ABSTRACT
This chapter presents a striking example of a society in which a sense of danger, of threat to its security and integrity has rather suddenly become widespread. It outlines a conception of what are the most essential structural features of our society, most of which has been shared by that of Western Europe in the modern era. There are certain obvious things which can be thought of as immediately threatened, notably our lives and property and our national autonomy and freedom of action through military action, or effective threat of action on the part of a potential enemy. There is a system of economic and political relations with other countries, notably the belligerents in the European war, but also various of the neutrals whose position has been altered by the course of the war, and may be altered still further by its subsequent development.
