Scientism and Values.pdf - Ludwig von Mises Institute

104 Scientism and Values
whatever the cost, is comparable to the remarks of Nels Anderson
about the development of the underdeveloped U.S.S.R.
. . . in most Communist countries systematic efforts have been made
to change the ways of life and work of rural people. The farmer must
be separated from his traditions. Thus efforts have been made, apparently
with much resistance, but still with a measure of success, to
force farmers into various types of modernized collective groups.
Whatever the merit of these urban-conceived schemes, their objective
is to hasten a process which might in the long run take place anyway
..." 11
This is an interestingly euphemistic way of describing the liquidation
of peasants and suggests that something like genocide might
well be supported if development, as conceived by some social
scientists, is thus facilitated.
For some years the Society for the Study of Social Problems
was closely associated with the Society for the Psychological Study
of Social Issues and in fact held joint meetings with the sister
group. On the instance of the latter group, this association has
been ended, although it is not clear to the writer whether one or
the other of these groups became too scientific or whether there
was a difference about platform planks)2 In ,any case, the Society
for the Psychological Study of Social Issues continues its affiliation
with the American Psychological Association, while it (the former)
continues publication of its Journal of Social Issues. The imprint
of the American Psychological Association on the frontispiece is a
kind of imprimatur which has apparent value for the espousals of
the Journal.
A third case in point is the Society for Applied Anthropology,
with its house organ, Human Organization. It should be noted
that this action group has not become an affiliate of the American
Anthropological Association. Its goals are relevant, however, to
the present interest. "Its primary object is 4the promotion of
scientific investigation of the principles controlling the relations
of human beings to one another and the encouragement of the
wide application of these principles to practical problems.' " 13 And