278 Darwin's Theory of Social Progress 



early as 1864, seven years before he published 

 The Descent oj Man, Darwin wrote to A. R. Wal- 

 lace that 



the struggle between the races of man depended en- 

 tirely upon intellectual and moral qualities. ^ 



And in The Descent of Man he repeatedly empha- 

 sizes the importance of morality as a group sur- 

 vival factor : 



It must not be forgotten that although a high 

 ♦standard of morality gives but a slight or no advantage 

 to each individual man and his children over the other 

 men of the same tribe, yet that an increase in the 

 number of well-endowed men and an advancement in 

 the standard of morality will certainly give an immense 

 advantage to one tribe over another. A tribe includ- 

 ing many members who, from possessing in a high 

 degree the spirit of patriotism, fidelity, obedience, 

 courage, and sympathy, were always ready to aid one 

 another, and to sacrifice themselves for the common 



* good, would be victorious over most other tribes; 

 and this would be natural selection. At all times 

 throughout the world tribes have supplanted other 

 tribes; and as morality is one important element in 



• their success, the standard of morality and the number 

 of well-endowed men will thus everywhere tend to rise 

 and increase.' 



f 



Although wars of extermination may play a r61e 

 among savage tribes too ignorant to reaHze the 



» Lije and Letters of Charles Darwin, p. 371. 

 ' The Descent of Man, p. 148. 



