The War and The Breed by David Starr Jordan.
The Relations of War to the Downfall of Nations
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Priory of Salem, Institute of Peace Studies
War and the Breed: The Relation of War to the Downfall of Nations by David Starr Jordan, published in 1915. This is a book that explores the effects of war on human evolution, society, and civilization. Here is a summary of the main points of the book:
• The author argues that war is a destructive force that eliminates the best and brightest of the human race (in most societies), leaving behind the weak and unfit. He calls this process “reversed selection”, as it is the opposite of natural selection, which favors the survival of the fittest.
• The author provides various examples of how war has caused the decline or extinction of nations, races, and civilizations, such as the ancient Greeks, Romans, Persians, Egyptians, and others. He also examines the impact of war on modern Europe, especially the First World War, which he considers a “crime against humanity”.
• The author proposes that the only way to prevent war and its consequences is to promote peace and cooperation among nations, through education, arbitration, international law, and democracy. He also advocates for the improvement of the human breed, through eugenics, hygiene, and social reform.
TABLE DES MATIÈRES
I. INTRODUCTION i
II. FACTORS IN ORGANIC EVOLUTION . . 3
Organic Evolution 3
Variation . • 4
Heredity 5
Selection 7
Segregation 9
Reversal of Selection 10
III. HUMAN GENETICS 12
Nature and Nurture 12
Meaning of Human Progress 14
Blood Will Tell 15
Artificial Selection 16
Return of the Fairies 17
Value of Individual Initiative 19
Law of Quetelet 22
Workings of Primogeniture 23
Effects of Race Poisons 25
Racial Loss through Emigration …. 27
Racial Loss through Immigration …. 28
Racial Inequality 32
IV. THE WAR SYSTEM AND MILITARISM . . 34
The War System 34
Militarism 38
Militarism and Industrialism 41
Militarism and Private Right 42
Militarism and Nationality 45
V. THE WAR SYSTEM AND RACE SELECTION 47
Franklin’s Views 47
Other Early Observations 49
Novicow and Richet 52
War as Race Suicide 57
War and Stature 61
Ammon’s Argument 67
Observations of La Pouge 69
Traumatic Neurosis 73
Hrdlicka’s Observations 73
Battlefield Infections 77
Losses in War 79
Are there Compensations? 82
Ruskin’s Testimony 88
Social Darwinism 90
Do We Exaggerate? 98
VI. MILITARY CONSCRIPTION . . . . . . loi
The Nation in Arms . , loi
Compulsory Service loi
Military Drill as Physical Training . . .104
The Boy Scouts 108
The Australian Plan 109
Eugenics of Conscription no
VII. THE WAR SYSTEM AND WOMEN . . . n8
Selection among Women 118
The Barbaric Drop 119
Womanhood and War 120
War Brides 123
Excess of Women after War 126
VIII. WAR SELECTION IN THE ANCIENT
WORLD 128
The Fall of Rome 128
Seeck’s Interpretation 134
Effects of Race Crossing 138
CONTENU
PACE
Greece 141
Macedonia 146
Samarkand 148
IX. MILITARISM AND WAR SELECTION IN
WESTERN EUROPE 150
France 150
Spain 161
Paraguay 163
Germany 164
X. MILITARISM AND WAR SELECTION IN
GREAT BRITAIN 172
Cost of Empire 172
The Picked Half Million 178
Tommy Atkins 183
The Non-resistants 184
Scotland 185
XL THE UNITED STATES AND WAR . . .190
War Selection and the Republic …. 190
War’s Aftermath in Virginia 194
XIL DOES HUMAN NATURE CHANGE? . . .199
How Human Nature Changes 199
The Visionary in History 201
XIIL AFTER WAR, WHAT? 215
APPENDICE
A The Long Cost of War : Saleeby . .
B Military Training in the Schools: Impey
C Military Service in Germany: Villard .
D Military Service in France: Guerard .
E A Digression on Uniforms: Gardiner .
223
223
225
230
234
24s
CONTENU
PAGE
F The Queen’s Daughters in India: Andrew and
BusHNELL 246
G SiMPLICIUS SiMPLICISSIMUS: Grimmelshausen . 250
H Decline of German Literature in the Thir-
teenth Century: Rendtorff 252
I Peace and Degeneracy: Irwin 264
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