CONCLUSION 34tf 



direct influence of Darwin from whose works they 

 quote copiously. 



Some sociologists have followed the same path and, 

 in establishing the foundations of comparative history 

 and of the comparative study of human institutions, 

 have felt the need of giving to their new-born science 

 a biological basis. Many of those sociological systems 

 start from an absolutely wrong conception. Spencer's 

 theory, for instance, is based upon an alleged analogy 

 between society and the organism and is inspired by 

 metaphysical considerations. Its weakest point is 

 that it ignores the distinction between the division of 

 physiological labour and the division of social labour ; 

 while it makes every effort to set itself on a biological 

 foundation, it is influenced by political and social con- 

 siderations and by a desire to justify the present social 

 system. 



Other scientists have followed a better method : they 

 have tried to learn some lessons as to our social life, 

 not from the life of isolated individuals, but from their 

 observation of animal associations; this has enabled 

 them to formulate very important and deep-searching 

 criticisms against a too narrow application of the prin- 

 ciple of natural selection. In his book on "Mutual 

 Aid a Factor of Evolution," P. Kropotkin has very 

 clearly presented this point of view which coincides, 

 he says, with the theories of many Russian authors 

 and in particular with those of the zoologist Kessler. 



