AUGUSTE COMTE 21 
The impelling factor in progress according to our author is the 
affectional nature or heart including the appetites, passions and 
sentiments ! or about what Ward 2 means by desires and Ratzen- 
hofer ® and Small 4 by interests; the guiding factor, however, is 
the intellect going through the three stages of development both 
in the individual and in civilization as a whole. Although there 
is in the individual and society a tendency to development, 
there are certain accelerating factors such as ennui, duration of 
life and increase of population.® Race and climate are factors to 
be reckoned with and also, within narrow limits, political action.* 
A consideration of the last gives occasion for the exposition of his 
doctrine of political opportunism, an exceedingly suggestive and 
valuable contribution to political economy. This is a corollary 
of his general theories of social evolution and relativism, and 
signifies merely that society cannot be radically changed by 
legislation which is the expression of the will of an individ- 
ual or of collective individuals. Comte holds that the aim of 
legislation should be rather to accelerate the general movement of 
evolution. All laws to be effective must be in harmony with the 
social life and traditions of the people. 
After this brief survey we are prepared to consider Comte’s 
contribution to the development of the doctrine of adaptation as 
a theory of social progress. To be sure Comte did not use the 
phrase or analyze the doctrine as have later writers but we find 
with him the kernel which has come to such rich fruitage since. 
Passive Physical Adaptation.— Before Comte’s time Montes- 
quieu, Lamarck and others had emphasized the influence of the 
material environment on the organism and on society. Comte, 
though not going so far as some, yet recognized this factor.’ 
“Tt is plain that society, as well as individual beings,” he says, 
“is affected by the circumstances of the earth’s daily rotation and 
1 Positive Philosophy, ii, pp. 83, 128-130, 156, 257; Catechism, p. 234. In the 
Polity heart equals sympathy plus energy. Cf. A General View, pp. 1109 f. 
2 Pure Sociology, pp. tor f. 4 General Sociology, chs. XXXI, XXXII. 
3 Infra, ch. IX. 5 Positive Philosophy, ii, pp. 152 ff. 
6 Ibid., ii, pp. go-92. Public opinion is given prominence in the Polity. Cf, 
A General View, ch. III. 
7 Positive Philosophy, ii, pp. 57, 116 f. 
