Report of the 32nd International Psycho-Analytical Congress

This issue of the I.P.A. Bulletin contains the Report of the Business Meeting held in Helsinki, on the occasion of the 32nd I.P.A. Congress, covering also the activities of the outgoing Administration during the last two years. Readers will be impressed by the staggering amount of work which has been carried out by the Officers of the Association, and by our administrative staff.

It is possible that some members will be tempted to regard such a constant increase in our work as we have experienced it over the years as being the expression of a bureaucratic tendency—a disease endemic to most institutions. However, it may be necessary to stress that the I.P.A. remains unbureaucratic and that in spite of its steady expansion there has been no tendency whatsoever to interfere with the independence of component societies. Here are some facts which should be taken into account, particularly considering that in Helsinki we found it necessary to increase the dues, for the first time in four years, by a considerable amount. Every year there are approximately 350 new members; the total membership at present is around 5, 000 and you will be interested to know that in recent times there has been a shift in the numbers of members residing in the different areas, which can be roughly expressed in percentages such as North America 45%, Europe/Asia/Australia 37%, Latin America 18%. (These figures, some 5 or 6 years ago, were: North America 51%, Europe/Asia/Australia 36%, Latin America 13%.)

In Helsinki, two new full Component Societies were recognized; Provisional Society status was granted to one group; and two new Study Groups were admitted. In Eastern Europe, a new nucleus of analysts is in the process of being created once more in Hungary, and there are analysts in other countries there. These are the positive achievements of the previous Administrations, and inevitably they entail extensive travel by members who must be thanked fo