Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 8.djvu/621

 INTRODUCTION TO SOCIOLOGY 601

Their human units and their environment have been absorbed by superior aggregates. Increase or diminution of the social mass is not absolutely of itself progress or regression ; but each is a condition which is generally favorable or unfavorable to progress or regression. In zoological organisms we see, for example, at the two extremes as regards mass, the ant and the elephant. Individuals and groups of one of these species are almost as intelligent and advanced in civilization as individuals and groups of the other species. The ant and the bee are more intelligent and more advanced than the wolf and the hippo- potamus.

Societies which are small in mass, such as ancient Greece, may be superior to vast social aggregates, such as Persia. However, it is necessary to take into consideration that in cer- tain directions these little societies extend beyond their political limits ; their activity stops there only in appearance ; in reality they extend beyond, and their economic structure, religious structure, moral structure, etc., frequently embrace a world. Such at least was the Greek world.

A large mass, however, offers this potentiality, that, all other conditions being equal, it is necessarily exposed to a very large number of variations. But this is also a factor that may be as favorable to social progress as to social regression, that is to say, it is a factor favorable to a new equilibration, which may be superior or inferior. For example, if the larger aggregate does not succeed in becoming adapted organically to these varia- tions, it will be exposed to dismemberment because of lack of co-ordination. In the place of a co-ordinated organic differen- tiation, it will present an unco-ordinated differentiation, a dislo- cation, an inferior state.

Increase of the mass, and also the differentiation of the mass which this increase favors, are not sufficient, then, to produce social progress. A third condition is requisite. It is necessary that the differentiated parts be co-ordinated with each other and with the whole. In this way only will the increase and the differentiation of the aggregate establish a new equilibrium, a state superior to the preceding states.