Russell’s utopian optimism held that human evil
could be educated out of people by training children’s
“creative impulse” and encouraging a happy, construc-
tive personality that is immune to aggression or self-
ishness. This was regarded as naïve and foolish by
more realistic politicians of his day.
His opposition to all war led Russell to advocate
pacifism toward NAZIGermany in the 1930s. The goal
was always to preserve European civilization, art, and
culture. In the 1920s, he endorsed GUILD SOCIALISMand
attempted several experiment in communal living, all
of which failed.
Bertrand Russell became a kind of popular joke.
This view was expressed by John Maynard KEYNESas
“He thinks the world is terrible because everyone is
mad; happily the remedy is simple: They must all
behave better.”Further Readings
Clark, R. The Life of Bertrand Russell.New York: Knopf, 1975.
Vellacott, J. Bertrand Russell and the Pacifists in the First World
War.New Y ork: St. Martin’s Press, 1980.Russell, Bertrand 267