The Theory of Evolution 49 



ing a world empire, but in general they de- 

 plored war and avoided it. This, then, was 

 the dilemma of laissea-faire evolution, a logic 

 that approved of exploitation through the 

 might of money, but that became silent or 

 resorted to sentimental cant when exploitation 

 by the sword was mentioned. Logic, however, 

 is merely one aspect of life processes, and life 

 usually refuses to stop halfway. So even- 

 tually aggressive commercialism became mili- 

 tarism in spite of all efforts to stop it. 



When the vigor of English intellectual life 

 ebbed, leadership in the world of thought 

 passed definitely to Germany. It is conse- 

 quently to Germany that we must turn if we 

 would trace the later phases of evolutionary, 

 materialistic philosophy. The social conditions 

 which form the background of German thought 

 first demand our attention. 



p. German Social Development 



The chief contrast between English and 

 German social development lies in the differ- 

 ing ratios of strength between feudal and 

 commercial aristocracies. In England the im- 

 petus of commercialism, arising from a favor- 



