CONTENTS. 



Preface iii 



Darwinism and Politics. 



& 



\J/^ The Struggle for Existence " in Malthus and 

 Darwin : How the idea is applied to Politics : 

 >*-^ Is the Struggle " beneficent ? " . . . . i 



| 2. The Evolution Theory as applied to Human Society / 



^~^ by Darwin, Strauss, Mr. H. Spencer, Sir H. 



Maine, Mr. E. Clodd 6 



Jy'V Ambiguity of the phrase " Survival of the Fittest :" f 



Complexity of Social Evolution . . . .12 

 r \. iDoesthe doctrine of Heredity support Aristocracy?- 17 

 Does the Evolution Theory support Laissez /aire ? 

 Struggle between ideas for survival : Conscious- 

 ness as a factor in Evolution : Testimony of 

 Prof. Huxley and Strauss : Ambiguity of " Na- 

 ture : " Conscious " Variations " . . . .20 



6. Why fix ideas in institutions? Custom its use 

 and abuse : Institutions and " the social factor " 

 generally are neglected in the popular accepta- 

 tion of the doctrine of Heredity : Mr. Galton's 

 views considered : Darwin's own opinion . . 37 



7. The Law of Social Progress . . . . ., 55 



^ 8. Applications : 



(1) The Labour Question ..... 58 



(2) The Position of Women .... 62 



(3) The Population Question .... 76 



vii 



