Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 6.djvu/813

 SOCIAL ASSIMILATION 799

feelings in the group. Without, therefore, a potential fellow- ship a possibility of growing to see important things from the same viewpoint a possibility of thought-sympathy on vital questions, assimilation cannot take place. The degree of assimilation will depend upon the latent powers in both groups and the assimilating forces to which they are subjected, which tend to reduce all to one type. 1 Antipathy may be so great as to prevent all union. The Chinese is so utterly out of the sphere of thought of the western man that his non-assimilation to occi- dental culture seems well-nigh a foregone conclusion. The ideals of the Chinese are diametrically opposed to those of the western man ; there are no common culture bonds between the two races ; there is no possibility of agreement as to a view- point for matters essential to a common life. Hence, since all this precludes the formation of fellowship feelings, there can be no assimilation.

The social prerequisite is, of course, contact. This is brought about through intercourse, the means of which are both physical and psychic. Among the physical are the railroad, the steam- boat, the telegraph, the newspaper, etc.; among the psychic are a common language, diffusion of the power to read, common tradition, common culture, etc. In ancient civilizations the diffi- culty of much contact between the members of the group was almost insuperable, owing not only to the force of custom which separated class from class, but also to the material and intellec- tual obstacles to intercourse, and the consequent hindrance to the spread of sympathy and the creation of fellowship feelings. Technical arts were still in their infancy, hence easy communica- tion was not possible ; nor were the psychic means of intercourse, a common language and power to read, widespread. Assimila- tion, therefore, did not progress rapidly in these days. Easy communication, made possible through inventions due to advance in mechanical arts, causes rapicj diffusion of sentiment, and growth of fellowship feelings. Discussion through the school, the church, the club, the newspaper, accelerates the process of

1 MAYO-SMITH, " Assimilation of Nationalities in the United States," I, Political Science Quarterly, Vol. IX, p. 431.