PREFACE

            Today inter-communication and inter-dependence between different nations is world-wide and irreversible. This reflects not only material, but spiritual production, which must now be given serious consideration.

            Since the second World War great steps have been taken in world modernization. All nations, whether of greater or lesser pro-duction, whether more modern or more traditional are confronted by important problems concerning the management of the re-lations: (1) between tradition and modernization, and (2) between building material and spiritual civilization.

            To the first problem, we must respond by combining both, building modernization upon traditional culture. A developing country must pay special attention not to discard its traditional cul-ture and blindly copy modern modes from developed countries.

            To the second problem, we must respond by paying more at-tention to building up our spiritual civilization while also developing its material counterpart. While working to "liberate productivity", we must pay more attention to the "liberation of the human being." This means not only freedom from colonialism, fascism and totalita-rianism, from racial, sexual and class discrimination, but also free-dom to realize the liberal individual development that is the aim of human development. All of the above pertain to the full meaning of the liberation of the human being. Hence, progress here must be a long historical process, which requires continuous and vigorous effort.

            To respond to this call, the scholars of the Council for Research in Values and Philosophy and of the Institute of Philo-sophy of the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences through inten-sive interchange have developed this volume on "Tradition and Modernization".

            In the human advance toward modernization, it will be nece-ssary to combine the rich experience of various cultures and the technical insights of the various sciences in a creative effort to deepen present wisdom and draw out new ideas. With a view to the coming century and millennia, this is the intent of this volume.