ethical manthe member of society or citizennecessarily runs
counter to that which the non…ethical manthe primitive savage； or
man as a mere member of the animal kingdomtends to adopt。 The latter
fights out the struggle for existence to the bitter end； like any
other animal； the former devotes his best energies to the object of
setting limits to the struggle。*
In the cycle of phenomena presented by the life of man； the animal； no
more moral end is discernible than in that presented by the lives of
the wolf and of the deer。 However imperfect the relics of prehistoric
men may be； the evidence which they afford clearly tends to the
conclusion that； for thousands and thousands of years； before the
origin of the oldest known civilizations； men were savages of a very
low type。 They strove with their enemies and their competitors； they
preyed upon things weaker or less cunning than themselves； they were
born； multiplied without stint； and died； for thousands of generations
alongside the mammoth； the urus； the lion； and the hyaena； whose lives
were spent in the same way； ＇204＇ and they were no more to be praised
or blamed on moral grounds； than their less erect and more hairy
compatriots。
* ＇The reader will observe that this is the argument of the
Romanes Lecture； in brief。1894。＇
As among these； so among primitive men； the weakest and stupidest went
to the wall； while the toughest and shrewdest； those who were best
fitted to cope with their circumstances； but not the best in any other
sense； survived。 Life was a continual free fight； and beyond the
limited and temporary relations of the family； the Hobbesian war of
each against all was the normal state of existence。 The human species；
like others； plashed and floundered amid the general stream of
evolution； keeping its head above water as it best might； and thinking
neither of whence nor whither。
The history of civilizationthat is； of societyon the other hand； is
the record of the attempts which the human race has made to escape
from this position。 The first men who substituted the state of mutual
peace for that of mutual war； whatever the motive which impelled them
to take that step； created society。 But； in establishing peace； they
obviously put a limit upon the struggle for existence。 Between the
members of that society； at any rate； it was not to be pursued a
outrance。 And of all the successive shapes which society has taken；
that most nearly approaches perfection in which the war of individual
against individual is most strictly limited。
＇205＇ The primitive savage； tutored by Istar； appropriated whatever
took his fancy； and killed whomsoever opposed him； if he could。 On the
contrary； the ideal of the ethical man is to limit his freedom of
action to a sphere in which he does not interfere with the freedom of
others； he seeks the common weal as much as his own； and； indeed； as
an essential part of his own welfare。 Peace is both end and means with
him； and he founds his life on a more or less complete self…restraint；
which is the negation of the unlimited struggle for existence。 He
tries to escape from his place in the animal kingdom； founded on the
free development of the principle of non…moral evolution； and to
establish a kingdom of Man； governed upon tile principle of moral
evolution。 For society not only has a moral end； but in its
perfection； social life； is embodied morality。
But the effort of ethical man to work towards a moral end by no means
abolished； perhaps has hardly modified； the deep…seated organic
impulses which impel the natural man to follow his non…moral course。
One of the most essential conditions； if not the chief cause； of the
struggle for existence； is the tendency to multiply without limit；
which man shares with all living things。 It is notable that 〃increase
and multiply〃 is a commandment traditionally much older than the ten；
and that it is； perhaps； the only one which has been spontaneously and
ex animo obeyed by ＇206＇ the great majority of the human race。 But； in
civilized society； the inevitable result of such obedience is the
re…establishment； in all its intensity； of that struggle for
existencethe war of each against allthe mitigation or abolition of
which was the chief end of social organization。
It is conceivable that； at some。 in the history of the fabled Atlantis；
the production of food should have been exactly sufficient to meet the
wants of the population； that the makers of the commodities of the
artificer should have amounted to just the number supportable by the
surplus food of the agriculturists。 And； as there is no harm in adding
another monstrous supposition to the foregoing； let it be imagined
that every man； woman； and child was perfectly virtuous； and aimed at
the good of all as the highest personal good。 In that happy land； the
natural man would have been finally put down by the ethical man。 There
would have been no competition； but the industry of each would have
been serviceable to all； nobody being vain and nobody avaricious；
there would have been no rivalries； the struggle for existence would
have been abolished； and the millennium would have finally set in。 But
it is obvious that this state of things could have been permanent only
with a stationary population。 Add ten fresh mouths； and as； by the
supposition； there was only exactly enough before； somebody must go on
short rations。 The ＇207＇ Atlantis society might have been a heaven
upon earth； the whole nation might have consisted of just men； needing
no repentance； and yet somebody must starve。 Reckless Istar； non…moral
Nature； would have riven the ethical fabric。 I was once talking with a
very eminent physician* about the vis medicatrix naturae。 〃Stuff！〃
said he； 〃nine times out of ten nature does not want to cure the man：
she wants to put him in his coffin。〃 And Istar…Nature appears to have
equally little sympathy with the ends of society。 〃Stuff！ she wants
nothing but a fair field and free play for her darling the strongest。〃
* The late Sir W。 Gull
Our Atlantis may be an impossible figment； but the antagonistic
tendencies which the fable adumbrates have existed in every society
which was ever established； and； to all appearance； must strive for
the victory in all that will be。 Historians point to the greed and
ambition of rulers； to the reckless turbulence of the ruled； to the
debasing effects of wealth and luxury； and to the devastating wars
which have formed a great part of the occupation of mankind； as the
causes of the decay of states and the foundering of old civilizations；
and thereby point their story with a moral。 No doubt immoral motives
of all sorts have figured largely among the minor causes of these
events。 But beneath all this ＇208＇ superficial turmoil lay the
deep…seated impulse given by unlimited multiplication。 In the swarms
of colonies thrown out by Phoenicia and by old Greece； in the ver
sacrum of the Latin races； in the floods of Gauls and of Teutons which
burst over the frontiers of the old civilization of Europe； in the
swaying to and fro of the vast Mongolian hordes in late times； the
population problem comes to the front in a very visible shape。 Nor is
it less plainly manifest in the everlasting agrarian questions of
ancient Rome than in the Arreoi societies of the Polynesian Islands。
In the ancient world； and in a large part of that in which we live；
the practice of infanticide was； or is； a regular and legal custom；
famine； pestilence； and war were and are normal factors in the
struggle for existence； and they have served； in a gross and brutal
fashion； to mitigate the intensity of the effects of its chief cause。
But； in the more advanced civilizations； the progress of private and
public morality has steadily tended to remove all these checks。 We
declare infanticide murder； and punish it as such； we decree； not
quite so successfully； that no one shall die of hunger； we regard
death from preventible causes of other kinds as a sort of constructive
murder； and eliminate pestilence to the best of our ability； we
declaim against the curse ＇209＇ of war； and the wickedness of the
military spirit； and we are never weary of dilating on the blessedness
of peace and the innocent beneficence of Industry。 In their moments of
expansion； even statesmen and men of business go thus far。 The finer
spirits look to an ideal civitas Dei； a state when； every man having
reached the point of absolute self…negation； and having nothing but
moral perfection to strive after； peace will truly reign； not merely
among nations； but among men； and the struggle for existence will be
at an end。
Whether human nature is competent； under any circumstances； to reach；
or even seriously advance towards； this ideal condition； is a question
which need not be discussed。 It will be admitted that mankind has not
yet reached this stage by a very long way； and my business is with the
present。 And that which I wish to point out is that； so long as the
natural man increases and multiplies without restraint； so long will
peace and industry not only permit； but they will necessitate； a
struggle for existence as sharp as any that ever went on un