278 Evolution and Social Reform : 



our midst, and if it Le not nipped in the bud, it Avill burst 

 into a conflagration wliicli "will deluge the world." 



That the advocates of most of these schemes should at 

 the present time seek to establisli them by means of an 

 appeal to law is a natural result of a want of knowledge of 

 the past and, therefore, a want of knowledge of the 

 methods of evolution. It is not seen that institutions 

 result from the development of society, and that society is 

 not the result of institutions. It is not realized that law 

 s of value only as it is an expression of the sentiment of 

 the people by whom it is established, and moreover that 

 some things might be approved by the majority which it 

 would be the extreme of unwisdom to put into the form of 

 law. Statute law is useful and something requisite, but it 

 is dangerous, and it should only be resorted to when it is 

 necessary. 



Anarchism strictly means a condition of existence with- 

 out Government. As a system, if we may use such an ex- 

 pression, it appears to have had its origin in Kussia, as did 

 also Nihilism which has been practically confined to that 

 country, and both are the result of a natural revolt from 

 the extreme governmental tyranny of which Russia has 

 been always the theatre. The term Nihilism first made its 

 appearance in one of Turgueneff's novels, and its chief 

 apostle has been Tchernychevski. It is the outcome of a 

 feeling that practically all existing social and govermental 

 conditions are radically wrong, and that there is no hope 

 for improvement excepting through their utter destruction. 

 In relation to that which is to come after this destruction, 

 there is no common agreement. 



Anarchism, or anarchy, of which Bakunin is the most 

 pronounced prophet, is extreme Individualism. According 

 to its advocates there should be no power above tliat of the 

 individual. All action must be voluntar}-, and personal 

 action must be uncontrolled. This conception comes from 

 apprehending Government in its old sense, as something 

 imposed from without. The modern idea is that Govern- 

 ment is merely an agency of the jjeople for specific pur- 

 poses. 8ome things which are necessary that social order 

 may exist can only be secured by an agency acting for the 

 whole. There are numerous other things which can be 

 best done by such an agency without inflicting a more than 

 counterbalancing damage, and it is mere waste and wanton 



