AGGREGATE AND ITS CONFLICTING PARTS 43 



are manifested severally by distinct and independent Book i 

 parts. The social aggregate, when regarded from 

 this standpoint, is no longer a single animal, whose 

 pains or pleasures reveal themselves in a single 

 consciousness. It is a litter of animals, each of 

 which has a consciousness of its own, and, together 

 with its consciousness, interests of its own also, 

 which are opposed to those of the others, instead of 

 coinciding with them. 



And now let us consider more closely out of what The conflict 

 this opposition arises. Mr. Spencer, as we have pans of the 

 seen, in our rapid survey of his arguments, lays great arises g from 

 stress on the fact that as men rise into aggregates, " 5 ' 

 they do so only on condition of submitting them- 

 selves to governors, military in the first place, and 

 at a later stage civil. The truth, however, which 

 he thus elaborates, whatever may be its speculative 

 importance, fails to have any bearing on any practical 

 problem, because it is not a truth about which there 

 has ever been any practical disagreement. Aristo- 

 crat, democrat, and socialist all agree that there 

 must be orderly government of some sort, and official 

 governors to administer to it. The point at issue 

 between them is not whether some must govern 

 and others submit to be governed, but how the 

 individuals who perform the work of government 

 shall be chosen, and what, apart from their official 

 superiority and authority, shall be their position with 

 regard to the rest of the community. Why should 

 they enjoy any special social advantage? Or if 

 they are to enjoy it, why should they be usually 



