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POPULAR SaiENCE MONTHLY. 



meiit of matter and motion as to 

 produce a diminished adaptation of 

 means to ends. With the change 

 from heterogeneity to homogeneity, 

 the parts become less and less defi- 

 nite and coherent. If these abstract 

 terms of general evolution be con- 

 verted into the concrete terms of 

 social evolution, we get a scientific 

 conception of Lord Salisbury's tak- 

 ing phrase. A growing society is 

 one where the population is increas- 

 ing in numbers, and each individual 

 finds the conditions of existence con- 

 stantly bettered. The simple rela- 

 tions of primitive life are changed 

 into the complex relations of civil- 

 ized life. All the social organs re- 

 quired to meet every want and taste 

 spring into existence. Instead of be- 

 ing limited to plunder, or the chase, 

 or pastoral pursuits, human activity 

 assumes the countless forms of mod- 

 ern industry. But while society is 

 thus becoming more heterogeneous, 

 its parts are becoming more definite 

 and coherent. To increase the effi- 

 ciency of their labor, j^eople devote 

 themselves to some particular pur- 

 suit. At the same time they become 

 to an increasing degree dependent 

 upon one another; for, in order to 

 get what they want, they mu'st ex- 

 change with one another the prod- 

 ucts of their toil. Where evolution 

 is thus permitted to operate freely, 

 the most perfect adaj^tation of soci- 

 ety to the conditions of existence 

 takes place, and the greatest possible 

 degree of happiness is attained. In 

 a decadent society this process is re- 

 versed. Because of the tyranny of 

 custom, which forbids social change 

 and adaptation, or in consequence 

 of tlie Government's usurpation of 

 functions that do not belong to it, 

 which has the same fatal effect, peo- 

 ple cease to be free to do as they 

 please, and to live the life that seems 

 to them best. Robbed by the crush- 

 ing taxation necessary to sustain the 



bureaucratic parasites that enforce 

 the rules and regulations throttling 

 industry, they become discouraged, 

 and, abandoning the honest pursuits 

 of peace, they become beggars or 

 brigands. Under these conditions, 

 society becomes disorganized, and 

 eventually disappears. As in Meso- 

 potamia and other parts of Asia, 

 once rich and populous, the country 

 reverts to solitude. 



We are now in a position to see 

 that modern societies are not in a 

 condition that permits of Lord Salis- 

 bury's easy classification. Decadent 

 as some of them are in many re- 

 spects, it is by no means certain that 

 they have reached the limits of evo- 

 lution and entered upon a career 

 of dissolution. Evolving with great 

 rapidity as others are, it is by no 

 means certain that they are not pur- 

 suing a course that will bring them 

 to ruin, Turkey is probably the 

 most decadent of all. But it is not 

 because of her loss of territory ; it is 

 because of her rigid social structure, 

 her incapacity to adopt the ideas and 

 institutions of progressive societies, 

 and her failure to protect her people 

 from the rapacity of officials and 

 brigands. Although less militant, 

 China sufi'ers in a like manner. Be- 

 sides the tyranny of custom, which 

 represses the activity of the indi- 

 vidual and thwarts social evolution, 

 there is the tyranny of a powerful 

 and corrupt bureaucracy. In con- 

 sequence of both, ideas and institu- 

 tions are antiquated, industry is in a 

 primitive state, and the rewards of 

 toil are very small. Nevertheless 

 there are signs of growth. Rail- 

 roads and telegraphs are being in- 

 troduced, quickening the circulation 

 of products and ideas. A movement 

 is afoot to improve industrial meth- 

 ods and the administration of the 

 government. Compared with Tur- 

 key and China, Spain is a progress- 

 ive state. Within the last century 



