te of Socialism, have expressed this conviction in very
definite terms. The last-named writer bases his objection to the name on
the ground that it is repellent to many persons who associate the word
materialism with the philosophy "that matter is the only substance, and
that matter and its motions constitute the universe."[66] That is an old
objection, and undoubtedly contains much truth. It is interesting in
connection therewith to read the sarcastic comment of Engels upon it in
the introduction to his "Socialism, Utopian and Scientific." The
objection of Professor Seligman is based upon another ground entirely.
He impugns its accuracy. "The theory which ascribes all changes in
society to the influence of climate, or to the character of the fauna
and flora, is materialistic," he says, "and yet has little in common
with the doctrine here discussed. The doctrine we have to deal with is
not only materialistic, but also economic in character; and the better
phrase is ... the 'economic interpretation' of history."[67] For this
reason he discards the name given to the theory by its authors and
adopts the luminous phrase of Thorold Rogers, without credit to that
writer.

By French and Italian writers the term "economic determinism" has long
been used, and it has been adopted to some extent in this country by
Socialist writers. But this term, as Professor Seligman points out, is
objectionable, because it exaggerates the theory, and gives it, by
implication, a fatalistic character, conveying the idea that economic
influence is the _sole_ determining factor--a view which its authors
specifically repudiated. While the reasoning of Professor Seligman in
the argument quoted against the name "historical materialism" is neither
very profound nor conclusive, since climate and fauna and flora are
included in the term "economic" as clearly as in the term
"materialistic," much may be said in favor of his choice of the term he
borrows from Thorold Rogers, and it is used by many Socialist writers in
preference to that used by Marx and Engels.

Many persons have doubtless been deceived into believing that the theory
involves the denial of all influence to idealistic or spiritual factors,
and the assumption that economic forces _alone_ determine the course of
historical development. Much of the criticism of the theory, especially
by the Germans, rests upon that assumption. The theory is attacked,
also, as being sordid and brutal upon the s