Social Adjustment

by Scott Nearing

SOCIAL ADJUSTMENT

THE MACMILLAN COMPANY
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MACMILLAN & CO., Limited
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THE MACMILLAN CO. OF CANADA, Ltd.
TORONTO

SOCIAL ADJUSTMENT

BY

SCOTT NEARING, Ph.D.

WHARTON SCHOOL, UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA

Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy, Graduate School, University of Pennsylvania

New York
THE MACMILLAN COMPANY
1916

All rights reserved

Copyright, 1911
By THE MACMILLAN COMPANY.

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Set up and electrotyped. Published January, 1911. Reprinted February, 1912; October, 1913; July, 1914; December, 1915; November 1916.

Norwood Press
J. S. Cushing Co.—Berwick & Smith Co.
Norwood, Mass., U.S.A.

To

N. M. S.

in grateful recognition

of

assistance

encouragement

inspiration

FOREWORD

There are three popular beliefs which rise like mountain chains across the trail of progress. The first is the belief that things are sacred because they are old, or, conversely, that things are dangerous because they are new. The second is the belief that the submerged class wants to be submerged; that it enjoys dark rooms and revels in filthy alleys; that it gloats over insanitary plumbing and thrives upon malnutrition. The third, no less preposterous, is the belief that the submerged class is poverty-stricken because it is degenerate; that those who wish can rise; and that the fact of their remaining submerged is proof conclusive that they are innately incapable of improvement.

This book marks, I hope, one step in the advance of scientific truth that is being directed against these mountain chains of misbelief. In the course of the work I have attempted to make seven points:—

1. That maladjustment exists in numerous virulent forms, in many parts of the United States.
2. That maladjustment is (1) due to economic causes, (2) involving social cost, and (3) remediable through social action.
3. That maladjustment can be, and in many instances is being, eliminated by efficient education plus wise remedial legislation.
4. That the vast majority of children are born normal and are made abnormal, degenerate, and diseased by their defective environment.
5. That recent investigations demonstrate conclusively that the proportion of genius, mediocrity, and defect does not vary materially

from one social class to another, and hence all are capable of the same uplift.

1. That progress is impossible so long as society maintains the fatalistic viewpoint which condemns men because of the sins of the fathers and is blind to the transgressions of the brothers.
2. And finally, that it is through the promulgation of the new view of the universality of human capacity, the remediability of maladjustment, and the advantages of universalized opportunity, that maladjustment will eventually be eliminated and adjustment secured.

Could this book succeed but a little in showing that old things are often old only because they are traditional, or, conversely, that in the evolution of new things lies social salvation; that the "submerged tenth" is submerged because of ignorance and low wages; and that the community abounds in latent ability which awaits the opportunity for development,—it will accomplish an office of untold value, turning men forever away from outgrown creeds, and leading them to a vision of social coöperation and adjustment.

SCOTT NEARING.

Arden, Delaware,
October, 1910.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER I PAGE Social Adjustment I. The Purpose of Adjustment II. The Tradition of Adjustment III. The Modern View of Adjustment IV. Ideal and Normal V. The Measure of Adjustment VI. The Possibility of Adjustment VII. The Theory of Universal Human Capacity VIII. Universal Capacity an Established Fact IX. The New Basis for Opportunity X. Opportunity and Adjustment CHAPTER II Maladjustment and Social Cost I. Maladjustment II. Classification of Maladjustment III. Maladjustment and Adjustment IV. Social Cost V. Social Responsibility CHAPTER III Uniformity in Public Education I. The Early Basis of Education. II. The New Basis of Education III. Educational Uniformity and Modern Industry. IV. The Measure of the School System's Failure V. Illiteracy VI. School Mortality VII. Child Labor VIII. Lack of Preparedness for Life IX. The Remedy X. Educational Differentiation CHAPTER IV Low Wages and Standards I. The Standard at Perth Amboy II. The Standard in Pittsburg III. Underfed Children IV. Low Standard Families V. A Minimum Standard of Living VI. Wages in the United States VII. American City Wages and Standards VIII. The "Single Man" Standard of Wages IX. Low Standards replace High Standards X. Remedies for Low Standards XI. The Minimum Wage XII. Education and Low Standards CHAPTER V Congestion of Population I. The Congestion Problem II. The Causes of Congestion III. The Effects of Congestion IV. Congestion and Mortality V. Remedies for Congestion VI. City Planning. VII. City Planning in the United States. VIII. Housing Legislation IX. A Redistribution of Labor X. Restriction of Immigration XI. Education and Congestion CHAPTER VI The Dependence of Women I. The Tradition of Dependence. II. Dependence in Modern Society III. Dependence in Industry IV. Dependence of Women and Social Cost V. The Causes of Dependence VI. Woman's Possibilities VII. Women and the Future CHAPTER VII The Menace of Large Families I. The Prevalence of Large Families II. Large Families and Family Welfare III. Large Families and Social Cost IV. Advantages of Small Families. V. An Income Measure of Population CHAPTER VIII The Decadence of the American Home Some Aspects of Modern Home Life The Old Type Home The Decadence of the Old Home IV. The American Home in the Nineteenth Century V. Inventions and the Home VI. The Home and Social Cost VII. The Ideal Home CHAPTER IX Duration of the Working Life I. Desirability of a Lengthened Life II. The Length of Life in Modern Society III. Length of the Working Life IV. The Increasing Length of Life V. The Possible Length of Life VI. A Longer Working Life CHAPTER X Overwork I. The Nature of Overwork II. Long Working Hours III. Speeding Up IV. The Modern Theory of Fatigue V. The Effects of Fatigue VI. Short Hours as a Remedy for Overwork CHAPTER XI Dangerous Trades I. What is a Dangerous Trade? II. Dust and its Effects III. Lead Poisoning IV. English Legislation V. Dangerless Trades CHAPTER XII Industrial Accidents I. What is an Industrial Accident? II. Railroad Accidents III. Coal Mine Accidents IV. Factory Accidents V. The Extent of Industrial Accidents VI. Industrial Accidents and Social Cost VII. The Incidence of Accidents VIII. Remedies for Industrial Accidents IX. The Elimination of Accident Cost CHAPTER XIII Child Labor I. Some Aspects of the Problem. II. The Extent of Child Labor III. Child Labor and the Child IV. The Social Cost of Child Labor V. The Industrial Waste of Child Labor VI. The Causes of Child Labor VII. The Remedy CHAPTER XIV Unemployment I. The Extent of Unemployment II. Personal Causes of Unemployment III. Industrial Causes of Unemployment IV. Personal Effects of Unenployment V. Social Effects of Unemployment VI. Unemployment Remedies VII. Unemployment as a Maladjustment CHAPTER XV Educational Remedies for Maladjustment I. General Scope of Educational Remedies II. The Decline of Church Influence III. Trade-unions as an Educational Force IV. The Educative Influence of Social Panaceas V. The Educative Influence of Reform Movements VI. Philanthropy and Education VII. Journalism and Authorship VIII. The Educative Machinery of the School IX. The School—the Basis of Reform CHAPTER XVI Legislative Remedies for Maladjustment I. The Philosophy of Social Legislation II. The Necessity for Legislation III. The Form of Legislation. IV. The Social Expert V. The Execution of Public Opinion VI. The Necessity for Legislative Uniformity CHAPTER XVII THE METHODS OF SOCIAL ADJUSTMENT I. The Problem II. The Causes of Maladjustment III. Adjustment is Normal and Attainable IV. The Factors in Adjustment V. Methods for the Elimination of Maladjustment VI. The Labor Union VII. Reform Movements VIII. Social Panaceas IX. Philanthropy X. The Fundamental Elements in a Program of Adjustment