THE STATUS OF MAN. 287 



geographically, they ought to separate and make two or more 

 nations, that each have specific unity. In so far as they are not 

 separated in this way, they can study the causes which keep 

 apart the species, that make the number of inter-specific marria- 

 ges remain far below that of the intra-specif ic ones. They should 

 try to remove these barriers. Privilege of inheritance of prop- 

 erty is one of the most efficient barriers. Its gradual removal 

 would make possible an equal start, would provide a means for 

 universal education and for effective state-help to disabled and 

 old citizens. It would not abolish personal pro|)erty and in- 

 equality, but it would make the possession of property a 

 recognized sign of individual ability to do, to produce, to use. 



Specific unity would tend to simplify politics, and do away 

 to a great extent, with parties as- they are now often diffe- 

 rentiated. 



Real, geographic isolation must act in man as in other 

 animals, and produce local, circumscribed species. Several 

 townships, island-populations are, or recently were, as effect- 

 ively closed to admixture of foreign blood as groups of fishes 

 in pools, or as the animals of islands. 



Transportation breaks up such species. There may come a 

 time when more new-comers get into a group than it can assim- 

 ilate. A rather good test of the specific purity of certain groups 

 of men, is given by the conservation of their local dress. In 

 several townships in Holland, and several islands, the popu- 

 lation rigorously conserves its dress. In some places so many 

 new-comers have come in, and so many villagers have tempor- 

 arily lived elsewhere and lost the habit of dressing in the 

 way of their fathers, that the younger generation feels this 

 dress as something uncomfortable, and gives it up. Those 

 places where the railroad has come, almost certainly lose their 

 local way of dressing. There are a few exceptions, in which a 

 small town shows a decidedly agressive attitude towards out- 

 siders, and has a feeling of superiority over its neighbours. 

 (Huizen.) 



Such people which giVte up a distinctive way of dressing. 



