The true causes, says Mr. Spencer, of all social phenomena are physical environment and men’s natural character • 29 The first physical cause of progress was an exceptionally fertile soil • 29 and an exceptionally bracing climate • 29 All the conquering races came from fertile and bracing regions • 30 There were other regions more fertile, but these were enervating; and hence the inhabitants of the former enslaved the weaker inhabitants of the latter • 30 Again, division of labour, on which industrial progress depends, was caused by difference in the products of different localities, • 31 which led to the localisation of industries • 32 The localisation of industries in its turn led to road-making; • 33 and roads made possible the centralisation of authority and interchange of ideas • 33 Next, as to men’s natural character, which is the other cause of progress, • 33 their primitive character did not fit them to progress, • 34 till it was gradually improved by the evolution of marriage and the family—especially of monogamy • 34 Monogamy represents the survival of the fittest kind of sexual union • 35 It developed the affections and the practice of efficient co-operation • 35 The family being established, the nation gradually rose from it • 36 One family increased, and gave rise to many families, which were obliged, in order to get food, to separate into different groups; • 36 and the recompounding of these groups, for purposes of defence or aggression, formed the nation; • 37 all government being in its origin military • 37 But as the arts of life progress, industry emancipates itself from governmental control, and becomes its own master, and also forms the basis of political democracy • 37 Now, if we consider all these conclusions of Mr. Spencer’s, • 39 we shall find them to be all conclusions about aggregates as wholes, not about parts of aggregates • 39 The only differences recognised by him between men are differences between one homogeneous aggregate and another, • 40 and differences between similar men who happen to be occupied differently • 41 But, as has already been said, the social problems of to-day arise out of a conflict between different parts of the same aggregate; therefore the phenomena of the aggregate as a whole do not help us • 42 The conflict between the parts of the aggregate arises from inequalities of position • 43 of which Mr. Spencer’s sociology takes no account • 44 Social problems arise out of the desire of those whose positions are inferior to have their positions changed; • 45 and the practical question is, is the change they desire possible? • 45 To answer this question we must examine into the causes why such and such individuals are in inferior, and others in superior positions • 46 Are inequalities in position due to alterable and accidental circumstances? • 47 Or are they due to congenital inequalities which no one can ever do away with? • 47