Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 15.djvu/622

 6o8 THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF SOCIOLOGY

come, habits must be continually modified, in social life as well as in individual life. Variations constantly arise in individuals and in the environment, making old social habits no longer work- able. Through processes of discussion, suggestion, imitation, the formation of a group opinion, the selection of ideas and ideals, a new social co-ordination is built up which, if it works well, persists and becomes a new social habit. This process often goes on without the individual even being conscious of change; but sometimes a new and harmonious co-ordination cannot be built up, for a sufficient stimulus for its construction cannot be found. It is here that much of the tragedy of social life comes in, for it is here that the opf>ortunity for conflict and hostility within the group arises. Let us illustrate again from the family life. Parent and child may have a certain coHDrdination — a cer- tain habitual attitude toward each other, which works well during the child's younger years; but the parent often forgets that that co-ordination and his attitude must be modified with the child's growth. As a consequence, the old social co-ordination is main- tained too long, and when it finally breaks down no adequate stimulus may be found for the building-up of a new harmonious co-ordination. Hence conflict often arises between parent and child. It is the same with the relations of husband and wife and with all other social relations. Conflict of individuals within a group arises, then, through the failure to build up new social co- ordinations adapted to new life-conditions so that the individuals of a group may form a stable environment with reference to each other. The result is a conflict of habits and the possible disinte- gration of the group. Conflict of one social group with another is, of course, an entirely different matter.

It is the same in the wider social organization of nations and peoples as in the more intimate social relations of smaller groups. Normally, a people's institutions are continually changing; old institutions are gradually replaced by new ones as life-conditions change. Normally, the breakdown of an old institution is so gradual that by the time it disappears a new institution adapted to the new life-conditions is ready to take its place. The change has been brought about from one social form to another through