Anycommunitymaybeviewedasanindustrialoreconomicmechanism，thestructureofwhichismadeupofwhatiscalleditseconomicinstitutions。Theseinstitutionsarehabitualmethodsofcarryingonthelifeprocessofthecommunityincontactwiththematerialenvironmentinwhichitlives。Whengivenmethodsofunfoldinghumanactivityinthisgivenenvironmenthavebeenelaboratedinthisway，thelifeofthecommunitywillexpressitselfwithsomefacilityinthesehabitualdirections。Thecommunitywillmakeuseoftheforcesoftheenvironmentforthepurposesofitslifeaccordingtomethodslearnedinthepastandembodiedintheseinstitutions。Butaspopulationincreases，andasmen’sknowledgeandskillindirectingtheforcesofnaturewiden，thehabitualmethodsofrelationbetweenthemembersofthegroup，andthehabitualmethodofcarryingonthelifeprocessofthegroupasawhole，nolongergivethesameresultasbefore；noraretheresultingconditionsoflifedistributedandapportionedinthesamemannerorwiththesameeffectamongthevariousmembersasbefore。Iftheschemeaccordingtowhichthelifeprocessofthegroupwascarriedonundertheearlierconditionsgaveapproximatelythehighestattainableresult——underthecircumstances——inthewayofefficiencyorfacilityofthelifeprocessofthegroup；
thenthesameschemeoflifeunalteredwillnotyieldthehighestresultattainableinthisrespectunderthealteredconditions。
Underthealteredconditionsofpopulation，skill，andknowledge，thefacilityoflifeascarriedonaccordingtothetraditionalschememaynotbelowerthanundertheearlierconditions；butthechancesarealwaysthatitislessthanmightheiftheschemewerealteredtosuitthealteredconditions。
Thegroupismadeupofindividuals，andthegroup’slifeisthelifeofindividualscarriedoninatleastostensibleseveralty。Thegroup’sacceptedschemeoflifeistheconsensusofviewsheldbythebodyoftheseindividualsastowhatisright，good，expedient，andbeautifulinthewayofhumanlife。
Intheredistributionoftheconditionsoflifethatcomesofthealteredmethodofdealingwiththeenvironment，theoutcomeisnotanequablechangeinthefacilityoflifethroughoutthegroup。Thealteredconditionsmayincreasethefacilityoflifeforthegroupasawhole，buttheredistributionwillusuallyresultinadecreaseoffacilityorfullnessoflifeforsomemembersofthegroup。Anadvanceintechnicalmethods，inpopulation，orinindustrialorganizationwillrequireatleastsomeofthemembersofthecommunitytochangetheirhabitsoflife，iftheyaretoenterwithfacilityandeffectintothealteredindustrialmethods；andindoingsotheywillbeunabletoliveuptothereceivednotionsastowhataretherightandbeautifulhabitsoflife。
Anyonewhoisrequiredtochangehishabitsoflifeandhishabitualrelationstohisfellowmenwillfeelthediscrepancybetweenthemethodofliferequiredofhimbythenewlyarisenexigencies，andthetraditionalschemeoflifetowhichheisaccustomed。Itistheindividualsplacedinthispositionwhohavetheliveliestincentivetoreconstructthereceivedschemeoflifeandaremostreadilypersuadedtoacceptnewstandards；
anditisthroughtheneedofthemeansoflivelihoodthatmenareplacedinsuchaposition。Thepressureexertedbytheenvironmentuponthegroup，andmakingforareadjustmentofthegroup’sschemeoflife，impingesuponthemembersofthegroupintheformofpecuniaryexigencies；anditisowingtothisfact——
thatexternalforcesareingreatparttranslatedintotheformofpecuniaryoreconomicexigencies——itisowingtothisfactthatwecansaythattheforceswhichcounttowardareadjustmentofinstitutionsinanymodernindustrialcommunityarechieflyeconomicforces；ormorespecifically，theseforcestaketheformofpecuniarypressure。Suchareadjustmentasisherecontemplatedissubstantiallyachangeinmen’sviewsastowhatisgoodandright，andthemeansthroughwhichachangeiswroughtinmen’sapprehensionofwhatisgoodandrightisinlargepartthepressureofpecuniaryexigencies。
Anychangeinmen’sviewsastowhatisgoodandrightinhumanlifemakeitswaybuttardilyatthebest。Especiallyisthistrueofanychangeinthedirectionofwhatiscalledprogress；thatistosay，inthedirectionofdivergencefromthearchaicposition——fromthepositionwhichmaybeaccountedthepointofdepartureatanystepinthesocialevolutionofthecommunity。Retrogression，reapproachtoastandpointtowhichtheracehasbeenlonghabituatedinthepast，iseasier。Thisisespeciallytrueincasethedevelopmentawayfromthispaststandpointhasnotbeenduechieflytoasubstitutionofanethnictypewhosetemperamentisalientotheearlierstandpoint。
TheculturalstagewhichliesimmediatelybackofthepresentinthelifehistoryofWesterncivilizationiswhathasherebeencalledthequasi-peaceablestage。Atthisquasi-peaceablestagethelawofstatusisthedominantfeatureintheschemeoflife。
Thereisnoneedofpointingouthowpronethemenoftodayaretoreverttothespiritualattitudeofmasteryandofpersonalsubserviencewhichcharacterizesthatstage。Itmayratherbesaidtobeheldinanuncertainabeyancebytheeconomicexigenciesoftoday，thantohavebeendefinitelysupplantedbyahabitofmindthatisinfullaccordwiththeselater-developedexigencies。Thepredatoryandquasi-peaceablestagesofeconomicevolutionseemtohavebeenoflongdurationinlifehistoryofallthechiefethnicelementswhichgotomakeupthepopulationsoftheWesternculture。Thetemperamentandthepropensitiespropertothoseculturalstageshave，therefore，attainedsuchapersistenceastomakeaspeedyreversiontothebroadfeaturesofthecorrespondingpsychologicalconstitutioninevitableinthecaseofanyclassorcommunitywhichisremovedfromtheactionofthoseforcesthatmakeforamaintenanceofthelater-developedhabitsofthought。
Itisamatterofcommonnotorietythatwhenindividuals，orevenconsiderablegroupsofmen，aresegregatedfromahigherindustrialcultureandexposedtoalowerculturalenvironment，ortoaneconomicsituationofamoreprimitivecharacter，theyquicklyshowevidenceofreversiontowardthespiritualfeatureswhichcharacterizethepredatorytype；anditseemsprobablethatthedolicho-blondtypeofEuropeanmanispossessedofagreaterfacilityforsuchreversiontobarbarismthantheotherethnicelementswithwhichthattypeisassociatedintheWesternculture。Examplesofsuchareversiononasmallscaleaboundinthelaterhistoryofmigrationandcolonization。Exceptforthefearofoffendingthatchauvinisticpatriotismwhichissocharacteristicafeatureofthepredatoryculture，andthepresenceofwhichisfrequentlythemoststrikingmarkofreversioninmoderncommunities，thecaseoftheAmericancoloniesmightbecitedasanexampleofsuchareversiononanunusuallylargescale，thoughitwasnotareversionofverylargescope。
Theleisureclassisingreatmeasureshelteredfromthe躩躶tressofthoseeconomicexigencieswhichprevailinanymodem，highlyorganizedindustrialcommunity。Theexigenciesofthestruggleforthemeansoflifearelessexactingforthisclassthanforanyother；andasaconsequenceofthisprivilegedpositionweshouldexpecttofinditoneoftheleastresponsiveoftheclassesofsocietytothedemandswhichthesituationmakesforafurthergrowthofinstitutionsandareadjustmenttoanalteredindustrialsituation。Theleisureclassistheconservativeclass。Theexigenciesofthegeneraleconomicsituationofthecommunitydonotfreelyordirectlyimpingeuponthemembersofthisclass。Theyarenotrequiredunderpenaltyofforfeituretochangetheirhabitsoflifeandtheirtheoreticalviewsoftheexternalworldtosuitthedemandsofanalteredindustrialtechnique，sincetheyarenotinthefullsenseanorganicpartoftheindustrialcommunity。Thereforetheseexigenciesdonotreadilyproduce，inthemembersofthisclass，thatdegreeofuneasinesswiththeexistingorderwhichalonecanleadanybodyofmentogiveupviewsandmethodsoflifethathavebecomehabitualtothem。Theofficeoftheleisureclassinsocialevolutionistoretardthemovementandtoconservewhatisobsolescent。Thispropositionisbynomeansnovel；ithaslongbeenoneofthecommonplacesofpopularopinion。
Theprevalentconvictionthatthewealthyclassisbynatureconservativehasbeenpopularlyacceptedwithoutmuchaidfromanytheoreticalviewastotheplaceandrelationofthatclassintheculturaldevelopment。Whenanexplanationofthisclassconservatismisoffered，itiscommonlytheinvidiousonethatthewealthyclassopposesinnovationbecauseithasavestedinterest，ofanunworthysort，inmaintainingthepresentconditions。Theexplanationhereputforwardimputesnounworthymotive。Theoppositionoftheclasstochangesintheculturalschemeisinstinctive，anddoesnotrestprimarilyonaninterestedcalculationofmaterialadvantages；itisaninstinctiverevulsionatanydeparturefromtheacceptedwayofdoingandoflookingatthings——arevulsioncommontoallmenandonlytobeovercomebystressofcircumstances。Allchangeinhabitsoflifeandofthoughtisirksome。Thedifferenceinthisrespectbetweenthewealthyandthecommonrunofmankindliesnotsomuchinthemotivewhichpromptstoconservatismasinthedegreeofexposuretotheeconomicforcesthaturgeachange。Themembersofthewealthyclassdonotyieldtothedemandforinnovationasreadilyasothermenbecausetheyarenotconstrainedtodoso。
Thisconservatismofthewealthyclassissoobviousafeaturethatithasevencometoberecognizedasamarkofrespectability。Sinceconservatismisacharacteristicofthewealthierandthereforemorereputableportionofthecommunity，ithasacquiredacertainhonorificordecorativevalue。Ithasbecomeprescriptivetosuchanextentthatanadherencetoconservativeviewsiscomprisedasamatterofcourseinournotionsofrespectability；anditisimperativelyincumbentonallwhowouldleadablamelesslifeinpointofsocialrepute。
Conservatism，beinganupper-classcharacteristic，isdecorous；
andconversely，innovation，beingalower-classphenomenon，isvulgar。Thefirstandmostunreflectedelementinthatinstinctiverevulsionandreprobationwithwhichweturnfromallsocialinnovatorsisthissenseoftheessentialvulgarityofthething。Sothatevenincaseswhereonerecognizesthesubstantialmeritsofthecaseforwhichtheinnovatorisspokesman——asmayeasilyhappeniftheevilswhichheseekstoremedyaresufficientlyremoteinpointoftimeorspaceorpersonalcontact——stillonecannotbutbesensibleofthefactthattheinnovatorisapersonwithwhomitisatleastdistastefultobeassociated，andfromwhosesocialcontactonemustshrink。
Innovationisbadform。
Thefactthattheusages，actions，andviewsofthewell-to-doleisureclassacquirethecharacterofaprescriptivecanonofconductfortherestofsociety，givesaddedweightandreachtotheconservativeinfluenceofthatclass。Itmakesitincumbentuponallreputablepeopletofollowtheirlead。Sothat，byvirtueofitshighpositionastheavatarofgoodform，thewealthierclasscomestoexertaretardinginfluenceuponsocialdevelopmentfarinexcessofthatwhichthesimplenumericalstrengthoftheclasswouldassignit。Itsprescriptiveexampleactstogreatlystiffentheresistanceofallotherclassesagainstanyinnovation，andtofixmen’saffectionsuponthegoodinstitutionshandeddownfromanearliergeneration。
Thereisasecondwayinwhichtheinfluenceoftheleisureclassactsinthesamedirection，sofarasconcernshindrancetotheadoptionofaconventionalschemeoflifemoreinaccordwiththeexigenciesofthetime。Thissecondmethodofupperclassguidanceisnotinstrictconsistencytobebroughtunderthesamecategoryastheinstinctiveconservatismandaversiontonewmodesofthoughtjustspokenof；butitmayaswellbedealtwithhere，sinceithasatleastthismuchincommonwiththeconservativehabitofmindthatitactstoretardinnovationandthegrowthofsocialstructure。Thecodeofproprieties，conventionalities，andusagesinvogueatanygiventimeandamonganygivenpeoplehasmoreorlessofthecharacterofanorganicwhole；sothatanyappreciablechangeinonepointoftheschemeinvolvessomethingofachangeorreadjustmentatotherpointsalso，ifnotareorganizationallalongtheline。Whenachangeismadewhichimmediatelytouchesonlyaminorpointinthescheme，theconsequentderangementofthestructureofconventionalitiesmaybeinconspicuous；buteveninsuchacaseitissafetosaythatsomederangementofthegeneralscheme，moreorlessfar-reaching，willfollow。Ontheotherhand，whenanattemptedreforminvolvesthesuppressionorthorough-goingremodellingofaninstitutionoffirst-rateimportanceintheconventionalscheme，itisimmediatelyfeltthataseriousderangementoftheentireschemewouldresult；itisfeltthatareadjustmentofthestructuretothenewformtakenonbyoneofitschiefelementswouldbeapainfulandtedious，ifnotadoubtfulprocess。
Inordertorealizethedifficultywhichsucharadicalchangeinanyonefeatureoftheconventionalschemeoflifewouldinvolve，itisonlynecessarytosuggestthesuppressionofthemonogamicfamily，oroftheagnaticsystemofconsanguinity，orofprivateproperty，orofthetheisticfaith，inanycountryoftheWesterncivilization；orsupposethesuppressionofancestorworshipinChina，orofthecastesysteminindia，orofslaveryinAfrica，ortheestablishmentofequalityofthesexesinMohammedancountries。Itneedsnoargumenttoshowthatthederangementofthegeneralstructureofconventionalitiesinanyofthesecaseswouldbeveryconsiderable。Inordertoeffectsuchaninnovationaveryfar-reachingalterationofmen’shabitsofthoughtwouldbeinvolvedalsoatotherpointsoftheschemethantheoneimmediatelyinquestion。Theaversiontoanysuchinnovationamountstoashrinkingfromanessentiallyalienschemeoflife。