Differences between Ants and Men 71 



interests which exist between New Zealand or 

 America and Europe. The ants distributed over 

 the entire world cannot form a single association. 

 Human collectivities spread over the entire world 

 can do this very easily. There is an enormous 

 gulf separating ants from men. The points of 

 disagreement are much greater than those of 

 agreement. Even if it were proved that the 

 battles between ant colonies have improved the 

 species of ants this would be far from demonstrat- 

 ing that the battles between nations have im- 

 proved the human race. The wide breach between 

 the animal world and human society presented 

 in this concrete illustration makes the definite 

 analogy of Spencer's phrase "similarly with so- 

 cial organisms" seem extremely superficial and 

 arbitrary. 



In the domain of zoology we think of the struggle 

 for existence as an extermination between antago- 

 nistic species, such as that between the wolf and 

 the sheep. In the case of the human species, 

 however, the struggle is thought of solely as an 

 extermination between fellow-creatures, Mr. V. 

 de Lapouge states what is a common point of 

 view as follows : 



In civilized countries man has no more enemies 

 to fear. All the dangers have disappeared and the 

 formidable animals have been destroyed. He does 

 not even have to take the trouble to search for food. 

 He finds it at the grocery store. The struggle for 

 existence is now only with his own kind. Homo 



