Principles of western civilisation

438 WESTERN CIVILISATION CHAP.

government and systems of religion, and under every phase of ethical development. He has exploited all opportunities, all natural resources, and all conditions of human society and of human labour. And the ruling principle has been everywhere the same ; that of self-interest in an uncontrolled competition for private gain. Capital in pursuit of this object has, therefore, professed no principle and acknowledged no responsibility. ‘“‘ We have no commission,” said Cobden, with emphasis, “‘ to administer justice to the world.” The dissociation of collective sense of responsibility from the operations of the international trader has been practically complete.

As this third phase of the competitive era gradually advances towards its climax the interest deepens. The conditions of feverish activity in every department of trade and commerce which have followed the application by Great Britain and the United States to their affairs of the conception of Jaissez-faire competition in international trade, have in time affected all the advanced peoples. And, despite all prevailing exceptions, the spirit proceeding from these conditions must, as we have said, be considered to be the distinctive and characteristic quality in the ascendant in modern commercialism throughout the world.

If we look now at the result, it may already be distinguished to be in all respects the complement and sequel of the two phases of economic development already described. The immensity of the stage upon which the world-wide development is in progress here also obscures, for a time, and toa far greater degree than in the other phases, the ruling principles of the situation. But slowly, as the

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