Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 3.djvu/880

 866 THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF SOCIOLOGY

gions, science of language, social psychology, social ethics, pedagogy, aesthetics. Others may be added, such as the science of finance, labor legislation, In^toiy of diplo- macv, civil law, etc. The instruction will be largely in the evening, that citizens may prorit by it. Twenty professors have already agreed to give regular courses as soon as the school is organized, prominent among them Novicow. The instructors are to be of two classes, " regular " and " free." The " regular " instructors are appointed by the directors and chosen from distinguished men. " Free " instructors may be any who by their academic degrees or published work warrant the directors in permitting them to give, with or without pay, a well-outlined course. Any citizens interested may attend as "hearers." Regular students, i. <?., those purposing to take a diploma, and " hearers " may be admitted without any scholastic diploma. There shall be a council of directors composed of all the regular professors and of ten members annually elected, both " hearers " and supporters of the school having a vote. This council will direct the publications of the school, engage instructors, and see that courses are regular and in harmony with the aim of the school. The funds are to be derived from gifts and from entrance and examination fees. Eminent Italian and foreign sociologists, who cannot give complete courses, will be invited to give Sunday lectures. Annual con- gresses will also be arranged. The school will publish an annual and a bulletin giving reports of the school, courses, etc., and a " Biblioteca " containing dissertations of pro- fessors and students. LA DIREZIONE, La Scienza Sociale, January-February, 1898.

Sociology Applied to Politics ; Social Theories and Russian Conditions Gumplowicz (Sociologie tind Politik] maintains that " politics must become a science, based on natural laws," and that " political practice that does not recognize these laws leads to an aimless dissipation of social forces." The following relates to his. treatment of two important contemporary European questions : " The relation of western Europe to Russia, and the relation of the Germans to the Slavonic peoples." Gumplowicz holds that there is an inherent opposition between Russian civilization and that of western Europe, and that the latter must stand as a unit against the aggressions of the former. Despotism, or lack of popular participation in govern- ment, is attributed to Russia. But in western continental Europe there are enormous fluctuations in the popular participation in government. During long periods it was not known and now it often means only class participation. In Russia there was the greatest participation of the people in the government up to the latter half of the seventeenth century. The abolition of Russian representation and the rise of a dis- tinct ruling class was an inevitable result of the western influence felt at this period. Russian society is not prone to despotism. In both the movements, represented by the western party and the " Slavophiles," representation has a prominent place. But the faults of western national representation are clearly seen by the government, and the evolution of a new form of representation of different interests is looked for in Russia similar to that proposed by such men as Ahrens, de Greef, and Ward. The real distinction between Russia and western Europe is that "the necessity of a strong government is, without doubt, more keenly felt in Russia ; the preeminence of aristoc- racy in all the functions of political and social life is more remarkable in the West, notwithstanding all its professed love for equality ; finally, the antithesis of the classes is stronger in western Europe than in Russia." These differences are readily explained historically, and by no means serve as a reproach to Russia. The second question, " The relation of the Germans to the Slavs is determined by great economical and intellectual currents, lasting a thousand years," the component elements being, (i) " The feeling of a superiority, rooted in success and in a fuller development," on the part of the Germans. "This feeling leads to the presumption that the Slavs are a race of minor intellectual capacity, and this latter in its turn justifies injustices to the Slavs." (2) "The overproduction of population, industry, and capital, which seek an issue and find it most conveniently in the neighboring Slavonic countries." The Slavonic world ununited is too feeble to resist aggression without Russia's help, and hence the prevalence of pan-Slavistic sentiment. The same tendencies are found among the Italians, the Germans, the Americans (the Monroe doctrine), and even the Latins and the Teutons. " Political and economic conceptions cannot be confounded