Meliorism

But the tendency of the present day is undoubtedly in the direction of that cheerful though not optimistic view of life which George Eliot called Meliorism, or the belief that though a perfect state may be unattainable, yet an indefinitely extended improvement in the conditions of existence may be looked for, and that sufficient satisfaction for human energy and desire may be found in the endeavour to contribute to it.

The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume 11: New Mexico-Philip 1840-1916 1913

Meliorism in massquantities, raffling receipts and sharing sweepstakes till navel, spokes and felloes hum like hymn.

Finnegans Wake 2006

Meliorism, -- the desire to better the conditions of life for themselves and for their children -- animated them.

The American Empire Scott Nearing 1933

Meliorism treats salvation as neither inevitable nor impossible.

Pragmatism William James 1876

"Scientific Meliorism," and we had an interesting time visiting George

An Autobiography Catherine Helen Spence 1867

Clapperton's "Scientific Meliorism," letter of Gaskell in.

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President Truman embraced Global Meliorism when he launched the Point Four program in 1949 -- "a bold new program [Truman said] for making the benefits of our scientific advances and industrial progress available for the improvement and growth of underdeveloped areas," and President Eisenhower also endorsed Global Meliorism in 1957, when he declared that "the freedom of nations can be menaced not only by guns but by the poverty that communism can exploit."

The American Spectator 2009

Meliorism_, pp. 129-137), follows Darwin (_Descent of Man_, Part

Studies in the Psychology of Sex, Volume 6 Sex in Relation to Society Havelock Ellis 1899

It may be mentioned that nearly thirty years ago, Miss J.H. Clapperton, in her _Scientific Meliorism_ (1885,

Studies in the Psychology of Sex, Volume 6 Sex in Relation to Society Havelock Ellis 1899

Meliorism, "1885, page 340, together with Mr. Gaskell's letter of

More Letters of Charles Darwin — Volume 2 Charles Darwin 1845