INVENTION AND PRODUCTION 253 
spirit of a people, which does not develop their latent energy, or 
which wastes their energy in a kind of effort which does not sup- 
port life or support it abundantly, will fail because it will cause 
the failure of the people who are handicapped by it. But the 
religion which stimulates to high endeavor and develops the 
latent energy of its people, and directs that energy wisely and 
productively, will succeed because the people who are fortunate 
enough to possess it will succeed and hold dominion over the 
world.” ! 
The third general division of Professor Carver’s social philos- 
ophy is passive social adaptation which includes moral develop- 
ment and education. As already indicated the welfare of the 
sovereign group is the swmmum bonum and the standard for 
judging all other good. In this discussion we are reminded of 
both Nietzsche and Spencer. He differs from the former in sub- 
stituting the concept of the super-group for that of the super-man 
thus making large place for sympathy, sociability, co-operation 
and religion, negatived by Nietzsche. He differs from Spencer 
chiefly in the following points: — 
1. Adaptation rather than increasing complexity is considered 
the test of progress with no expectation of attaining a state of 
perfect equilibrium. 
2. Spencer’s negative regulative theory of government is 
replaced by a strong doctrine of social control. 
3. The well-being of the group is placed above that of the 
individuals that compose it. Spencer held this position for the 
group when endangered by another group but thought this 
menace would decrease continually under industrialism. Pro- 
fessor Carver sees no possibility of removing the causes of inter- 
group conflict because of the working of the Malthusian law of 
population and the law of diminishing returns.? 
With Professor Carver, then, that is good which tends to 
strengthen the group in competition with other groups. That is 
evil which tends to weaken the group. As his social theory is a 
1 The Religion Worth Having, pp. 22, 23. 
2 In this he agrees with Van Dyke Robinson. See Selections, p. 133. CE. 
Essays in Social Justice, chs. I and II. 
