Contextually, the study was published in 1901 amidst furore over the ongoing Second Boer War, in which Britain, an Imperialist-power, was seemingly unable to defeat a "far-inferior" Boer force of Calvinistic farmers. During the war, the authorities encountered immense difficulty in actually finding men to fight. One in three potential recruits were refused on medical grounds.
In context, this study appeared in 1901 as Britain, an Imperialist power, grappled with the Second Boer War, where it seemed unable to defeat a "far-inferior" Boer force of Calvinistic farmers. During the conflict, authorities had difficulty finding soldiers; one-third of potential recruits were rejected for medical reasons.