My Life

My Life - Oswald Mosleyever occurring again? I have already postulated that action can be too dearly bought; asystem which permits and promotes action is clearly necessary in any age where it isthe only alternative to catastrophe, but we cannot accord such powers to individualswho may go mad. It may be madness, or just the Samson act of an exaggerated senseof will which pulls down the temple of humanity in the moment of its own eclipse; theborderline is obscure. There are many underlying reasons, and, unfortunately, manysimilar experiences in earlier history. Stalin's exaggerated suspicions resulted in theassassination of most of his closest associates, and together with other communistleaders he was responsible for the cold-blooded murder of millions of his countrymeneven in time of peace. There is not a shadow of doubt that even the peace-timemassacres of communism vastly exceeded the war-time slaughter of nationalsocialism. Stalin and Hitler were both primarily responsible, and the evidencesuggests that by any normal standard they were both mad in the final phase. How didit occur? At what point came the break into madness of minds which previouslyappeared sane? The answer belongs to the psychology of history, and should bestudied with previous cases of criminal insanity in the seats of power. Some of thegreat literature of the world has been concerned with this transition from sanity tomadness in such men, and with the reasons of extreme strain, exaggerated ambition,sense of universal betrayal ill or well founded, or final paranoiac suspicions whichcaused it.We are concerned in practical politics with the simple lesson that these things must beprevented. This is another reason why the urgently necessary action of this periodmust be subject to full parliamentary control. I personally never departed very farfrom this principle, and I am now more than ever convinced it must be supported.Complete European union will also be a final and decisive safeguard against arecurrence of such events. I do not only mean that Europeans will then no longer fighteach other, but also that it is incredible all Europe will ever accord such power to oneman; often I have expressed the view that Europe can only be conducted by an equipeof equals whose diverse qualities will at least maintain a balance of sanity. The futurewill devise better means of preventing these disasters, but we have to work quicklywith the means which exist. We must prevent these things.Were there any means in the given circumstances and in the face of contemporarypersonalities and power alignments by which war could have been avoided? Would ithave made any difference if I had remained in the Labour Party and become its leader?It seems now to be generally recognised that I should have had this opportunity if Ihad remained within the old party system. Could I have prevented war in this position,by persuading Parliament? It is a bitter question, because if the answer is 'yes', Ishould feel a life-long remorse; but I must face it dispassionately and objectively.Could I have affected the issue of the Abdication, and would this have had anybearing on the matter of war? Certainly I was strongly opposed to war, and to theforcing of the King off the throne. Certainly the King had the clear sense to desirepeace, as well as the feeling for social justice which reinforced the drive of the innercircle to get rid of him.It is true in this sphere that all is well that ends well, since the King has his privatehappiness and the functions of the Crown have been admirably performed by hissuccessors, King George VI and the present Queen Elizabeth II. Yet there is312 of 424