14 The Philosophy of Force 



The intellectual and moral glorification of war 

 which characterizes the militaristic school of all 

 nations is derived from the sociologists and philo- 

 sophers who have distorted the social teachings of 

 Darwin. But in applying the philosophy of force 

 to practical life the men of action have discarded 

 all the qualifications with which the scientific men 

 have surrounded their statements. Thus, al- 

 though Herbert Spencer bases his entire theory of 

 social evolution on struggle, he hastens to qualify 

 his theory by the statement that this does not 

 apply to the future ' : 



Mark now, however, that while this merciless 

 discipline of Nature "red in tooth and claw," has 

 been essential to the progress of sentient life, its per- 

 sistence through all time with all creatures must not 

 be inferred. The high organization, evolved by and 

 for this universal conflict, is not necessarily forever 

 employed to like ends. The resulting power and 

 intelligence admit of being far otherwise employed. . . . 



But now observe that the inter-social struggle for 

 existence which has been indispensable in evolving 

 societies will not necessarily play in the future a part 

 like that which it has played in the past. Recognizing 

 our indebtedness to war for forming great communities 

 and developing their structures, we may yet infer that 

 the acquired powers, available for other activities, 

 will lose their original activities. While conceding 

 that without these perpetual bloody strifes, civilized 

 societies could not have arisen, and that an adapted 

 form of human nature, fierce as well as intelligent, was 



» Principles of Sociology, vol. ii., p. 242. 



