Herbert George Wells is mainly remembered as a writer of speculative fiction, although during his lifetime he was perhaps more widely known as a social critic. His fiction and non-fiction, however, both expressed aspects of a strongly held progressive global vision. He had a pervasive sense that humanity was on the cusp of a ‘new era.’ Yet he was equally aware than if it was to turn out well it was becoming urgent to address what he called ‘the world problem.’ By which he meant the growing number of interlocking problems that were becoming ever clearer and more concerning. He realised that solutions had to be conceived in a coherent and organised way. Yet he was constantly frustrated by what he regarded as the inadequacy of decision making within contemporary social and economic structures. He believed that politicians, diplomats, social administrators and, indeed, universities all fell short of what was required. Continue reading…