ABSTRACT
History within nations consists of the struggle of the individual against government; and between nations, of the free economy against the closed economy. These are two aspects of the same process. The primitive life of humanity is a unique phase of natural history, being occupied with the effort of man to master his environment instead of merely adapting himself to it. The use of fire, of hunting weapons, and the taming of animals, come under this head. When he has succeeded in such direct contacts, the next step is to begin changing his environment, by cultivation of the soil, by building permanent shelter and storage, and finally by contriving mechanism for the conversion of energy; these call for time-space organization by delegating authority. But since such authority can only be prohibitive, the problem is to keep this repressive agency subordinate to the creative faculty. The difficulty is enormous; an advanced understanding of engineering principles is required for its solution. In default, the class system developed, an order which places the whole community under arrest, * estops energy at the source, and restricts it to a local circuit. Original thought therefore becomes a crime, because it would release energy. Even in a high culture with a class system, the repressive principle exhibits its character by imposing the death penalty for unauthorized opinion, as heresy or treason.
