loria] social anthropology—a review 289
the program of the reform policy, such as clearly emanates from the anthropologic doctrines above set forth. It is in truth a somewhat complicated program ; and the very multitude of remedies pro- posed might lead one to infer that modern society, after all, does not enjoy such robust health as the author affirms. From the rich bouquet of his social reforms we will cull only a few flowers, of the fragrance of which we will leave the reader to judge.
First of all, everyone might know beforehand that Ammon is an ardent opponent of universal suffrage, which represents the negation of the survival of the fittest, since it accords to the unintelligent masses an undue influence over public affairs. On the other hand, he is a friend of war, which he regards as a powerful instrument of selection, inasmuch as (shades of Mameli and Korner, pardon the blasphemy ! ) on the battle- field only the worse elements of society die, while the better ones come forth from it unharmed, and because the sons born after wars are more vigorous and strong than those who are born in days of peace. In the same way the author advocates all methods of eliminating the heterogeneous and inferior elements from the population ; hence he does not disguise his sympathy for the persecution of the Hebrews in Russia, which once more proves the superiority of the despotic rule over the democratic rule which afflicts us.
Let it not be thought, however, that Ammon's Darwinism renders him averse to measures intended to benefit the poor classes. If the fate of society, according to his thesis, is ex- clusively committed to the rural population, it is absolutely necessary that the legislator shall take care that the agricultural population be prosperous and vigorous ; in other words, a sound social evolution cannot be attained except by means of agrarian political philanthropy. Let the economic condition of the country people, therefore, be improved, and greatly so ; not by means of their own initiative, but by the generous patronage of the great landowners and the cultured classes. Meantime, in
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