278 PART V. WORKING STAGE. 



So, also, definite factors in the environment, rather than in- 

 herent virtues, explain much that is of moment economically: 

 "The dominant industrial position of England is due, in a large 

 measure, to her possession of an abundance of [iron and coal]." 

 (Banerjea, Indian Economics, p. 13.) Likewise, "natural water- 

 supply is the chief factor determining the density of population 

 and the state of civilisation in any particular part of India" 

 (ibid., p. 22), whilst "the Himalayas act as a climatic barrier 

 in shutting out the cold winds of Central Asia and keeping 

 within the borders of India the vapour-bearing winds of the 

 south-west monsoon" (ibid., p. 16). Furthermore, the far- 

 reaching social effects of the gulf-stream on England, and of the 

 great ocean currents generally, may be noted. 

 The apparent incapacity of the African Negro to civilise 

 himself may be said to be due equally to traceable environ- 

 mental causes. This will be readily seen when we examine 

 the Western method of introducing civilisation into Africa. It 

 is not that the European settles on Afric's shores, and by sheer 

 superior brain force evolves a high civilisation. It is rather 

 that European colonising Governments spend in Africa millions 

 of pounds on railways, roads, rivers, and ports ; that they apply 

 modern hygiene, sanitation, and knowledge of germ pests ; that 

 they experimentally and otherwise study the crops best suited 

 for the climate and soils, and by modern surveying methods 

 ascertain the existing mineral treasures ; that, in short, Western 

 Governments develop African countries with the aid of great 

 wealth, of science, and of tried administrative and commercial 

 experience. This renders it manifest that the African, even 

 in the most favourable circumstances, would require many 

 generations to do what a European State, by its accumulated 

 store of money, science, and power, could accomplish within a 

 comparatively few years. We have not, therefore, before us 

 a clear case of racial inferiority and superiority, but a matter 

 of great environmental resources, on the one hand, and trifling 

 environmental resources, on the other. 



In order to eschew ignoring the temporal, spatial, and idea- 

 tional environment, the following rule may be applied with 

 advantage: "In any investigation assume only, initially, the 

 bare, naked fact (e.g., that there are at this moment universities 

 in Italy, but none in Mashonaland, or that one man is long- 

 headed and another round-headed). As to what was or what 

 will be, as to causes and environmental conditions, carefully 

 examine; assume and deduce nothing as a matter of course, 

 and beware of disregarding or undervaluing the environment, 

 present and past, physical,' biological, and cultural." Two sub- 

 rules are needed: (1) to prepare increasingly complete lists of 

 the general and special conditions for the subject matter of all 

 the sciences and arts. Among physicists this is well understood. 

 The possible or actual presence of gravity, cohesion, repulsion, 



