The Theory of Evolution 37 



was given to Malthus' work by the defenders 

 of the capitalistic order may readily be under- 

 stood. The factory lords who had so ruth- 

 lessly subjected the working population to their 

 will could now shift to the Principle of Popu- 

 lation all the responsibility for the social 

 tragedy they had made out of the coming of 

 the machine age. The rate of reproduction 

 of the poor was the sole cause of their poverty. 

 The remarkable continence of the rich, in addi- 

 tion to their conspicuous abstinence from con- 

 sumption, was the cause of their riches. 



It will be observed that Malthus, like many 

 another philosopher, began his argument by 

 practically assuming that which he wished to 

 prove. A professed champion of commercial- 

 ism, he begins by assuming the unquestioned 

 validity of the market as a standard for meas- 

 uring even the family life. He has, of course, 

 pointed out much that is true ; the connection 

 between a natural birth rate and low standards 

 of living is obvious. But why the birth rate 

 should be so singled out from the many char- 

 acteristics of the low-standard classes is not 

 so obvious. And that any degree of perma- 

 nent social betterment could be attained through 

 the preaching of a low birth rate while the 



