# I: The Calvinism of Today explained — What’s Wrong with the World

> Chapter companion for What’s Wrong with the World by G. K. Chesterton.

## What happens

Chesterton responds to Bernard Shaw's review of his book, accepting Shaw's admission of Calvinism as a key point. He contrasts Catholic and Calvinist views of life: Catholicism sees earthly life as a dramatic battle of choices, while Calvinism (as Chesterton interprets Shaw) sees it as a predetermined epilogue. Chesterton argues that modern sociology and eugenics are rooted in a confused Calvinism, focusing on pre-birth judgment rather than the living individual, and he dismisses heredity as largely unknown.

## Themes in this chapter

### The Medical Fallacy in Sociology

Chesterton argues that modern sociology and eugenics are rooted in a confused Calvinism, treating life as predetermined rather than a dramatic battle.

## Character check-ins

### Mr. Bernard Shaw

Reviewed Chesterton's book and admitted to being a Calvinist, prompting Chesterton's critique of his deterministic worldview.

### Unknown

The narrator (Chesterton) presents his own Catholic perspective, contrasting it with Shaw's Calvinism and critiquing modern sociology.

## Key lines

> He said that, of course, Calvin was quite right in holding that 'if once a man is born it is too late to damn or save him.'

Shaw agreed with Calvin that a person's fate is sealed at birth, leaving no room for change.

_Chesterton uses Shaw's own words to highlight the deterministic core of Calvinism._

> To me these threescore years and ten are the battle. To the Fabian Calvinist (by his own confession) they are only a long procession of the victors in laurels and the vanquished in chains.

For Chesterton, earthly life is a struggle of moral choices; for Shaw, it is merely a predetermined parade of winners and losers.

_Contrasts the Catholic view of life as a drama with the Calvinist view as an epilogue._

> All our sociology and eugenics and the rest of it are not so much materialist as confusedly Calvinist; they are chiefly occupied in educating the child before he exists.

Modern social sciences are less about materialism and more about a muddled Calvinism, focusing on shaping children before they are born.

_Chesterton criticizes the pre-birth focus of eugenics and sociology._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/what_s_wrong_with_the_world_se/chapters/i-the-calvinism-of-today
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/what_s_wrong_with_the_world_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/what_s_wrong_with_the_world_se/chapters