Towards the Great Peace

In Short

This book is a series of post-WWI lectures diagnosing the collapse of Western civilization. It argues that the modern world has sacrificed human character on the altar of industrial imperialism, democracy, and financial greed. To recover "the Great Peace," the author proposes a radical restructuring of society into small, self-contained, guild-based units and a return to religious and philosophical traditions that emphasize duty, beauty, and individual spiritual growth. It remains a significant, provocative document of early 20th-century social critique and cultural traditionalism.

The Story

The narrative begins at the end of a catastrophic global conflict, framing the war not as an isolated accident but as the inevitable result of centuries of drifting away from a "right order" of life. The argument unfolds with the premise that contemporary society is fundamentally "bloated" and disconnected from the human scale. The author traces the rise of an industrial-commercial-financial oligarchy that has captured governments, turning once-free republics into imperial machines. This system, he contends, has fostered a false theory of equality—a "leveling downward"—which suppresses leadership, encourages mediocrity, and replaces the "gentleman" with the "profiteer."

As the argument progresses, it moves from a critique of political and economic structures to the philosophical root of the problem. The author asserts that the modern world has abandoned the thirteenth-century wisdom of St. Thomas Aquinas—which sought to put things in their "right order"—in favor of intensive, narrow specialization. This intellectual fragmentation has severed the connection between human activity and divine illumination. Consequently, the author calls for a total abandonment of the current "servile state." He envisions a future of small, self-sufficient, and self-governing communities where production is aimed at use rather than profit, and where the guild system of the Middle Ages is revived to provide professional dignity and social stability.

The latter portion of the book focuses on the "sacramental" nature of life. The author argues that formal education and art have been stripped of their true purpose: the development of character. He laments that religion has been relegated to the private sphere, replaced by "drives" for money, and that this loss of faith has left society adrift in a state of fear and distrust. The arc concludes with an appeal for a new "crusade." He urges the reader to adopt the spirit of Don Quixote—a heroic, if seemingly foolish, commitment to high ideals in a cynical age—and to look to figures like St. Theresa for a model of personal, spiritual devotion. The ending is not a promise of immediate political success, but a call to individual regeneration. The author suggests that the path to peace is a quiet, personal adventure of faith, and even if this does not save the world in our own time, it is the only way to align oneself with a more permanent, divine reality.

How It Unfolds

The world at the crossroads The opening lectures establish the crisis of the Great War as a symptom of centuries of spiritual and philosophical error. The author demands a shift from "private-mindedness" to a "public soul," positioning this internal change as the necessary precursor to any social reform.

The anatomy of the modern failure The argument moves to the intersection of politics and industry, where the author describes how democracy has been hijacked by financial interests. He illustrates the dangers of centralization and the "inhuman scale" of modern government, arguing that it inherently leads to tyranny.

The proposed restoration The author outlines a concrete vision for a decentralized society consisting of self-sufficing local units. He lays out the functions of the family, the guild, and the state, emphasizing that these units must prioritize local production and traditional authority over global imperial systems.

The centrality of character The final chapters pivot toward the soul, treating education and art as vital tools for the cultivation of human character. The author concludes by rejecting modern secularism and calling for a return to a life centered on faith, sacrifice, and the "knightly" pursuit of the common good.

The People

The book is less a story about individuals than a collection of archetypes. The author serves as the "crusader" who attempts to wake the reader from the lethargy of modern life. He uses historical and literary figures to ground his arguments, most notably the Knight of La Mancha, Don Quixote, who represents the necessary, "foolish" persistence in pursuing honor and truth when the world seems to have abandoned them. He pairs this with St. Theresa, who embodies the total sacrifice of self to divine will. The author also frequently invokes St. Thomas Aquinas as the standard-bearer of a lost, logical, and ordered philosophy. Standing in opposition to these figures are the "profiteers" and "oriental financiers," who represent the modern, grasping materialism that the author holds responsible for the erosion of chivalry, courtesy, and tradition.

In Its Own Voice

"Lord, lift us out of Private-mindedness and give us Public souls to work for Thy Kingdom by daily creating that Atmosphere of a happy temper and generous heart which alone can bring the Great Peace."

The author opens by offering this seventeenth-century prayer as the guiding principle for his entire investigation into the modern crisis.

"The industrial-commercial-financial oligarchy that dominated society for the century preceding the Great War is the result of the first; Russia, today, is an exemplar of the second."

He uses this sentence to contrast the dangers of imperialistic industry and the anarchy of unchecked democracy, both of which he views as products of the same decaying system.

What It's Really About

At its core, this work is a critique of the modern assumption that history is a linear progress toward perfection. The author argues that modern civilization has actually regressed from a state of greater human and spiritual health. The central question is whether man can survive the "inhuman scale" of modern life. It explores the tension between material prosperity and personal character, concluding that institutional solutions are useless without a prior spiritual revolution. The book is an argument for "human scale"—the idea that life is only manageable and meaningful when it is lived in small, local, and religiously grounded communities.

Why Read It Today

Readers interested in the history of ideas, cultural criticism, or the roots of modern traditionalist thought will find this book deeply compelling. It is written with a fierce, aristocratic intensity; the author does not merely analyze problems, he laments them with a sense of tragic urgency. However, the modern reader should be prepared for the author’s firm, often rigid, rejection of democratic ideals and his nostalgic longing for feudal structures. The prose is dense, academic, and highly ornate, reflecting a mid-Victorian intellectual style that can be challenging to navigate.

You will find the book rewarding if you are interested in the "anti-modern" perspective that gained momentum in the wake of the World Wars. It feels like a long, spirited lecture delivered by a man who is entirely convinced that the world has lost its way and is desperate to point toward the old path. While some of the specific economic proposals may feel archaic, the author’s stinging critique of "the gospel of success" and his insistence that money should be a servant of faith rather than its master remains a powerful, if uncomfortable, challenge to the consumerist mindset of our own time.