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. 25.
Gradually encroach can, the territory of the dying.., " (I)
was felt that the. rulo of great Empires would replace the
myriad of email nationalities; this felling was perhaps promoted
by the consolidation of large otatee in Europe with the
emergence of the German Empire and Italian unification. The
theory was further refined by the notion that evolutionary
struggle equalled progress and was therefore an indisputably
good thing, ". "Unleco the vigorous nation or race can continue
an throughout history to expand and grow stronger at the expense
of the decaying nation or race, the fundamental condition of
human advance will not be fulfilled$ and a state of stagnancy
ending in social death, will be substituted for a statu of
progreao. t" (2)
In practice this meant that war was a necessary
element in progooa . "It at any given period in the pact, war
could have been abolichod... social evolution must have boon
arrested$ because the only practicable means of affecting
change among nations and states would have been removed. " (3)
If Britain refused an Imperial destiny the o lg alternative
would be the status of a fourth class powert to be classed with
the weak, decaying nations instead of with the strong,, - "To be
a second Holland or a greater Uritann, - ouch seems to be the
(1) J. A, S. Grenville, Or eit, ppa. 165 6.
(2)_ 1dinftt oath Cnnturvl February 1899, ppa. 216-225v H# F, Wyatt,,
" 4Ar res a toot at national value" p. 222.
(3) Xbidy p«218.
It