On the contrary, since I began collecting data for this study at the time of the first general war, I have watched the unfolding political struggle for economic and cultural objectives with the increasing conviction that politics is the primary focus, with economic forces always in play, but usually in the background, leaving the center of the stage to politics.

This is another way of saying that the present-day world is divided primarily into political nation states rather than into areas of economic function.  Always, economics is important.  But, at least superficially, political considerations are in the foreground to clinch decisions.  A time may come when economists or sociologists occupy the central offices where primary decisions are made.  That time has not yet arrived.  In so far as the present generation is concerned, politics is in the foreground.  The politicians make the crucial announcements and sign the key documents.

Therefore our survey of the Steps Beyond Civilization begins with politics.  Our attention centers on the political aspects of World Federation with economic considerations present and always operating, but not dominating the crucial decisions.

For better or worse, in 1975 and the years immediately succeeding, we will be living on a planet divided into some 140 politically sovereign states.  In view of the widespread pressure toward self-determination, the number of sovereign states has increased considerably, especially since war’s end in 1945.

Presumably the principal “united we stand” applies to those 140 sovereign states.

Sovereignty includes the right of self determination—­putting the interests of one particular state above the interests of the entire family of nations—­the part before the whole.  Here is a contradiction and a possible conflict of interest.  Britain’s Prime Minister Heath, like many another spokesman in his position, summed up the issue in the pithy phrase:  “British interests come first.”

If the French, Italian, Japanese and other prime ministers take a similar stand, implied by the principle of sovereignty, situations are bound to arise in which the interests of two or more nations clash, opening the way for conflicts at many levels:  differences of interpretation, negotiations in the course of which concessions may be made by both parties.  The differences may be settled by diplomats sitting around conference tables or by armies on the battlefield.

With 140 sovereign states on the planet, the probability of conflict would seem to be overwhelming.  As a matter of daily experience such confrontations and conflicts do occur.  Most of them are handled by negotiation.  A few lead to armed struggle.

Since 140 sovereign states exist on one earth, means must be found that will enable them to co-exist, if possible, without conflict, and certainly without military conflict.  The means generally relied upon today for dealing with such problems is negotiation between representatives of all parties at interest.  At the national level this would mean negotiations between representatives of the involved governments.