is
still instructive to find that among those peoples who live under the
most primitive conditions much the same state of things may be found as
among savages. This is notably the case as regards Russia. In no other
great European country do the bulk of the women marry at so early an
age, and in no other is the average size of the family so large. And,
concomitantly with a very high marriage-rate and a very high birth-rate,
we find in Russia, in an equally high degree, the prevalence among the
masses of infantile and general mortality, disease (epidemical and
other), starvation, misery.[125]

So far we scarcely see any marked connection between high fertility and
prosperity. It is more nearly indicated in the high birth-rate of
Hungary--only second to that of Russia, and also accompanied by a high
mortality--which is associated with the rapid and notable development of
a young nationality. The case of Hungary is, indeed, typical. In so far
as high fertility is associated with prosperity, it is with the
prosperity of a young and unstable community, which has experienced a
sudden increase of wealth and a sudden expansion. The case of Western
Australia illustrates the same point. Thirty years ago the marriage-rate
and the birth-rate of this colony were on the same level as those of the
other Australian colonies; but a sudden industrial expansion occurred,
both rates rose, and in 1899 the fertility of Western Australia was
higher than that of any other English-speaking community.[126]

If now we put together the facts observed in savage life and the facts
observed in civilized life, we shall begin to see the real nature of the
factors that operate to raise or lower the fertility of a community. It
is far, indeed, from being prosperity which produces a high fertility,
for the most wretched communities are the most prolific, but, on the
other hand, it is by no means the mere absence of prosperity which
produces fertility, for we constantly observe that the on-coming of a
wave of prosperity elevates the birth-rate. In both cases alike it is
the absence of social-economic restraints which conduces to high
fertility. In the simple, primitive community of savages, serfs, or
slaves, there is no restraint on either nutritive or reproductive
enjoyments; there is no adequate motive for restraint; there are no
claims of future wants to inhibit the gratification of present wants;
there are no high standards, no ideals. Supposing, agai