nd character with which we had to deal in Ireland
presented this central and somewhat discouraging fact. In practical life
the Irish had failed where the English had succeeded, and this was
attributed to the lack of certain English qualities which have been
undoubtedly essential to success in commerce and in industry from the
days of the industrial revolution until a comparatively recent date. It
was the individualism of the English economic system during this period
which made these qualities indispensable. The lack of these qualities in
Irishmen to-day may be admitted, and the cause of the deficiency has
been adequately explained. But those who regard the Irish situation as
industrially hopeless probably ignore the fact that there are other
qualities, of great and growing importance under modern economic
conditions, which can be developed in Irishmen and may form the basis of
an industrial system. I refer to the range of qualities which come into
play rather in association than in the individual, and to which the term
'associative' is applied.[34] So that although much disparaging
criticism of Irish character is based upon the survival in the Celt of
the tribal instincts, it is gratifying to be able to show that even from
the practical English point of view, our preference for thinking and
working in groups may not be altogether a _damnosa hereditas_. If, owing
to our deficiency in the individualistic qualities of the English, we
cannot at this stage hope to produce many types of the 'economic man' of
the economists, we think we see our way to provide, as a substitute, the
economic association. If the association succeeds, and by virtue of its
financial success becomes permanent, a great change will, in our
opinion, be produced on the character of its members. The reflex action
upon the individual mind of the habit of doing, in association with
others, things which were formerly left undone, or badly done, may be
relied upon to have a tonic effect upon the character of the individual.
This is, I suppose, the secret of discipline, which, though apparently
eliminating volition, seems in weak characters to strengthen the will.

There is, too, as we have learned, in the association a strange
influence which develops qualities and capacities that one would not
expect on a mere consideration of the character of its members. This
psychological phenomenon has been admirably and most entertainingly
discussed by the French psych