The first edition of this book, published in 1947, contained essays on the basic problems of humanity. These had originally been issued in pamphlet form between October 1944 and December 1946, and dealt essentially with conditions during and immediately after the war years of 1939-45.

In 1953 a second edition was published which omitted outdated material. A further revision was made for the third edition in 1964. Since then, the progress made by humanity has been such that the nature of the problems has changed to a marked degree. For example, problems relating to the world's children continue to exist but in different forms and under different conditions to those of the postwar period. The problems of capital, labor and employment have changed greatly in an increasingly automated and computerized world. Significant developments within the many branches of orthodox religion are presenting new problems within the world's faiths.

Similar comments can be made on all the problems considered. In addition, new problems are arising under present day conditions, although these can usefully be viewed as variations and extensions of the basic six problems discussed in this book.

So now, in 1993, when we need to reprint the book again, we have had to consider whether it would be better to cut the original text to the bone and graft onto the skeletal structure factual data and information supplied by other writers, or whether we should reprint the book as it stands. Because the basic teaching on all the problems is still as sound, as dynamic and as necessary as it was when originally written, we have decided to do the latter.

But it is important that those who study this book are aware of its history so that the essential teaching can be recognized and absorbed and the irrelevant factors ignored. The spiritual principles to be applied to the problems of humanity as discussed in this book are valid today and remain largely ignored by the majority of humanity. The contribution of esoteric students in creating "the thought-form of solution" to human problems in a world at crisis point is a vital and practical service.