Power and Morals by Martin J. Hillenbrand (review)

482 BOOK REVIEWS questions which tested the minds of the medieval writers are still with us today and demand of us an even greater concern. To aid us in our task, we are indeed fortunate to have at hand the scholarship of Abbe Lottin. St. Charlea CoUege, Columbus, Ohio CHARLES A. CURRAN Power and Morals. By MARTIN J. HILLENBRAND. New York: Columbia University Press, 1949. Pp. 281 with index. $8.25. The author is characterized, on the jacket, as a career diplomat and political scientist; in his first quality he has had the opportunity to collect first hand evidence in :m:any parts of the world, among which are Germany and India. His scholarly training he received at Columbia University from which he graduated in 1989. In his preface, the author disclaims the intention of offering a solution of the fundamental problems of politics and social organization; but he hopes to cqntribute to the clarification of these problems, and justly remarks that a problem must first be envisaged in perfect clarity before a solution can be attempted. " What will emerge, I trust, is the outline of a political philosophy in terms of which power may beco~e the servant of man rather than the master of his destiny." The political philosophy on which the reflections of the author rest, is that of Scholasticism, particularly the notion of natural law. The first part of the work posits the Problem of Power and points out that modem theory has failed in face of the totalitarian challenge and that, therefore, a new and valid theory must be found. The second part deals with The Ordering of Power under the headings: Natural Law for the Twentieth Century, The Function of Violence, and The Power of Authority and Liberty, Power of force can be controlled by greater power; but this ought to be controlled in tum, since it can be misused. Hence, the solution cannot be found on the level of physical power. If a solution is possible at all, it requires the general recognition of criteria for the use of power and the obligation to observe these criteria. Without the acknowledgment of some influence of theory an intelligent discussion of the problem of power is impossible. Though the acceptance of an ethical code does not guarantee that it will not be violated, its abandoiunent has been the cause of political catastrophes in the past and in the present. The philosophies back of the totalitarian movements of the last quarter of the century arose because the current philosophies or ethical theories lived on the tenuous heritage BOOK REVIEWS 483 of an ethical past and, at the same time, repudiated the philosophy on which this ethics was founded. The same situation prevails to-day. "The victory of the United Nations could not in itself make modern thought less ethically bankrupt." Politics, like all other human activities, rests on evaluations. These cannot be limited to the sphere of pblitics alone; they have no validity unless they are linked with assumptions outside of the political sphere. In other words: without a comprehensive metaphysics and a general ethics no system of human action can be given a sound theoretical foundation. The problem of power, too, can be solved only within such a general frame. The current, " essentially secular lines of approach " have proven insufficient to supply such a frame. Of these, there are three types: the positivistic, utilitarian, pragmatistic conception, which the author justly calls "birds of one feather," the contractualist, and the legalist theories. It is not possible to render here the penetrating analysis to which the author subjects these conceptions. It is worth while reading; some passages are highly stimulating, as that dealing with the overt and hidden influence of Hume's ideas. To establish any valid theory in ethics, one must admit certitude of knowledge as attainable; secondly, maintain that man possesses free will and is capable of self-determination; thirdly, recognize the unique value of the human person. A valid theory, the author contends, may be found " in the traditional concept of the natural law, revitalized and dean&ed from the dross of misrepresentation." The misrepresentations are indeed numerous, and some rather amazing; one is grateful to...