INVENTION AND PRODUCTION 259 



pation is to spend what others have produced. Society's most 

 serious problem is with the fourth class, and especially with the 

 idle rich whose talents presumably are above the average and who 

 could thus be of great value to society as producers. 



This gospel of the productive life is applied to the problem of 

 social service concerning which so much is being said and written 

 of late. 



The result is that as much cant is being preached in the name of social 

 service as ever was preached in the name of spirituality. This is to be ex- 

 pected of those who do not realize that all productive work such as growing 

 corn, wheat or cattle to feed the world, or growing wool or cotton to clothe 

 the world, is social service ; and that the best social service which the average 

 man can perform is to do his regular work well, — to grow good crops if he 

 is a farmer, and to bring up his family in habits of industry, sobriety, thrift 

 and reliability, and mutual happiness; that anything, in short, is social 

 service which builds up the country and makes it strong, powerful, progres- 

 sive and prosperous. 1 



One other kind of adaptation is suggested by Professor Carver 

 but not labeled, — the adaptation of man and society to the 

 evolving cosmic process, phrased by John Fiske as religious 

 adaptation. It is implied where the thought is emphasized that 

 this is God's world and that the highest type of obedience is to 

 find out God's will as revealed in the cosmic process, and having 

 found out, conform both individual and social life to that will. 2 



Progress by struggle and survival is God's will for it is God's 

 way. Success for the individual man and the race by the 

 economizing of human energy, and by testing all consumption by 

 its bearing on future production is also God's will for it is God's 

 way. Support is found, too, in interpreting God's will, by appeal 

 to the Bible, and especially to the words of the Great Teacher. 



Amid the pessimistic utterances of those who see the inevitable 

 downfall of the Anglo-Saxon race in accordance with those laws 

 that have effected the downfall of the other great races which 

 have become rich, effete, and thus the prey of stronger, struggling 

 races, Professor Carver utters a strong prophetic message of 

 hope, — but on one condition: " Repent or ye shall all likewise 



1 Principles of Rural Economics, p. 355; Essays in Social Justice, ch. XVI. 

 ! The Religion Worth Hailing, pp. 85 f. 



