The betrayal of the West

Jacques Ellul is primarily known for his insightful critiques of Western culture. His recent books describe the "new demons" let loose upon the contemporary world by the double-edged achievements of science and industry. But, he asserts in this latest book, the critics have gone too far. The West is the victim of a betrayal - that of its own children. Its intellectuals, most notably those of the Left, are necessarily the products of a civilized society. Yet they so loudly reproach this civilization for the atrocities and the destruction of rich local culture which have accompanied its growth that we are deaf to the reasoned voice which proclaims our debts to this Western tradition. While Ellul acknowledges the validity of these accusations, in The Betrayal of the West he points out that they are not peculiar to the West, that they are indeed inherent in the growth of any civilization. Ellul, as an historian, is a lover of civilization. He especially emphasizes the importance of the legacy of our own civilization. We are indebted tothe West for our concepts of freedom, equality, and above all, the idea of the individual. In his words, "The West represents values for which there is n