Civilisation : Its Cause and Cure 



ground, and his nobles of high degree (who may 

 be compared to the nobler, more generous, qualities 

 of the mind) begin to take his place. This is the 

 Aristocracy and the Feudal Age — the Timocracy 

 of Plato ; and is marked by the appearance of 

 large private tenures of land, and the growth of 

 slavery and serfdom — the slavery thus outwardly 

 appearing in society being the symbol of the inward 

 enslavement of the man. 



Then comes the Commercial Age — the Oligarchy 

 or Plutocracy of Plato. Plonour quite gives place 

 to material wealth ; the rulers rule not by personal 

 or hereditary, but by property qualifications. Parlia- 

 ments and Constitutions and general Palaver 

 are the order of the day. Wage-slavery, usury, 

 mortgages, and other abominations, indicate the 

 advance of the mortal process. In the individual 

 man gain is the end of existence ; industry and 

 scientific cunning are his topmost virtues. 



Last of all the break-up is complete. The 

 individual loses all memory and tradition of his 

 heavenly guide and counterpart ; his nobler passions 

 fail for want of a leader to whom to dedicate them- 

 selves ; his industry and his intellect serve but 

 to minister to his little swarming desires. This 

 is the era of anarchy — the democracy of Carlyle ; 

 the rule of the rabble, and mob-law ; caucuses 

 and cackle, competition and universal greed, 

 breaking out in cancerous tyrannies and pluto- 

 cracies — a mere chaos and confusion of society. 

 For just as we saw in the human body, when the 

 inner and positive force of Health has departed 



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