Human evolution : an inductive study of man / by G. Rome Hall.

  • Hall, George Rome.
Date:
1903
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Human evolution : an inductive study of man / by G. Rome Hall. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    although giving his own life, and by the heroes of the hre-fight, of science, of religion, and of the unknown calls to duty in every- day life. And yet, there are those, whose sole idea of manhood is a well-filled breeches’ pocket, or prerogative to tax the labour of thousands, who declare that avance and incentive of profit are the only motive powers in the world. To those who ask us ■what Socialism will culminate in, we say that they ask of man what is beyond his ken. That we are trending alway to a higher state is sure ; what it will ultimately be we know not, for the kingdom of God cometh not with observation. Physical force manifested in slavery was once the motive power of the world, money accumulated by competitive com- merce is now the ruling passion; in the course of human pro- gressence love gained ground, and chattel-slavery was swept away ; love will increase, and the wage-slave and the class who owns him, themselves slaves to greed, avarice, and cant, though often in ignorance and pride, will also be unknown, love will still the more abound.* All progress has not been materially economical in aspect, unknown and unsuspected has been the growth of love through- out the history of man, in the human being have alway dwelt the good and the bad, and many men, when they feel, prefer to follow the good in faith, even when it may profit to be bad. Why are we Socialists so sure that a great and far-reaching change is nigh at hand in all the foremost lands at this, the present day ? We say that the great advance in altruism, in the ■deepening and softening of human nature, that is so terrible to the hired mercenaries and champions of possessionalism, marks a new era, that history exhibits every sign of repeating itself before long in a general crisis, that an economical consideration of society shows that a speedy breakdown of the social forces * The class referred to are those of possessionalists and their retainers who are merely material in relationship to those working for them, fortunately a large number of people exist who ethically are Socialists, but ignorant of its ■economics.
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