Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 11.djvu/70

 54 THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF SOCIOLOGY

with whom the habit is least workable, or, in other words, whose interest lies in another direction. 4 From these the attitude of revolt spreads by imitation, first among those to whom the old social habits are ill-adapted, and finally among all who are sus- ceptible to the influence of suggestion. Thus the party of opposi- tion grows until it comes to embody all of the influences and interests which make the old habits and institutions ill-adapted or even unworkable. If these forces continue to grow, it is evident that there is possible to the ruling classes only two alter- natives: either they must make concessions, that is, attempt themselves the readjustment of institutions; or they must face actual conflict with the party of opposition. As a matter of fact, historically the former alternative has much more often been chosen, thus open conflict avoided, and so-called " peaceful revo- lutions " effected. If, however, no concessions are made by the ruling classes, or only such as are insufficient to bring about the readjustments demanded by the life-conditions; if, in other words, the relative inflexibility of the social order is maintained, then the antagonism between the old social habits and the new life-conditions can be resolved only by open conflict between the ruling classes and the party of revolt. And when this conflict results in the success of the party of revolt, we call it a " revo- lution."

Thus the old social order is overthrown, violently, suddenly, and sometimes almost completely. Now in the transition from one habit to another in the individual there is frequently to be observed a period of confusion and uncertainty; and this con- fusion is intensified if the breakdown of the old habit has been sudden or violent. We should expect, therefore, an analogous confusion in society upon the breakdown of social habits; and this is exactly what we find. The so-called anarchy of revolu- tionary periods is not due simply to the absence of efficient gov- ernmental machinery, but to the general breakdown of the social

4 Of course, the whole process of social differentiation and the resulting antagonism of social interests are closely connected with the phenomena of revolu- tions ; but the psychology of this process has been so fully worked out by Ratzen- hofer, Tarde, Simmel, Ward, and others, that it is only necessary for the details of this aspect of revolutions to refer to those writers.