Spencer Heath Archive

Item 1644

Carbon of a letter from Heath to Dr. Paul Poirot, Foundation for Economic Education, Irvington, New York.

September 23, 1957

 

 

 

Dear Paul Poirot:

 

     It does not appear from either records or recollection that I have as yet carried out my intention of presenting you with a copy of CITADEL, MARKET AND ALTAR. I am therefore having an inscribed copy of it mailed to you without further delay. Please accept this volume as my personal and hopeful contribution towards the development of a thoroughgoing philosophy of free enterprise under creative capitalism.

 

     I trust you share in my belief that it is not sufficient merely to point out the vices inherent in political administration, dependent as this is fundamentally upon coercive and destructive relationships. As a recent correspondent expresses it effectively, “even the most eloquent enumerating of the sins of our opponents results in a sapping of energy.” There must, indeed, be a truly moral alternative. It is necessary to discover a wholly different mode of public community administration that will be in accord with basic morality and the Christian golden rule.

 

         I am hoping that my elaboration of proprietary as opposed to political organization will attract the attention and provoke the discussion it deserves. For the Utopian dream need no longer be discredited once we look forward to the positive potentialities of our free capitalist system. We must learn to appreciate it as a divinely appointed instrument for the realization not only of material but also of spiritual ideals.

 

     CITADEL, MARKET AND ALTAR does not itself deal specifically with the religious aspect. There is, however, the possibility of a future volume taking the religious instead of the scientific approach. Meantime, I enclose copy of my “The Practice of Christian Freedom,” which is slanted that way.

 

     Many best wishes to you and all the Foundation staff.

 

                        Cordially yours,

 

 

SH/m

Enclosures: 2