Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 2.djvu/482

 468 THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF SOCIOLOGY

Mr. Adams' theory, his "law of civilization and decay," as he styles it, the dismalest product of the "dismal science "up to date, is thus stated: "The law of force and energy is of universal applica- tion in nature. Animal life is one of the outlets through which solar energy is dissipated." Here, of course, Mr. Adams stands upon a generally accepted principle of physical science, and no issue is to be raised. But the next proposition presents only a half truth. "As human societies are forms of animal life, these societies must differ among themselves in energy in proportion as nature has endowed them more or less abundantly with energetic material."

With proper qualifications, exception could hardly be taken to this statement. But in his next proposition Mr. Adams appears as a thor- oughgoing materialist.

"Thought is one of the manifestations of human energy, and among the earlier and simpler phases of thought two stand conspicu- ous fear and greed. Fear, which by stimulating the imagination creates a belief in an invisible world, and ultimately develops a priest- hood ; and greed, which dissipates energy in war and trade " (preface, p. vii).

That is, Mr. Adams finds the source of all kinds of human activ- ity, moral and spiritual Mr. Adams will pardon the use of the word as well as physical, in solar energy. This solar energy, under the delicate alchemy of "fear and greed" operating in the laboratory of the human breast, is transmuted into the myriad motives, activities, and results of modern civilization.

In applying these principles to the progress of civilization, Mr. Adams finds a series of constantly recurring cycles. In each cycle there is, first, a period of accumulation or hoarding. Among primi- tive men fear, operating upon the imagination, creates a belief in deity, while greed in those who represent deity enables them to plunder the superstitious and to amass vast hoards of wealth, represented in shrines, temples, cathedrals, and monastic establishments. Among more advanced people the martial spirit displaces the imagination. The soldier supplants the priest. Greed, however, determines the lines of activity, and martial energy expresses itself in centralization. Such vast agglomerations of power as are represented by the Roman Empire, or the monarchy of the Bourbons, are the results of greed amassing wealth through the martial spirit. In more advanced times the mar- tial spirit gives way to the economic. The result is the same. The