Harry's Last Stand: How the world my generation built is falling down, and what we can do to save it.

A relative of Harry’s said, “The world has changed a lot since you were a boy.” Harry didn’t want to disagree, but thought the problem is that it hasn’t changed enough. He feels it is easy today, to ignore or misunderstand the lessons the past can teach us about today’s world.

Harry Leslie Smith is a ninety year old RAF WWII veteran, who lived through hell and wants to leave this earth sharing his ideas for a better world. Besides taking readers through his life’s journey, he talks about politics, business, health care, citizenship, and education of his home country of England; however, he includes the United States.

Harry’s three main points on education: “Performance based education will only encourage the flight of the best human capital to private institutions.”

“We have to make ensure that our education system is more than just a factory to turn out obedient workers.”

“We need a national service that obliges all young people during their gap year to travel the country and learn about their neighboring regions.”

His points on business: “If no one felt they were better than anyone else, and each person understood their efforts built a better company and a better life for themselves, then this would create an almost perfect system of work. Small businesses that may not be able to afford to implement the living wage should opt to make written contracts with their employees that allow for fair profit sharing.”

On health care: “Humanity cannot evolve when its rulers are only interested in the profit and loss of their most affluent constituents and ignore the rest of their citizens.”

On politics:  “Defeat social inequality by establishing a social welfare state.”

On citizenship: “Being engaged and part of a vibrant democracy is one way to ensure that you matter, regardless of where you stand on society’s ladder.” In other words, vote. In addition, Harry thinks the voting age should be seventeen years of age.

There are more stories and opinions Harry Smith leaves his readers. To understand all his points of view, read Harry’s Last Stand. He ends the book saying, “So, before we are no more, we should aspire to do something that makes us a better human being.”

Thank you, Harry, for this book of wisdom and considerations for a better world.