Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 6.djvu/372

 358 THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF SOCIOLOGY

that Vive la France might in a given instance be more of an individual than a social watchword. In one man's mouth " France " might stand merely for a lively sense of the advantage of a job on the public works ; in another's, for a notion that "France" is a patron saint, to be conciliated by zealous shout- ing; in another's, for a vague feeling that "France" is his glorified and triumphant self, asserting miscellaneous superiority. In so far as either of these notions is common to the members of the group, or goes to make up the motives that actuate the group as a whole, it belongs in the category " subjective environment.' In so far, on the other hand, as an element of this common men- tal content is the feeling or perception of the reality of the association, that factor is also the "social consciousness," first of the individual and then of the group.

In the most general terms, then, we may describe the inci- dent in question as a state of mind, primarily in the individuals and then diffused throughout the association, consisting first of perception that the group exists. If we may suppose that this perception may occur without any corresponding valuation of the fact so perceived, we may describe a more advanced devel- opment of this incident by adding, second, that the members of the group place a certain appraisal of value upon the group-rela- tion, as something to be cherished and guarded. In this stage of social consciousness we have clannishness and tribal exclusive- ness ; at later stages, class-consciousness, esprit de corps, patriot- ism, or, as the Germans phrase a kindred, but not necessarily quite identical conception, Nationalitdtsgefiihl.

Social consciousness need not, of course, in all individuals be restricted to the limits of national bounds. A few people have a lively sense of the oneness of the whole human race. International law is a certain sort of proclamation of more than national consciousness. It is not a universal rule that the intensity of social consciousness is inversely as the diameter of the association. The law is much more intricate than that, and cannot as yet be formulated. Our present purpose is satisfied by pointing out that wherever there is a relatively permanent association some form and force of consciousness of association