4 COMTE TO BENJAMIN KIDD CHAP. 



facts to maxims for conduct? In other words, is 

 political economy an art or a science ? The accepted 

 view nowadays regards political economy as a science 

 the science of wealth ; and in spite of Comte's protest, 

 it is recognised as a distinct science, independent, in a 

 sense, of sociology ; and that, mainly because more 

 definite conclusions are possible in regard to wealth than 

 in regard to the wider social interests of mankind. 

 On the other hand, it is fully recognised that, if you 

 wish to frame maxims for conduct, you have to take 

 much into account besides the economic tendencies of 

 action. And it is also confessed that in its "palmy 

 days" political economy had identified itself with a 

 system of individualism with a hard doctrine of 

 individual rights, more especially rights of property 

 which may well be thought a menace to the public 

 interests. Nevertheless such is the irony of circum- 

 stances ! practically the same system has reappeared 

 in all its stringency in the form of Mr. Herbert Spencer's 

 sociology. 



Thirdly : Professor Mackenzie's Introduction to Social 

 Philosophy adds another distinction that of social 

 philosophy in contrast with social science. Sociology 

 claims to rank as a science ; Mr. Mackenzie, who is 

 entitled to respect, both on his own account and as 

 representing generally the position of the great Hegelian 

 or Idealist school, conceives that there are philosophical 

 positions presupposed in social science which need 

 separate discussion. In consequence or partly in con- 

 sequence of this, Mr. Mackenzie's book does not aim at 

 giving us a body of social doctrines, but at vindicating 

 on philosophical grounds what he regards as wholesome 

 social principles. The main significance of this, we think, 

 is as follows, that, in contrast with the school which 



