POLICY 303 



the general heading of anthropology can point the 

 way to the better government of the indigenous 

 peoples both of the new possessions and of those 

 for whose welfare we have already long been 

 responsible. 



Whenever one people assumes the management 

 of another, three lines of action are possible. One 

 is to wipe out the indigenous culture as completely 

 as possible and govern the people in accordance 

 with the ideas and institutions of their new rulers. 

 The second line of action is to preserve the in- 

 digenous culture in its entirety and to attempt to 

 govern the people in accordance with the ideas 

 which have come down to them from their fathers. 

 The third and intermediate course is to uphold the 

 indigenous culture except where it conflicts with 

 the moral and social ideals of the governing 

 people. 



It is not necessary to discuss the merits of these 

 policies, for the last has for long been adopted by 

 the British Empire and by all other modern 

 civilised nations which have undertaken the govern- 

 ment of savage and barbarous peoples. It is very 

 unlikely that this decision, dictated by humanity 

 and common sense, and justified by long experience, 

 will ever be reversed. If either of the other policies 

 were adopted anthropology would have little, if 

 anything, to contribute towards the work of govern- 

 ment, at any rate until the time came, as come it 

 certainly would, when the policy broke down. The 



