GREAT PAGAN RETROGRESSION 59 



the modern State. Thus do we watch it develop- 

 ing into those maxims which applied to the national 

 policy of modern Germany, come in due time to 

 carry it to the world developments which began in 

 the opening days of August 1914. 



Nietzsche's teachings represented the interpreta- 

 tion of the popular Darwinism delivered with the 

 fury and intensity of genius. They fell on unusually 

 fertile ground in the conditions of modern Germany. 

 Towards the middle of the nineteenth century the 

 struggle for constitutionalism was brought to a close 

 in that country with the collapse of the Saxon 

 revolution. The policy of Prussia had become the 

 policy of the sword, and the maxim that " the 

 destinies of the German people are in the hands 

 that hold the sword " emerges into open light as 

 an established principle in the aims of that State. 

 The incomparable machine of the Prussian army was 

 used to enforce and to justify the doctrine of force. 



Bismarck, in the development of the State policy 

 of his country, gradually brought into full view in 

 civilization the working of Nietzsche's conception 

 that the State founded on successful force is a law 

 of Right to itself. The idea, inherent in the Dar- 

 winian conception of progress, that the main business 

 of the efficient State is to wage war, came to be 

 formulated at the same time with increasing clear- 



