Book Review: Far East: Leadership in Communist China
| Date | 01 March 1964 |
| DOI | 10.1177/002070206401900137 |
| Published date | 01 March 1964 |
| Author | Frederick Nossal |
| Subject Matter | Book Review |
116
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL
(ECArs)
is
senior
lecturer
in
International
economic
history
at
the
University
of
Birmingham.
In
400
tightly
written
pages,
he
has set
out
the
history
and
provided
the terms
of
reference
of
this
U.N.
organization.
Part
one of
the
book
shows
the vast
expanse
of
the
region
covered
by
EcAFE.
It
extends
from
Iran,
on
through the
Asian countries
all
the
way
to
China,
Taiwan
and
Japan.
This
is
roughly
between
one-sixth
and
one-seventh of
the
world's
land
surface
and
contains
half
the
world's
population,
which
is
growing
by
at
least
three
per
cent
annually.
As
the
author
points
out,
if
no
major
changes
in
the
existing
rates
of
fertility
and
mortality
take
place,
the
population
of
this vast
area-
which
includes
mainland
China-will
double
in
twenty
years and
will
then
equal
the
total
population
of
the
world today.
He goes
on
to
say:
"The prospect
is
alarming
in
the
extreme. At
least,
it
means
that
Asians
will
have
to
devote
a
large
part
of
their current
development efforts
to
defending,
rather
than
raising,
their
living
standards.
At
worst
It
is not
inconceivable
that
drastic
Malthusian
checks
will begin
to
operate
within
a
generation."
The
economic
background of
this
area
is
well
set
out
In
the
first
part
of
the
book,
and
it
then
goes
on
to describe
the
difficult
and tortuous
considerations
which
entered into
settling
ECAIE
membership.
Next
the
author
shows
how
the
tasks
which
ECAFE
was
to
tackle
were
selected
from
the
vast
needs
of
the
area.
A
secretariat
had
to
be
set
up
and
a
country
chosen
in
which
to
house
it.
Finally
Bangkok
was
chosen
after
unsatisfactory
beginnings
elsewhere.
Statistics
on
the
area
had
to
be
compiled
and
research undertaken
before
the planning
of
its
work
could
begin.
This
book gives
a
clear
and
very
interesting
account
of
the
vicissi-
tudes
of
ECAFE
leading to
its
present
position
as
a
notable
contributor
to
the
work of
the
United
Nations
in Asia.
Along
the
way
it
makes
a
considerable
contribution
to
the general
knowledge
available
on
this
important
area
and
points
the
way to
future
co-operation.
Ottawa
Nix
CAvELL
LEADERSHIP
IN
COMMUNIST
CHINA.
By
John
Wilson
Lewis.
1963.
(Ithaca:
Cornell
University
Press.
Toronto:
Thomas
Allen.
xiii,
305pp.
$5.50)
In
a
world
rent
by
utterly
conflicting
ideals
and theories,
the
indi-
vidualists
of
the
West also
are
often
torn
in
their
search
for
the
right
road.
Should we
hate
the
bomb
and
ban
it,
should
we
shelter
behind
it,
should
we
hate
it
but
have
it
nevertheless? Is
socialism
a
better,
safer
system
than
capitalism?
What
should we
do
about
the
scores
of
poorer
lands emerging
on
the
world
stage?
By
aiding
them,
are
we
in
the
West not
cutting
our
own
throats;
or
are
we
perhaps
not
aiding
them
enough?
If
the
West
gave
great
slices
of
national
Income
to
Asian, African
and
South American
countries,
would
there
not
be
more
hope
for
one
world in
the
future?
Seemingly
endless
fears
and
doubts
must
haunt
the
Western
intel-
lectual
once
he
bothers
to
examine
the
world
scene
objectively.
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