148 The Special Sociological Errors 



Another form of the doctrine of collective selec- 

 tion consists in the theory that a social selection 

 favourable to the human species takes place in 

 war, because it destroys the badly organized 

 State, and therefore tends toward progress. Dr. 

 Schallmayer has stated this doctrine as follows: 



The consideration of the perpetual danger of being 

 forced into a war and of being shown to be inferior, 

 by making it appear disadvantageous to the egoisti- 

 cal sovereign or the party government to think solely 

 of their particular interests, prevents them from ne- 

 glecting the general interest, even when the internal 

 incidence of social forces might permit them to do so. 

 In all cases where this conduct is not maintained, the 

 proof of an unsuccessful war makes an end, sooner or 

 later, of the bad governments, and prevents them 

 from perpetuating themselves and extending to other 

 communities. ^ 



The selection produced by war, according to Dr. 

 Schallmayer (and Renan has expressed the same 

 idea^), is not a selection of individuals, or even 

 communities, but of institutions ; and the improve- 

 ment of States is brought about chiefly by the 

 fear of war and of defeat. 



The author of this doctrine forgets the fact that 

 social phenomena are founded upon inter-psychic 

 forces. He overlooks the fact that men think. 



' Metischensziele Monthly Review, published at Leipsic by 

 O. Wigand, edited by H. Molenaar. 1908, No. 12, p. 3S5. 

 * See La reforme intellectuelle et morale, p. iii. 



