Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 1.djvu/329

Rh a mechanism or machine which employs a number of the well-known principles of mechanics, such as the lever and fulcrum, the pulley, the force-pump, valves, bellows, etc. But mainly it may be looked upon as a svstem of cooperation among a multitude of protoplasmic bodies with all the advantages that always result from combined action. These are always much greater than the simple sum of the several powers of the component elements. But the principle of cooperation, so important for sociology, is after all nothing more than a modification of the one uniform and universal process of concentration or focalization of the cosmic energy for special purposes, and the single object under all circumstances is greater efficiency.

I scarcely need point out the application of so important a principle to sociology, but it is too early to discuss this subject. I have presented this fundamental view of the nature of an organism in order the better to approach the general question whether society is capable of being logically compared to an organism in the biological sense. Such a comparison, so far from being anything new, has been a favorite one with some writers since the time of Plato and Thucydides. It was stoutly held by Hobbes and also by Hegel. Comte set it forth with great clearness and avoided most of the objections of other authors by not attempting to claim the specific resemblance of parts in the two sciences. Of all authors who have defended it and specifically illustrated it Mr. Herbert Spencer must be placed first. His strongest presentation of this subject is not to be found in his Synthetic Philosophy, although he has treated it there, but in an article on "The Social Organism," originally contributed to the Westminster Review in 1860. This article was subsequently revised by him and many alterations made. In this form it is published in the Essays, Sciefitific, Political, and Speculative. In view of the great importance of the subject at the present stage of the argument, and in order that it may be set forth in its strongest form, I have felt that I could not do better than to devote a considerable part of this paper to a literal reproduction of Mr. Spencer's