THE STATUS OF MAN. 285 



species in any country where there is no real unity sees, that 

 the alternative to taking steps in the right direction is revo- 

 lution, it may for instance set about to arrange for a gradual 

 increase of inheritance tax, so that after a long series of years, 

 in which a gradual adjustment is possible, inheritance is prac- 

 tically done away with. It may see that such a course of action 

 would obviate injustice and hardship, and, colloquielly. "It 

 would let them down easy." They may be sensible to do 

 so, if only to obviate the very evident possibility of being 

 thrown down abruptly. In the end, both ways of removal of 

 this barrier to unity will come to the same thing, but intelligent 

 regulation and slow change would obviate an enormous amount 

 of suffering and economic waste. Even countries which now 

 have unity, but whose unity of species is a result of a continued 

 immigration, would be wise to study this point. For as soon 

 as the country gets more settled, and natural resouces monop- 

 olized, and when at the same time the resident population 

 increases, the immigration becomes relatively less impor- 

 tant, some barriers to unity will eventually break up the 

 nation 



In every occidental nation nowadays, there is as trongly 

 expressed wish for unity, a strong wish to be alike, and be able 

 to cooperate and act together, and anything which conteracts 

 this unity, is felt to be a hindrance. 



This wish to be one expresses itself strongly in declarations 

 of independence and nationality, in assertions of brotherhood 

 of man, and in a tendency to resist all those causes which tend 

 to split up a people The separation of church and state, more 

 especially of church and school is a step in the direction of 

 unity. 



A strong, universal state-church may stand in the way of 

 progress, and oppress science, but it certainly is a powerful 

 factor in the unity of a people. As soon as there is any consider- 

 able dissention, however, prompt separation of church and 

 state, church and school is best. Separation of church and state, 

 eventually leads to the excessive splitting up of church de- 



