THE CHASM AHEAD

by Aurelio Peccei ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 31, 1969

The novelty of this call for ""global attack"" on ""the macroproblems of our age"" is confined to the elaborate nature of the ""project 1969"" recommended to President Nixon a ""feasibility study"" of longrange, worldwide planning, to be launched by the U.S., Europe, Russia and Japan. The first part of the book observes that ""no inspiring elite is surging to the forefront"" and urges a new Atlantic-system management capable of more efficient efforts ""to influence other peoples and nations."" Peccei's desire for a more efficient joint strategy makes for a polemical emphasis on the ""technology gap"" between Europe and the U.S. At one point Peccei (who is an industrial manager) alludes to the influence of ""the philosophy, the interests, and the operations"" of international corporations; but his superficially empirical view of splits in ""the once compact Western world"" ignores the unprecedented economic and political integration of the postwar period. On a wider level Peccei concludes that the most advanced regions must try to meet poor nations' needs ""in a compassionate, enlightened and modern way""; for their part, they must behave themselves. There are some interesting speculations on future developments within the U.S.S.R. The discussion of ""the macroproblems"" themselves--population, production, education, ecological degradation--is quite routine.

Pub Date: March 31, 1969

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Macmillan

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 1969

Categories: NONFICTION