The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1882-09-17
SOME NEW BOOHy.


III an fsSuy 'HllIV'u iNDtiUt fiVWTtWD. HOW
reprinted 10y tho Putnams. the clever author OF
rs Life Worth Living?" purposes TO define
the aim and doctrines of modern democracy
und to point out the CONSEQUENCES OF their
consistent application. 1Ic Is led of course, to
investigate the theories of socialism rs they
are set forth by Proudhon. Louis Blanc. and
Karl Marx; and he arrives at the conclusion
that they nre irrcconcilable with the funda-
mental principles of human nature and
incompatible with an enlightened and pro-
gressivo condition OF society. As. in I'D
dtion to his attempt to rcfute the social
reformers mentioned. the author is also led
I'm the course Of his discussion to enter the lists
against Mr. Herbert Spencer 1t will probably
enough be thought that he has undertaken
task too large for his mental caibre. But. al
though in this and his other writings Mr.. Nal
locks ideas are not often novel or profound
md by no means warrant his ASSUMPTION of
the role OF n PHILOSOPHER. they are always prc.
sented in fresh and attractive way which
commends TO A wide audience subjects usually
regarded as abstract and dry. whether. how
over those pcrsons whose knowledge OF socinl
science should be almost wholly derived from
Mr.. Mallocks lucubrations would be thereby
much edited and proflted Is n different question
Mr.. Mnllock thinks that modern Democracy
IL Mainly drifting toward the ncoeptnnce OF tho
Socialist scheme, which would 'supersedc a no.
ltical by n real euuality through An enual di-
vision of property. and the adoption of such
measures os would nernetuate tbn division Uo
SAYS truly enough that the Socialist theory of
society is based upon tho economical doctrine
TINT wealth ia the product of labor this axiom
II is the purp,se of the book to refute. He in
sists that wealth Ia the product not of labor
Int of Labor plus motives and thnt IL such mo.
tives are confined to Immediate neccssities
labor ms n matter of fact does not produce
wealth but the very antithesis of It. viz. n bare
subsistence 1t Is only whom motive for ex-
ertion is supcradded to our present needs that
labor will create the surplus which is described
rs wealth. and this motive. the prime agent in
human ACQUISITION. Mr.. Mallock finds in the
very craving which the Socialists would extir-
pate-the desire for inequality. He. seeks in
short to demonstrate that equality is not a
condition to which we should make any efforts
to approach. because SO far from being in any
way n goal OF progress 1t is, on the contrary
the goal OF retrogression instead
The more interesting mart of this book is not
the criticism of modern democracy rs nor
trayed by its most authentic expounders. but
the constructive chapters i'm which the author
advocates the claims of inequality to bs made
within certain limits. the ayowed aim of so.
ciety. Without following I'm detail his study of
the relation between material progress and the
maintenance of civilization on the one hand
and inequality ON the other. we may briefly
sum up its outcome. Whether he looks at the
rise. tho progress. or the pcrpctuation OF
the worlds material civilization. in each
case Mr. Mallock finds the cause to be the
desire for inequality or else the pressure OF it,
In the absence of this cause civilization has
been absent and with the decline of it civiliza-
ton has declined. With regard. then. to the
cial changes which tend to abolish inequalities
will inevitably tend also to destroy or to dimin-
jsh our civilization 1t must not he supposed
however, that this broad statement is put for
ward without some heed being taken to certain
obvious limitations Mr. Mallock may not be a
erent builder Of systems Of philosophy but he is
ot,such slovenly thinker 5 to affirm that pro-
ductlon always increases in exact proportion
to tic magnitude Of the inequalities or that it
will always be diminished in the exact proper
ton to the diminution of them. He does not
overlook the notorious fact that under the old
regime in France. production became less as
the inequalities became greater. or the con-
verse fact that. in the same country. the pro-
duction has increased as the inequalities have
been lessened. He insists that such facts are
qualifications. not refutations. OF his funda-
mental principles. inequality influences pro-
duction not by existing only. but by existing a.
an object of desire on the one hand and AS II
means of pressure on the other. Its power
over the skilled laborcr depends on the chances
he has of achieving it. while it, power over the
unSkllled laborer depends on the way in which
1t can apply pressure to him. We ought to ex-
pect therefore. that wherever inequality is too
hard to achieve. as under the old regime in
France. its influence. as an object of desire.
will be almost as feeble as if it
uld not exist ut all. whI!e II ITS pressure
DO 100 seNere-ahotiier condition eN-
Hting uhuer the OLD rcSime-it may
cripple TABOR IN he very act OF caus-
ing H. IL Is acknowledged, therefore. ny Mr..
Mallock that the efficiency OF inequality re-
garded as the cause Oh ciVilllcd production
would Increase with It's magnitude only within
certain limits IheSe MINUS TOO may vary ac-
cordins TO thc temperament the puliticai MS
tory ana the occupations OF each separate
peohie-oeinS aiHefehl IN Shiha' lor example
from What they are In the ohiteu states. Dut
the author inslsts mat these diilcrehces VIII
DO altogether hccidehtai. ana that preciseIy
the same principle VIII be iouhd 10