The Struggle for Existence

Abstract

DARWIN attributed organic evolution chiefly to the combined action of variation and the struggle for existence, primarily the competitive struggle. This involves certain difficulties. First, the factors named tend to mutual exclusion—the more variation the less struggle. Secondly, were there no variation, competition would be intense but barren; were variation so discontinuous as to exclude competition, many certainly of the variants would perish, but others would prosper, and since there would be greater variety than under competitive conditions, there would also be more abundant life and perhaps greater evolutionary progress. Thus, where competition is greatest the results for evolution are nil; where the results are greatest competition is absent.