Page 214 - Encyclopedia Of World History Vol IV

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Herbert Spencer on Progress

A leading philosopher during the Victorian era, Her- organic progress consists in a change from the homo-
bert Spencer (1820–1903) was a proponent of social geneous to the heterogeneous.
Darwinism. In the extract below, he discusses how Now, we propose in the first place to show, that
progress and evolution are related. this law of organic progress is the law of all progress.
Whether it be in the development of the Earth, in the
In respect to that progress which individual organisms
development of Life upon its surface, the development
display in the course of their evolution, this question
of Society, of Government, of Manufactures, of Com-
has been answered by the Germans.The investigations
merce, of Language, Literature, Science,Art, this same
of Wolff, Goethe, and Van Baer have established the
evolution of the simple into the complex, through a
truth that the series of changes gone through during
process of continuous differentiation, holds through-
the development of a seed into a tree, or an ovum into
out. From the earliest traceable cosmical changes
an animal, constitute an advance from homogeneity of
down to the latest results of civilization, we shall find
structure to heterogeneity of structure. In its primary
that the transformation of the homogeneous into the
stage, every germ consists of a substance that is uni-
heterogeneous, is that in which Progress essentially
form throughout, both in texture and chemical com-
consists....
position. The first step in its development is the
Whether an advance from the homogeneous to
appearance of a difference between two parts of this
the heterogeneous is or is not displayed in the bio-
substance; or, as the phenomenon is described in
logical history of the globe, it is clearly enough dis-
physiological language—a differentiation. Each of
played in the progress of the latest and most het-
these differentiated divisions presently begins itself to
erogeneous creature—Man. It is alike true that,
exhibit some contrast of parts; and by these secondary
during the period in which the Earth has been peo-
differentiations become as definite as the original one.
pled, the human organism has become more hetero-
This progress is continuously repeated—is simultane-
geneous among the civilized divisions of the species
ously going on in all parts of the growing embryo; and
—and that the species, as a whole, has been grow-
by endless multiplication of these differentiations there
ing more heterogeneous in virtue of the multiplica-
is ultimately produced that complex combination of
tion of races and the differentiation of these races
tissues and organs constituting the adult animal or
from each other.
plant. This is the course of evolution followed by all
Source: Spencer, H. (1857). Progress: Its law and causes. The Westminster Review, 67,
organisms whatever. It is settled beyond dispute that 445–465.
transport for goods and people; and after 1837 electric have access to cheaper machine-made goods. Yet costs
telegraphs allowed instant communication, at first only were real too. Everywhere artisans found they could not
for a few, later for nearly anyone with an urgent mes- compete with machine-made products; and old-fash-
sage to send. ioned agrarian empires found that they had to allow
As significant novelties multiplied, it became obvious European goods, merchants, missionaries and soldiers to
that human lives and the whole structure of society was intrude on their territories more or less at will.The flood
changing as never before. Ever since a cascade of new of new products soon affected even the most remote
technologies, new products and new experiences has hunters and foragers whose ways of life were upset by
continued, and even accelerated, spreading from an ini- encounters with such items as iron tools and, not least,
tial focus in Great Britain and adjacent parts of Europe handguns.
quite literally around the earth. But looked at from the center of disturbance, the rapid
As always, new possibilities brought new risks and growth of wealth, population and political power that
damaged or destroyed old ways of life. Most of the time, Britain, France, Germany, and the United States all expe-
most people welcomed enlarged possibilities and liked to rienced between 1800 and 1914 seemed a thoroughly