Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 5.djvu/22

 8 THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF SOCIOLOGY

shelter, which bind wife and children to the fate and service of the bread-winner. The state has its naval and military equip- ment, its prisons and gallows, its tax proceeds, which compel obedience. Political parties depend for their control on a piece of ballot-paper, which in the hands of the managers carries the fate of candidates, of large business interests, of masses of the people. In each of these institutions this material basis is partly the object for the production of which the institution exists and partly the tie that holds its members together. Common to them all is the vital fact that each institution controls and dis- penses, in the form of wages, salaries, interest, profits, charity, friendship, love, punishment, or reward, the food and subsist- ence of those whose work is specialized in each. This is in part the basis of the third aspect of institutions, their organization.

Theories of the organization of society and institutions have been largely shaped by the biological analogy. Leaving this aside, if possible, and looking directly at the facts, we see that the so-called division of labor in society consists in a specialization of individuals for the purposes of each institution. Those whose interests are merged in one institution draw their subsistence and support from individuals who are specialized in the other institutions. Consequently a twofold relationship of its mem- bers arises, first as a unity, with reference to other institutions, and, second, as individuals, with reference one to another. The unity of an institution is its capacity for joint action in dealing with other individuals and institutions. It acts as one ; its members settle their differences ; it has a single will. This gives energy and power. Common beliefs and desires are the vitalizing, active force within the institution. Material products represent its command over nature. Organization gives it unity and command over society.

Within the institution this unity is maintained in one of two ways, by mastery or by partnership. If the will of one man is the absolute will of the institution, the relationship is mastery. The will of others is not consulted. This is, however, seldom the case, and, to the extent that concessions are made to the likes and dislikes of subordinate members, partnership ensues.