CHAP, xii DARWINISM IN POLITICS BAGEHOT 121 



the material within reach. Democracy is not needful for 

 this effect. The so-called Greek democracies were really 

 petty aristocracies of slave-holders. You may have as 

 high a franchise as you like, yet, if free discussion pre- 

 vails within the privileged circle, then the emancipating 

 force is at work. Mere oratory may not educate. The 

 graceful oratory of the Red Indians dealt with methods, 

 not with principles, and effected nothing towards pro- 

 gress in civilisation. But, when political discussion 

 deals with great topics, it has a marvellously stimulating 

 and educating effect on the mind. That has been the 

 chief factor in social dynamics. That has twice broken 

 the cake of custom. And now the intellect is fully 

 awake, and progress itself has become a tradition of the 

 western world. 



In subordination to these great factors Bagehot notes 

 others. For example, he dwells on the importance of 

 the blending of races. Such mixture, it is thought, 

 frequently improves the breed, and so leads to evolu- 

 tionary progress. But even if it results in no improve- 

 ment or even if it tends to deterioration it may 

 yield a new type, and so conduce to variety of result ; 

 if not to progress, yet to differentiation. 



We take leave then of this most interesting little 

 book with three remarks. First ; it does not yet show 

 us Darwinism in relation to ethics or even in relation to 

 sociology in the stricter sense, but rather in relation to 

 politics. Now in politics there can be no question that 

 we have before us a spectacle of competition pre- 

 eminently, but by no means solely, in the fierce rivalries 

 of actual war. And so the application of Darwinian 

 ideas in this region is unquestionably lawful, if a trifle 

 obvious. Secondly ; in spite of his references to the 

 nervous system, Bagehot assumes inheritance mainly by 



