Page:An Essay On Hinduism.pdf/147

A PERUSAL of the preceding discussion will give the readers some facts regarding the formation of Hinduism and also tendencies which will determine its future. It may do more. It may give the theory of social evolution as reflected in the history of one-sixth of the human race. For the convenience of the reader I recapitulate here the theoretical position from the preceding chapters with some additions.

There have been some theories regarding social evolution already put forth by many writers. Unfortunately many of those theories have been products of imagination unaided by sound historical research.

The words "social evolution" have been used in the meaning of the general progress of mankind. The special phase of the social evolution paid attention to here is the history of the formations of social groups.

The process which has taken place in the world may be summarized as follows.

Since the descent of man from the lower species human beings are migrating all over the world in search of maintenance. They migrate in tribes. Some people from these tribes separate from their brothers, and develop new tribes and new peculiarities, physical and cultural.