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TELLING THE STORY-NURTURING RENEWAL
It
is the latter days of what shall be called
"The
American Century.
"The story of the American incentive
system is the story of all the people in it. Each American
needs to know how he fits into the story, what his part
is, and what he can do to make the picture better. Just
who or what is an American? Americans have been
described as hard-working, materialistic, practical,
adventuresome, optimistic, impatient, patriotic,
nationalistic, humanitarian, idealistic, and believers in fair
play, equal opportunity, and individual responsibility.
This book also celebrates, and puts great emphasis
on, our Creator who made life not only possible but also
worthwhile. And yet, as Americans are so cosmopolitan
in personality, they certainly are not of one mind on the
issue of free, private enterprise. Even Winston Churchill
observed that:
''Some see private enterprise as a
predatory tiger to be shot, others as a cow to be milked,
but few are those who see it as a sturdy horse pulling
the wagon.
"
Are Americans better than other people in other
lands? Are we smarter? Are we better looking? What
is our competitive advantage? The United States started
with a rather large land mass and a rather small, but
well-educated population. Our land is buffered from
most conventional wars by two oceans. We live in a
temperate zone and a climate that has stimulated
accomplishment. Americans discovered and developed
natural resources, offered rewards to workers for
ingenuity and determination, and insisted upon personal
economic freedom. Read on.