No society at any time, under any conditions, has provided enduring freedom, security, justice, or self-determination for all of its citizens. The problems that confront the human species today are so large, so complex, and so urgent that an effective solution requires a framework that considers mankind as a whole. The alternative, according to Gerhard Hirschfeld, is global disaster.

These observations provide both the motivation and the focus for The People, a book that proposes a radical departure from traditional perceptions of people in society. Hirschfeld argues that the basic relationship between people, leaders, and the middle class has always been fixed in human society, and that the people in all societies and at all times have been subject to domination and exploitation. To change this condition--to assure that the people attain dignity and basic human rights--he proposes the creation of a much broader social framework.

The work traces the development of the three sectors of society: leaders, distinguished by natural talents and the ability to furnish ideas, design, and organization; second, the people--insecure, dependent, defenseless, and exploited; and third, the middle class, playing the part of an equalizer or moderator to the other two classes. The heart of the book is a careful, long-range analysis of these three great historical forces, leading to specific proposals of principles and procedures upon which the creation of a mankind-oriented society might be based. Whether used as a text or as a manifesto and call to action, this exceptional work is a unique contribution that will ensure its appeal to diverse audiences.

Gerhard Hirschfeld was born in Berlin, Germany. After World War I he went to South America, there combining work in the export business with a study of the cultures of the native peoples. He published many articles, papers, and monographs, and is the author of An Essay on Mankind.

Kenneth E. Boulding (1910-1993) was president of many scholarly associations including the American Economic Association, the Society for General Systems Research, and the American Association for the Advancement of Science . He authored numerous books including Towards a New Economics: Critical Essays on Ecology, Distribution, and Other Themes; Three Faces of Power; and The World as a Total System.