The United Nations and Technological Change

Abstract

This theme is chosen because no one delved into it more than Hans Singer did while he was at the United Nations. He left the organisation before the significant change of scenery which took place in the early years of the present decade, when some of our most comfortable presuppositions about the impact of technology on society and social change were destroyed, and when our belief in continuing progress based on the proper application of technology was seriously shattered. Certainly Hans Singer was more prepared than most of us for the mental reconversion which became necessary, since his own assumptions, informed as they were by a deep analysis of the drama of development, were far more discriminating, and far less naively optimistic than those frequently prevailing in international circles.