To those who look beneath the surface, the present universal war
drives home more than one anthropological truth in striking fashion; and
of the verities none is more profound than that relating to the essential
immutability of mankind and its instincts.
Four years ago a large part of the civilised world laboured under
certain biological fallacies which may, in a sense, be held responsible
for the extent and duration of the present conflict. These fallacies, which
were the foundation of pacifism and other pernicious forms of social and
political radicalism, dealt with the capacity of man to evolve mentally
beyond his former state of subservience to primate instinct and pugnacity,
and to conduct his affairs and international or interracial relations on
a basis of reason and good-will. That belief in such capability is unscientific
and childishly naive, is beside the question. The fact remains, that the
most civilised part of the world, including our own Anglo-Saxondom, did
entertain enough of these notions to relax military vigilance, lay stress
on points of honour, place trust in treaties, and permit a powerful and
unscrupulous nation to indulge unchecked and unsuspected in nearly fifty
years of preparation for world-wide robbery and slaughter. We are reaping
the result of our simplicity.
The past is over. Our former follies we can but regret, and expiate
as best we may by a crusade to the death against the Trans-Rhenane monster
which we allowed to grow and flourish beneath our very eyes. But the future
holds more of responsibility, and we must prepare to guard against any
renascence of the benevolent delusions that four years of blood have barely
been able to discard forever the sentimental standpoint, and to view our
species through the cold eyes of science alone. We must recognise the essential
underlaying savagery in the animal called man, and return to older and
sounder principles of national life and defense. We must realise that man's
nature will remain the same so long as he remains man; that civilisation
is but a slight coverlet beneath which the dominant beast sleeps lightly
and ever ready to awake. To preserve civilisation, we must deal scientifically
with the brute element, using only genuine biological principles. In considering
ourselves, we think too much of ethics and sociology - too little of plain
natural history. We should perceive that man's period of historical existence,
a period so short that his physical constitution has not been altered in
the slightest degree, is insufficient to allow of any considerable mental
change. The instincts that governed the Egyptians and the Assyrians of
old, govern us as well; and as the ancients thought, grasped, struggled,
and deceived, so shall we moderns continue to think, grasp, struggle, and
deceive in our inmost hearts. Change is only superficial and apparent.
Man's respect for the imponderables varies according to his mental
constitution and environment. Through certain modes of thought and training
it can be elevated tremendously, yet there is always a limit. The man or
nation of high culture may acknowledge to great lengths the restraints
imposed by conventions and honour, but beyond a certain point primitive
will or desire cannot be curbed. Denied anything ardently desired, the
individual or state will argue and parley just so long - then, if the impelling
motive be sufficiently great, will cast aside every rule and break down
every acquired inhibition, plunging viciously after the object wished;
all the more fantastically savage because of previous repression. The sole
ultimate factor in human decisions is physical force. This we must learn,
however repugnant the idea may seem, if we are to protect ourselves and
our institutions. Reliance on anything else is fallacious and ruinous.
Dangerous beyond description are the voices sometimes heard today, decrying
the continuance of armament after the close of the present hostilities.
The specific application of the scientific truth regarding man's
native instincts will be found in the adoption of a post-bellum international
programme. Obviously, we must take into account the primordial substructure
and arrange for the upholding of culture by methods which will stand the
acid test of stress and conflicting ambitions. In disillusioned diplomacy,
ample armament, and universal military training alone will be found the
solution of the world's difficulties. It will not be a perfect solution,
because humanity is not perfect. It will not abolish war, because war is
the expression of a natural human tendency. But it will at least produce
an approximate stability of social and political conditions, and prevent
the menace of the entire world by the greed of any one of its constituent
parts.
