130 FROM COMTE TO BENJAMIN KIDD PART m 



able in view of what we shall hear from Mr. Benjamin 

 Kidd (speaking on the authority of Professor Weis- 

 mann) that for every organism the choice lies between 

 struggle, victory, and progress on the one hand, and 

 continuous retrogression on the other hand. China 

 has at least worn the appearance of stagnation for 

 many ages. China seems to have evaded Mr. Kidd's 

 dilemma. 



But, if war has a limited power of selection, and 

 effects a certain amount of progress, the decisive 

 step has been due twice over to the influence of free 

 discussion in the sphere of government. The habit 

 of political debate in the Greek democracies, the same 

 habit afterwards as a tradition of the Teutonic peo- 

 ples, kindled and enflamed the mental activity of 

 civilised men, till discussion, like a forest fire, had 

 spread to all the material within reach. Democracy 

 is not needful for this effect. The so-called Greek 

 democracies were really petty aristocracies of slave- 

 holders. You may have as high a franchise as you 

 like, yet, if free discussion prevails within the privi- 

 leged circle, then the emancipating force is at work. 

 Mere oratory may not educate. The graceful oratory 

 of the Red Indians dealt with methods, not with 

 principles, and effected nothing towards progress in 

 civilisation. But, when political discussion deals 

 with great topics, it has a marvellously stimulating 

 and educating effect on the mind. That has been the 

 chief factor in social dynamics. That has twice 

 broken the cake of custom. And now the intellect is 

 fully awake, and progress itself has become a tradition 

 of the western world. 



Jn subordination to these great factors Bagehot 



