A Time is Born

During an interlude of twenty-one years between two global wars Heaven swung low and then high again.

When it was very low, seeming almost to touch the hill tops, the human race prepared to celebrate the death of poverty. In the whole world material well being advanced to an unexplored plane. If the contrasts that continued to exist were thought to be anywhere greater than before, that was an illusion owing to the fact that so much news of prosperity made people more conscious of disparities. Certainly in all civilized regions poor living was already better than good living had ever been for the fathers; and for those who had gained the heights there was mankind’s first view of the Land of Immeasurable Plenty.

So far as they could see there was no longer any limit to the satisfaction of human wants. That was not all. A remorseless law was about to be repealed.