Page:American Anthropologist NS vol. 22.djvu/43

 GOLDENWEISER] A NEW APPROACH TO HISTORY 31

Now, this

close dependence of history upon the irregularities of the surface of the earth (p. 47) [is exemplified in] another aspect of homogeneity, which is, that the political organizations dealt with in history have all come into being at definite and restricted spots, from which, subsequently they have expanded (p. 48).

It will thus be seen that the inquiry is henceforth limited "to the beginnings of political organization" (p. 49). Furthermore,

this determinant influence of routes has been dependent upon the presence of human beings, ... it comes into play only in case of the movement of peoples [migrations]. Hence the origin of these movements becomes a matter of primary importance, more particularly as the homogeneity of history is further exhibited in the dependence of these movements of migrations upon man's physical sur- roundings (pp. 52-3).

The environmental feature responsible for such migrations finally is shown to consist in destructive changes of climate (pp. 68-75). The cycle of constants thus brought to light may now be schema- tized as follows: pressure of deficient food supply brought about through destructive changes of climate; migration; friction with preexisting populations at a geographically conditioned terminus of the route of travel taken by the migration; emergence of political organization. This successive series is again resolvable into two causal constants: I, the relation of migration to certain adverse climatic conditions; and 2, the relation of political organization to migration plus certain specific geographical conditions.

In examining point (i) 1 it may be admitted from the outset

1 Two subsidiary points in the author's argument must be met here. The first refers to the balance of population in primitive conditions which, according to the author, "in normal stable conditions remains stationary; . . . among primitive peoples there is no "national increase" which would lead inevitably to migrations" (p. 64). In this connection the prevalence and importance of infanticide is emphasized. Now, while it will be time enough to examine the author's evidence when it is produced, it may not be amiss to state right here that Professor Teggart's assertion that "infanti- cide, the killing of new-born infants, has been practised universally throughout the world (p. 58) is not supported by ethnological experience, within the knowledge of the reviewer. As to the alleged absence of the "natural increase " in primitive populations, it is worth notice that whereas in aboriginal Australia, the South Sea area, and the two Americas the density of population has for exceedingly long periods remained on a level incomparably below modern standards, the population of primitive Africa has increased to a degree which, barring the populations of modern cities, may well stand comparison with many areas in civilization. The author's second point refers to

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