Book Reviews : The Dutch under German Occupation, 1940-1945. By WERNER WARMBRUUN. (Stanford: Stanford University Press, 1963. Pp. xiii, 338. $7.50.)
| Date | 01 March 1964 |
| DOI | 10.1177/106591296401700133 |
| Author | Bruce B. Frye |
| Published date | 01 March 1964 |
| Subject Matter | Articles |
156
has
reduced
too
much
the
private
sector.
This
kind
of
development
is
contrary
to
the
principles
of
democracy,
liberalism,
and
laissez
faire.
It
is
also
against
the
well-
being
of
the
society,
and
in
the
long
run
will
destroy
our
democratic,
capitalistic
sys-
tem,
and
will
introduce
socialism.
To
support
their
views
some
of the
authors
make
a
number
of
rather
surprising
statements.
Brandt
believes
that
&dquo;most
members
of
the
economic
profession
[are]
remarkably
weak
in
laws
of
relevance
and
in
the
logical
analysis....&dquo;
Rippy,
who
is
opposed
in
principle
to
our
foreign
economic
aid,
argues
that
the
policies
of
the
United
States
and
of
the
United
Nations
&dquo;are
hampering
political
economic,
and
social
progress&dquo;
of
the
underdeveloped
nations.
Petro,
while
discussing
the
role
of
trade
unions,
states
that
we
have
only
two
alternatives
today;
either
socialism
or
laissez
faire.
He
refuses
to
admit
the
alternative
of
our
so-called
mixed
economy.
Most
lawyers
and
economists
would
also
be
surprised
to
see
that
before
the
1920’s
&dquo;injunctions
were
never
issued
against
peaceful
strikes
for
higher
wages.&dquo;
Shenfield
discusses
the
problem
of
nationalization
and
of
the
welfare
state
in
England.
While
admitting
that
the
welfare
state
is
widely
popular
among
members
of
both
the
Labour
and
Conservative
parties,
he
calls
the
welfare
state
a
&dquo;humbug&dquo;
and
advocates
its
removal.
His
line
of
reasoning
does
not
sound,
however,
very
logical.
In
spite
of
his
own
admissions
that
the
present
political
and
economic
situation
reflects,
in
general,
the
voice
of
the
voters
of
both
parties,
he
believes
that
in
order
to
preserve
liberalism,
democracy,
and
political
and
economic
freedoms,
certain
changes
ought
to
be
made.
Thus
in
order
to
preserve
political
freedom,
the
voice
of
the
people
should
be
disregarded.
There
seems
to
be
something
illogical
in
such
a
policy.
Most
authors
in
their
attacks
upon
the
growth
of
the
public
sector
refer
to
&dquo;gov-
ernment&dquo;
as
if
it
were
some
kind
of
separate,
impersonal
super-entity.
If
one
accepts
the
democratic
concept
of
government
in
our
society,
one
has
to
remember
that
gov-
ernment,
the
so-called
executive
branch,
does
not
rule
as
a
dictator.
It
only
executes
the
laws
that
have
been
enacted
by
Congress,
and
therefore,
what
the
government
does
only
reflects,
in
the
long
run,
the
will
of
the
people.
Most
authors
in
this
book
failed,
however,
to
see
this
point.
Several
of
the
authors
referred
to
the
scandal
that
our
government
has
created
in
agriculture.
Why
not
blame
the
Congress
for
it?
After
all,
it
was
Congress,
sup-
ported
by
the
electorate,
that
passed
the
parity
price
support
laws.
And
it
is
we,
members
of
the
society,
who
elected
Congress.
If
we
have
a
scandal
in
farming,
it
is
because
we,
as
a
society,
are
unwilling
to
do
anything
about
it.
After
all,
in
a
demo-
cratic
state
the
ultimate
responsibility
and
the
ultimate
power
lies
in
the
society
and
not
in
the
government.
ANDRÉ
SIMMONS
Ein
Shams
University,
Cairo,
UAR
The
Dutch
under
German
Occupation,
1940-1945.
By
WERNER
WARMBRUUN.
(Stanford:
Stanford
University
Press,
1963.
Pp. xiii, 338.
$7.50.)
Dr.
Warmbruun,
who
is
Director
of
the
International
Center
at
Stanford
University,
experienced
the
German
invasion
of
the
Netherlands
and
the
first
nine
months
of
occupation
firsthand,
but
his
book
bears
no
marks
of
emotional
involve-
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