212 THE FARMER AND THE NEW DAY 



a true democracy? But we have made an even more 

 serious blunder. We have assumed that the demo- 

 cratic mode of government makes us sure of the dem- 

 ocratic mode of working and of living together. Per- 

 haps we have not even thought of democracy as having 

 any connection with business or industry, or with what 

 we call our social relations. But if we do think about 

 this aspect of democracy, do we not realize at once that 

 the best use of a democratic government is to ensure us 

 real freedom in our work and life? Are we satisfied 

 that even in America the conditions under which the 

 majority of men work are entirely fair? We have 

 seen the rise of labor organizations, the enactment of 

 legislation to restrain monopolies and to regulate huge 

 business enterprises. We witnessed the urge of the 

 Progressive party for " the square deal." Do we not 

 realize that all these things were simply phases of the 

 great struggle for more democracy in all aspects of our 

 national affairs? 



We cannot fully appreciate the demand for more de- 

 mocracy, here as well as in other countries, which the 

 New Day will surely bring to us, unless we dwell 

 thoughtfully upon the principles that underlie a true 

 democracy. Let us see what they mean for the farmer. 

 There are perhaps four great ideas that serve as the 

 underpinning of a true democracy: 



(1) Individual freedom, 



(2) Equality of opportunity, 



(3) Responsible participation in affairs, and 



(4) Cooperation for the common good. 



INDIVIDUAL FREEDOM 



What a world of history has been made in the effort 

 of mankind to achieve freedom the liberty of indi- 



