HERBERT SPENCER 33 



entirely a process of unconscious, gradual adjustment by means 

 of such phenomena as increase of population together with 

 economic pressure, conflict of groups, psychic interaction be- 

 tween individuals and the group and such super-organic products 

 as tools, language, knowledge, laws, and works of art.^ Social 

 evolution further results from the inheritance of acquired adapta- 

 tions both biological and sociological ^ and by the natural selec- 

 tion.3 That group will survive, grow and ultimately " possess I l-^^' 

 the land " that has the best family system, the most efficient | "^ 

 methods of production and distribution and the best government, l 



Spencer recognizes only two distinct stages of social progress, 

 the military and industrial. Compulsory co-operation is character- 

 istic of the former, voluntary co-operation of the latter. Under 

 mihtarism we have social progress by multiplication of homogene- 

 ous units, grouping and compound grouping with ever increasing 

 efficiency of organization and division of labor.'* Under indus- 

 trialism little corporate activity is required^ hence a less compli- 

 cated and centralized poHtical organization.^ The contrast is 

 well expressed thus: " In a society organized for militant action, 

 the individuality of each member has to be so subordinated in 

 life, liberty and property, that he is largely or completely owned 

 by the state. . . . Under the industrial regime the citizen's in- 

 dividuality, instead of being sacrificed by the society, has to be 

 defended by the society. Defence of his individuahty becomes 

 the society's essential duty." ^ 



When, according to Spencer, with the abolition of inter-group ' 

 conffict " there remains only the industrial struggle for existence, . 

 the final survival and spread must be on the part of those societies 

 which produce the largest number of the best individuals, — 

 individuals best adapted for life in the industrial state." ^ 



With simplification and decentralization of government, how- 

 ever, comes an increase of industrial organization, yet not at the 

 expense of individual freedom as in the former case.^ Industrial- 



^ Sociology, i, pp. 11 ff. 2 Jhid., p. 549. 



' Ihid., p. 652; ii, pp. 601, 268, 569 f., 610; iii, pp. 581 f. 



* Ibid., i, pp. 466 fif.; ii, pp. 568 ff. ' Ibid., p. 607. 



* Ibid., ii, pp. 606 f. 8 ihid.^ ii, p. 610. 



* Ibid., p. 612. ' Ibid., pp. 613, 632. 



