Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 10.djvu/798

 782 THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF SOCIOLOGY

themselves except in the progressive abatement of the inequalities existing among them. These inequalities do not result from the political frontiers, nor from the separation between the castes and the classes. The exterior and interior divisions are, on the con- trary, only the effect of these inequalities. Between the nations there are mountains, rivers, seas, oceans; but these do not form their real frontiers. The true intersocial and social frontiers are deeper than oceans, higher than mountains, more untilled than deserts. In spite of the triple distinction between national terri- tory, public domain, and private property, do not these three forms continually depend upon each other? Can we reasonably suppose that if, for example, the French soil happened to be conquered by Germans and would be utilized by Germans, no danger would arise therefrom for the whole and indivisible territory of the republic ?

At Sparta it was expressly forbidden to sell real estate; 28 likewise at Locri and at Leucadia. 24 Phaedon of Corinth, a legis- lator of the ninth century B. C, ordained that the number of families and of real estate must remain immutable. 25 Only it is more difficult to limit the population than to limit the property. Neither one nor the other proceeding is efficacious. It would have been necessary to adopt both at the same time; but this would have been the same as to proclaim the cessation of social life, to force it to restrain itself to an absolutely unchangeable number of inhabitants in a fixed territory ; and yet it presupposes that this population and the territory do not vary in their composition. Sparta experienced its evolution in spite of the decree prohibiting the selling, bequeathing and giving away of the ground. Thanks to the accumulation of movable property and to the inequality, an oligarchy arose, which was at the same time economic and politi- cal ; and we know that finally the ephor Epidadeos succeeded in enacting a law that allowed a citizen to dispose of his possessions by donation or by bequest. Finally the restriction about selling property was removed ; for Plutarch mentions 2e that the sale was frequently disguised under the pretext of donation and bequest.

"Arittotle, Politics, II, 6, 10. Ibid., II, 4, 4.

m lbid., II, 3, 7. 9. "Lift of Agit and Cleomtnts.