Rapid growth of voluntary associations. Rapid growth and increasing importance of the voluntary associations in the life of the individuals has undermined the belief in the omni competence and supremacy of the State. Economic, moral, social and other associations like the trade unions, the church, etc., are playing an important role in the life of the individual who regards them essential for the satisfaction of his needs and for the development of his personality.
Modem society is pluralistic in its structure, consisting of many associations. Most of them do not owe their origin and functions to the State and yet they are essential for human life, happiness and personality. ‘The growth of such association,” writes Joad, “has tended to make men think of the State as just one, and not always the most important one, of the various bodies to which the individual may belong.” Hence it is asserted that the State must share its authority with other associations. It means that the authority of the State must become decentralised.
Nature of modern wars. Modem wars are total wars and they become world wars even. These are total wars in all aspects. They tend to mobilise the whole nation for war. The government controls almost all the activities of the citizens with the consequent curtailment of their rights and liberty. Government officials are everywhere. This fact leads to bureaucracy. People become resentful of the restrictions imposed on their liberty and rights and dislike bureaucratic officialdom. The State is blamed for all this. This led to a reaction against the State, and to a desire to curb the omnipotent and omni competent State and put limitations on its powers and authority.
Tyranny of Majority Rule. Modern democracies are necessarily representative governments, ruled by the majority parties. But the achievements of the majority rule have fallen miserably short of the hopes and promises of representative democracy. The irresponsible and arrogant behaviour of the majority party in power towards the minority groups and parties has excited their resentment against the majority rule. They regard the majority rule as misrule, a tyranny of numbers. It is particularly true in war time, when the majority party blindly supports all acts and policies of its government. This leads to a reaction against the powers of the State. The advocates of Modern Individualism aim at the decentralization of State-power.