Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 6.djvu/402

 388 THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF SOCIOLOGY

A predatory minority, then, presents itself at first as a gov- erning class that by its toils, cares, and risks contrives to draw to itself the surplus goods of the governed. But, at a later stage of development, enjoyment and control are no longer vested in the same persons. The anatomy of a parasitic organization now shows at the center certain idle enjoyers surrounded by a great number of unproductive laborers who share in their spoil, and who in return busy themselves, as retainers, mercenaries, police, priests, teachers, or publicists, in intimidating, cajoling, or beguil- ing the exploited majority. It is at this stage of parasitism that the contrivances for holding down the exploited are the most varied and interesting.

The art of employing the organized collective might in the systematic keeping of order appears to have been developed by a ruling class rather than by the undifferentiated social whole. Common observation shows us that, in the nature of the case, a union that has for its purpose the mutual defense of the claims of each member against outsiders is easier to form and maintain than a union for the mutual guarantee of the claims of each member against the aggressions of his fellow-members. Owing to the clash of interests in the bosom of each adherent, the instituting of the latter union is by far the more difficult feat of joinery.

Now, in a society composed of a predaceous class and a sub- ject mass, that is to say, of spoilers and spoiled, the coercive power develops readily out of a kind of mutual-defense (and offense!) association among the spoilers. In a simple society, on the other hand, it presupposes something like a mutual- guarantee association, and is, therefore, not likely to arise at so early a point in social development. This conjecture is con- firmed by the growing mass of evidence which goes to show that the historical state has, in almost every instance, taken its origin in the violent superposition of one people upon another. 1 Begun in aggression and perfected in exploitation, the state, even now when it is more and more directed by the common will, is

SPENCER, Principles of Sociology, Vol. II, "Political Institutions;" GUMPLO- WICZ, Der Rassenkampf; RATZENHOFER, Die sociologische Erkenntniss.