The defining work of Harold Waldwin Percival is Thinking & Destiny, undoubetedly. However, each of his books does deserve special attention as each elaborates on a specific point addressed within T&D.
Democracy is Self-Government explains why we can never have a true Democracy in this world until we literally govern ourselves from within. Which is to say “govern our Self, from within.” When the majority of the individuals existing within the political borders of a given region each are goverened from within, then that political region would be able to experience a true Democracy. Presently, American is the closest thing this world has to a Democracy, though America is in no way a true Democracy.
In a true Democracy, there would be no political parties. Party politics divides the people, plain and simple. The division of the people should be avoided. Sadly, one of the only things that unifies us, as a people, is a common enemy; be it people not geographically near to us or people with different beliefs, or an abstraction like “terrorism” or even something tangible like drugs. Whatever the case may be, the fact is that we only unify in opposition to a common enemy. The reason for this? We are not Self-governed.
By and large, we are governed by fear. We are reactionary. We want for ourselves that which we would deny the next person from having. Whether we admit it or not. This is not a commentary on America, this is a commentary on human beings. America happens to have a toehold on moving in the proper direction, but that toehold is tenous, at best. Once you choose to govern yourself, from within, you will manifest that in the external world and you will see your Government change. Government change; that’s a topic for another day.
I have drifted off-course of what this book is truly about, however anyone intersted in the theme of this blog, as a whole, should read this book. It is available for purchase, or as a free .pdf download, at: http://word-foundation.org/b-Democracy_is_Self_Government.htm