xxxii ARISTOCRA C Y AND E VOL UTION 



CHAPTER IV 

 INEQUALITY, HAPPINESS, AND PROGRESS 



PAGE 



The radical politician will object to the foregoing conclusions in terms 



with which we are familiar . . . . 35 1 



The radical theorist will put the same objections more logically. If 

 the desire of exceptional wealth is really the strongest motive, he 

 will say that it follows that most men, since they cannot all be 

 exceptionally rich, must always remain miserable . . . 352 



Now the first answer to this is that the fact that all men will never be 

 equally wealthy does not prevent the conditions of all men from 

 improving absolutely ...... 353 



Another answer is that if inequality in the possession of the most 

 coveted prizes of life implies misery amongst the majority, this evil 

 would be intensified rather than mitigated by socialists, who would 

 substitute unequal honour for unequal wealth . . .. 354 



The final answer is that the unequal distribution of wealth has no 



natural tendency to cause unhappiness ; . . . . 357 



for men's desires vary. There is equality of desire for the necessaries 

 of life only ; for this desire rest? on men's physical natures, which 

 are similar ; . . . . . . . 357 



but the desire for superfluities depends on their mental powers, which 



vary ........ 358 



The special appeal of luxury is mainly to the mind and the imagina- 

 tion ........ 358 



the luxury, for instance, of a large house, .... 359 



or sleeping accommodation in a train ..... 359 



Consequently the desire for luxury and wealth, like the pleasure they 



give, depends on peculiar mental powers or peculiar mental states 360 



Amongst most men the desire for wealth is naturally a speculative 



desire only ....... 361 



It implies no pain caused by the want of wealth . . . 361 



The desire ceases to be speculative and becomes a practical craving 

 only when the imagination is exceptionally strong, and a strong 

 belief is present that the attainment of wealth is possible . . 362 



The desire for wealth, in fact, is in proportion to each man's belief 



that by him personally it is attainable .... 364 



