Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 6.djvu/45

 SOCIAL CONTROL 31

The third and by far the most interesting contingent is what we may call the party of order. The nucleus of this contingent consists of those professionally interested in the work of con- trol. In an army it is the duty of the officers to key up dis- cipline. On a ship it is the task of the captain and his mates to provide the needed bossing. In a factory it is the business of the foremen to maintain a certain level of organization among the hands. In a dependency good order is the professional con- cern of the proconsul and his staff. So there exist in society professionals whose first business it is to keep up the tension. Rulers, priests, schoolmasters, magistrates, and others told off to wield the instruments of control are expected to keep them bright and keen. By their training and affiliations they are cut off from those on whom they bind the yoke. They are no more interested in making it easy for men than the "broncho-buster" is interested in making it easy for the broncho. Their attitude toward human weaknesses is that of Frederick the Great when he cried to his fleeing soldiers : "You hounds! Do you want to live forever ?" Specialized for control, though not to the same degree, are lawmakers, publicists, editors, educators, "social leaders," and "pillars of society" those, in short, who cannot well "succeed in life " unless they lend an unflagging support to the conventional standards and ideals.

About the professionals are ranged those who have most at stake in good order, those who cannot fish save in still waters. Such are officials, property-owners, traders, masters of industry, business-men, and those affiliated with them. Order is a benefit to nearly everybody in society. But these classes, by reason of their situation, realize its benefits with peculiar keenness. Their interests call for a closely articulated system of rights and duties, well lived up to. Too much play to individual will or caprice deranges their calculations and upsets their projects. They are the firm upholders of such standards as affect property and con- tract, and such ideals as inspire business honor and commercial probity.

Finally the party of order embraces the ethical elite, those who have at heart the general welfare and know what kinds of