88 SYMBIOGENESIS 



degree as among human societies. It might have occurred to 

 Spencer that in view of the inter-dependence of life, the benefit 

 to the organic community at large of any particular output of 

 " work " by a unit, might be such as to lead by way of reaction 

 to bio-economic compensations. 



That those parts of a community which are the most 

 genuinely active in the production of "wealth " should be the 

 subjects of the most universal concern on the part of others 

 benefitting thereby, and consequently the most remunerated, 

 would seem to be in agreement, if not with Herbert Spencer's 

 "first principles," yet with the principles of economics, of 

 equity and of self-preservation, and without being, for that 

 matter, opposed to dynamics. 



That everywhere in nature the utmost care is bestowed 

 upon the maintenance of the most valuable parts, that the less 

 important parts normally everywhere act as servants to the 

 more important, is easily demonstrable. There are the well- 

 known facts of vicarious action on the part of cells and of 

 nerve-fibres. The asexually reproducing cells of a flowering 

 plant, as we have seen, merely remain hewers of wood and 

 drawers of water for their gorgeously-attired sisters which 

 have attained to the power of sexual reproduction (resulting in 

 a bio-economic status higher than that warranted by the 

 asexual condition). The virgin bee workers recognise the 

 queen as a symbol of life more precious, more vast than their 

 own. They will sacrifice their lives for the sake of hers. 

 Again we find that the more permanently valuable parts of a 

 body are most carefully isolated. The heart, the brain, and 

 the germ substance may serve as instances. 



The heart and connected vessels are so arranged that the 

 best blood goes to the head, and in a similar manner we find 

 in social life that the inferior must infallibly serve the 

 superior the kings or "cunnings," i.e., those that "can." 

 It is only prejudice which denies that we are justified in look- 

 ing upon the activities of organisms as "work," and upon 

 results as remuneration in the economic sense of the term. 



