFORM THE
COMMUNITY. IT IS TRUE THAT THE RATE OF CHANGE CREATES ITS OWN
PROBLEMS. IT ALSO PROVIDES ITS OWN INSTRUMENTS. NEVER BEFORE
HAS SOCIETY HAD AVAILABLE TO IT SUCH A RANGE OF INSTRUMENTS FOR ITS
OWN INFORMATION. IT IS FOR ALL OF US I HAVE MENTIONED WITH SUCH
RESPONSIBILITY, TO USE THESE INSTRUMENTS, DEMOCRATICALLY, SO THAT
WE SHALL HAVE, AS FAR AS POSSIBLE, A COMMUNITY SHAPING ITS ASPIRATIONS,
FORMING ITS ATTITUDES ON THE MOST RELEVANT AND UP-TO-DATE INFORMATION
BASE. THE FINAL, AND IN MANY SENSES, THE MOST IMPORTANT IMPLICATION FROM
OUR LIST IS THE NEED TO FOSTER SOME COMMUNITY OF INTEREST AND PURPOSE
IN OUR SOCIETIES. IT SIMPLY IS NOT TRUE THAT THE DESIRES OF WORKERS
FOR IMPROVED STANDARDS AND OF EMPLOYERS FOR IMPROVED PROFIT ARE
MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE OR ANTAGONISTIC.
RATHER THE INDISPUTABLE TRUTH IS THAT BOTH ARE MORE LIKELY TO ACHIEVE
THEIR LEGITIMATE ASPIRATIONS BY ATTEMPTING TO ARRIVE AT SOME SHARED
PERCEPTIONS AS TO HOW TO OPTIMISE ECONOMIC GROWTH.
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No UNIFORM PRESCRIPTION CAN BE GIVEN FOR THIS PROCESS. WHAT WE
ARE SEEKING, I BELIEVE WITH QUITE SOME SUCCESS, TO DO IN THIS
COUNTRY MAY NOT BE APPROPRIATE IN THE CULTURE AND TRADITIONS OF
ANOTHER. BUT I DO ASSERT THAT WITHIN YOUR OWN FRAMEWORKS, THE APPROPRIATE
MECHANISMS SHOULD BE EMPLOYED TO SEEK WHAT DEGREE OF CO-OPERATION IS
POSSIBLE. THE NEW INVESTMENT, WHATEVER ITS MATERIAL FORM, HAS NO
IDEOLOGY, NO PREJUDICE. ITS OPTIMUM CAPACITY TO HELP PRODUCE
GOODS OR SERVICES FOR THE BENEFIT OF THOSE WHO INVEST IN IT AND THOSE
WHO WORK WITH IT WILL BE DETERMINED BY THE MEASURE OF THEIR
INTELLIGENT AND RATIONAL CO-OPERATION. TO DO THAT MAKES SENSE IN ANY
SOCIETY. MAY I MAKE TWO POINTS IN CONCLUSION.
FIRST, I HAVE FROM NECESSITY SPOKEN FROM MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE
AS A CITIZEN OF A DEVELOPED COUNTRY. I HAVE HAD THE GOOD FORTUNE
AND PRIVILEGE FIRST AS LEADER OF THE TRADE UNION MOVEMENT AND NOW
AS PRIME MINISTER TO COME TO KNOW MY COUNTRY WELL, AND IF YOU WILL
PERMIT ME, TO LOVE IT DEEPLY.
I THINK I KNOW ITS STRENGTHS AND ITS WEAKNESSES AS WELL AS ANYBODY.
I CERTAINLY WOULD NOT SAY THAT WE ARE A MIRROR IMAGE FOR ANY OTHER
PEOPLE AND I GUESS SOME FROM ABROAD WOULD SAY THEY ARE GRATEFUL
FOR THAT.
BUT I DO BELIEVE, THAT THE CONSTANTS OF HUMAN BEHAVIOUR TO WHICH
I HAVE REFERRED TRANSCEND NATIONAL BOUNDARIES, CULTURAL TRADITIONS
AND POLITICAL SYSTEMS, AND I DO BELIEVE THAT, PROPERLY UNDERSTOOD
AND BUILT UPON THEY DO OFFER A BASIS FOR OPTIMISM IN ANY COUNTRY
THAT WE CAN AS INTELLIGENT HUMAN BEINGS PROVIDE THAT SYMMETRY OF
SOCIAL AND TECHNOLOGICAL GENIUS,
FINALLY, I BELIEVE IT IS APPROPRIATE TO REMEMBER THAT THIS IS THE
INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF PEACE, IF THERE IS ONE CHANGE ABOVE ALL
OTHERS THAT DISTINGUISHES THIS AGE FROM ANY OTHER IT IS THE CAPACITY
WE HAVE CREATED TO OBLITERATE LIFE FROM THIS PLANET,
EVERY OTHER EFFORT WE MAKE TO MANAGE CHANGE IN AN INDUSTRIAL SOCIETY,
WILL HAVE BEEN POINTLESS AND THE ULTIMATE INSULT TO THE HUMAN
INTELLIGENCE, IF WE DO NOT AS NATIONS BEND OUR BEST EFFORTS TO THE
GRADUAL, MUTUAL, VERIFIABLE REDUCTION AND THEN THE ELIMINATION OF
THE ACCUMULATED NUCLEAR ARSENALS OF THIS WORLD,