VOL. V, NO. 7

January 24, 1964

Who Needs Social Science?

By Kenneth D. Lindquist

History?!! Who needs it? And it follows; who wants it? Forget it! If history is nothing but a chain of dates and events, or as one man put it, "History is just one confounded thing after another," then, the above reaction is the correct one. But is this the case?

If you were to buy a new car, would you believe what the salesman has to say about the performance of that particular make of car and buy it strictly upon his recommendation. Yes? Then, let me sell you your first car.

Yet, as a voter and taxpayer you may have to make decisions based upon the promises of politicians and the newspapers that support them if you are to accept the above view of history. How can you accept a foreign policy which affects the welfare and security of the nation without some knowledge of the customs and traditions of the countries of Europe, Africa, Asia and Latin America? How can you approve proposed tax cuts or proposed government spending unless you have some experience in taxation and economics?

A candidate for the office of President has proposed that TVA be sold to private companies and that social security be administered on a voluntary basis. Are these proposals good or bad ones? Must you not first answer these questions?

1. Why was TVA and the social security system established?

2. What were the circumstances?

3. What have been the effects?

4. What might be the effect if TVA were sold to private companies?

5. Why isn't the social security system on a voluntary basis?

6. What might be the effect if the social security system were on a voluntary basis?

Are you to believe the political salesmen, or are you to make a free choice based upon your knowledge and experience? In short, will you be sucker bait like the person who decides to buy a car because the sales man says it's a good buy, or will you really know what you are buying?

A history class in a farm town was studying the farm problems of the Roman Empire when one of the students exclaimed, "Why! This is the same thing the we have been talking about in our news reports!" She had just discovered that she shared a common experience with people who had lived 2,000 years ago. History then, is the cheapest and least painful way of gaining experience which, after all, is what knowledge is.

(Mr. Lindquist was invited to express his opinions Other teachers are invited to do the same on this page.)