ural
energies: they are variously handicapped. A rich store of artificial
resources exists in which some participate and others do not. The sides
then are unequal; and as a consequence the result of the struggle is
falsified. "In the animal world," said De Laveleye ("Le socialisme
contemporain", page 384 (6th edition), Paris, 1891.), criticising
Spencer, "the fate of each creature is determined by its individual
qualities; whereas in civilised societies a man may obtain the highest
position and the most beautiful wife because he is rich and well-born,
although he may be ugly, idle or improvident; and then it is he who will
perpetuate the species. The wealthy man, ill constituted, incapable,
sickly, enjoys his riches and establishes his stock under the protection
of the laws." Haycraft in England and Jentsch in Germany have strongly
emphasised these "anomalies," which nevertheless are the rule. That is
to say that even from a Darwinian point of view all social reforms
can readily be justified which aim at diminishing, as Wallace said,
inequalities at the start.

But we can go further still. Whence comes the idea that all measures
inspired by the sentiment of solidarity are contrary to Nature's
trend? Observe her carefully, and she will not give lessons only in
individualism. Side by side with the struggle for existence do we not
find in operation what Lanessan calls "association for existence." Long
ago, Espinas had drawn attention to "societies of animals," temporary or
permanent, and to the kind of morality that arose in them. Since then,
naturalists have often insisted upon the importance of various forms
of symbiosis. Kropotkin in "Mutual Aid" has chosen to enumerate many
examples of altruism furnished by animals to mankind. Geddes and Thomson
went so far as to maintain that "Each of the greater steps of progress
is in fact associated with an increased measure of subordination
of individual competition to reproductive or social ends, and of
interspecific competition to co-operative association." (Geddes and
Thomson, "The Evolution of Sex", page 311, London, 1889.) Experience
shows, according to Geddes, that the types which are fittest to surmount
great obstacles are not so much those who engage in the fiercest
competitive struggle for existence, as those who contrive to temper it.
From all these observations there resulted, along with a limitation
of Darwinian pessimism, some encouragement for the aspirations of the