An adamant fan of Darwin, F.W. Headley attempts to argue the difficulties of believing in Socialism and Darwinism simultaneously and highlights issues which could prevent Socialism from being put into practice. Originally published in 1909, this study uses examples of communities in countries such as England and India to illustrate Headley's key belief that societies only function well if they do not interfere with the fight for existence and natural selection. This title will be of interest to students of Philosophy, Sociology and Anthropology.

Part 1: Introductory; 1. Societies Animal and Human; Part 2: Socialism in the Past; 2. The Family 3.The Village Community in India 4. The Russian Mir 5. The Village Community in England; Part 3: The Growth of Individualism; 6. The Black Death and its Consequences 7. The Tudor Period 8. The Eighteenth Century; Part 4: Modern Social Problems; 9. Natural Selection among Civilised Peoples 10. Industrial Competition and its Regulation by the State 11. Trade Unions 12. The Business Capacity of Governments 13. The Business Capacity of Municipal Corporations 14. Saving and Interest 15. National Debts 16. Local Indebtedness 17. Railway Finances 18. Accumulations of Capital 19. Great Trading Combinations 20. The Land Question 21. The Capitalist Class and the Labour Class 22. The Theoretic Basis of Socialism 23. The Power of the State 24. Socialism Tends to Destroy Itself 25. The Old Socialism and the New 26. Conclusion