independent investigation and open-minded judgment on the part of the
student.

It goes without saying that the success of this book will depend
largely upon the use which the teacher makes of it. The text aims to
supply the basic facts and the fundamental principles involved in
specific problems, but the teacher must interpret many of those facts
and principles, and ought, in addition, to furnish illustrative
material. The book is not intended to be an encyclopedia, but rather a
suggestive guide.

The text covers the fundamentals of three distinct fields: economics,
sociology, and government. Sufficient reference and topic work is
offered to enable teachers to expand the text along particular lines.
Thus Part II might serve as a nucleus around which to build up a
special course in economics, while Part III would serve as a basis for
a similar course in applied sociology, if for some reason it were not
feasible to take up other parts of the book.

Though the text is the result of the coöperative efforts of a
considerable number of specialists, its treatment of the problems of
American life is neither dogmatic nor arbitrary. The effort has been
to treat all of our problems sanely and hopefully, but at the same
time to make it clear that many of these questions are still unsettled
and the best method of disposing of them is yet hotly debated. This
fact has strongly influenced the manner in which the problems have
been treated.


TOPICS AND READINGS