VALUE OF THE SOCIAL HIERARCHY 231 



more unpardonable on that account. It is precisely the exist- 

 ence of this social hierarchy, this division of society into cate- 

 gories corresponding more or less to the social value — economic, 

 intellectual, and moral — of the work performed by each category, 

 which acts as a restraining power over the individual. The 

 individual conforms his wants to the social estimate of the 

 category to which he belongs. The working-man does not aspire 

 to the standard of life of his employer ; the bank clerk is not 

 filled with envy by the salary of the bank director ; the bourgeois 

 has no taste for the sports and the general life of the nobihty. 

 Each is content with the standard of life prevalent in his sphere, 

 provided that the standard of life conform to the general 

 progress reahsed by social evolution. If the working-man to-day 

 does not aspire to the standard of life of his employer, neither 

 would he tolerate the conditions of labour which were prevalent 

 sixty years ago ; if the servant does not aspire to lead the life 

 of his master, neither would he submit to the regime of serfdom 

 as it existed in the Middle Ages. But abolish all the customs 

 and habits which make up social tradition ; convince the indi- 

 vidual that there is no authority because all individuals are 

 alike in their organic constitution ; and all restraint will be 

 suppressed. Every one will consider himself entitled to the same 

 share of the social resources. And the passions and desires thus 

 set loose will only lead to fresh disappointment. For in the 

 general rush for wealth, the natural superiorities must prevail ; 

 and they will impose themselves with a brutality, the greater 

 because all restraint is thrown ofE. The naturally strong will 

 trample on the naturally weak, and the result will be the estab- 

 Ushing of a new hierarchy. 



We are thus enabled to formulate two general laws which govern 

 the Ufe of society. Firstly, it is essential that society, whether 

 as a whole, or as embodied in a religion, or a political party, 

 or a professional union, or otherwise, should exercise, at any 

 given moment, sufficient influence over its component indi- 



