THE STATE VERSUS THE MAN. 183 



survival of the fittest from Malthus, from whom he also drew his 

 theories of evolution and of transformism ; but no naturalist ever 

 dreamt of applying either of these laws to human society. It has 

 been reserved to sociology to attempt this, because it has accepted, 

 blindfolded, from the hands of economists, this most erroneous prin- 

 ciple : that society is governed by natural laws, and that it suffices to 

 give them free scope for the greatest possible happiness and pros- 

 perity to reign. It is manifestly true that, as human society is com- 

 prehended in what we call Nature, it must obey her laws ; but the 

 laws and institutions, in all their different forms, which decree as to 

 the acquisition and transmission of property or possessions, and heredi- 

 tary succession, in a word, all civil and penal laws, emanate from 

 men's will, and from the decisions of legislators ; and if experience, 

 or a higher conception of justice, shows us that these laws are bad, 

 or in any way lacking, we are free to change them. As far as the 

 Darwinian laws are concerned, it would be perfectly impossible to 

 apply them to existing society without more radically destroying all 

 established institutions than the most avowed Nihilist would wish 

 to do. 



If it be really advisable that the law of the " survival of the fittest " 

 should be established amongst us, the first step to be taken would be 

 the abolition of all laws which punish theft and murder. Animals 

 provide themselves with food by physical activity and the use of their 

 muscles. Among men, in consequence of successive institutions, such 

 as slavery, servitude, and revenue, numbers of people now live in plenty 

 on their income, and do nothing at all. If Mr. Herbert Spencer is 

 really desirous to see the supreme principle, " reward in proportion to 

 desert," in force amongst us, he must obtain, first of all, the suppres- 

 sion of the existing regulations as to property. In the animal world, 

 the destiny of each is decided by its aptitudes. Among ourselves, the 

 destiny of each is determined by the advantages obtained or inherited 

 from parents, and the heir to, or owner of, a large estate is sure to be 

 well received everywhere. We see then, that before Darwinian laws 

 can become established, family succession must be abolished. Ani- 

 mals, like plants, obey the instincts of nature, and reproduce themselves 

 rapidly ; but incessant carnage prevents their too excessive multiplica- 

 tion ! As men become more civilized, peace becomes more general ; 

 they talk of their fellow-men as their brothers, and some philosophers 

 even dream the madmen ! of arbitration supplanting war ! The 

 equilibrium between the births and the deaths is thus upset ! To bal- 

 ance it again, let us glorify battles, asd exclaim, with General Moltke, 

 that the idea of suppressing them is a mischievous Utopia ; let us im- 

 pose silence on those dangerous fanatics who repeat incessantly, " Peace 

 on earth, good will towards men." 



In the very heart of nature reigns seeming injustice ; or, as M. 

 Renan puts it more strongly, nature is the embodiment of injustice. 



