Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 8.djvu/794

 774 THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF SOCIOLOGY

ments in the population, a fourth dictates the seizure of markets. In fact, almost every species of interest sooner or later records itself in government.

There are, to be sure, two special traits of human nature which come to light in government. The one is the lust of dominating; the other, its counterpart, is the impatience of restraint. In other words, power is sought for its own sake, and liberty is prized for its own sake. Were these two forces alone impli- cated in government, political science would have a basis apart from sociology. But who will seriously contend that the "will to power" is now the chief motive tending to enlarge the authority of the state, or that hatred of restraint is the chief counteracting force ? In the early stages of social development a state is often the creation of a single energetic will. Says Mr. Bryce of the East: " A military adventurer or the chief of a petty tribe suddenly rises to greatness, becomes the head of an army which attacks all its neighbors, and pursues a career of unbroken conquest till he has founded a mighty empire." With greater social advance, however, there is sure to arise a compact fabric of government and law, which offers successful resistance to the vaulting ambition of the individual. As regards the antagonistic force, Mr. Bryce observes : " The abstract love of liberty has been a comparatively feeble passion." " Rebellions and revolu- tions are primarily made, not for the sake of freedom, but in order to get rid of some evil which touches men on a more tender place than their pride."

In fact, the political is simply imbedded in the social. Politi- cal grouping is not distinct from, but tends to be a resultant of, the linguistic, cultural, religious, and economic groupings of population. Political organization is only a part of social organ- ization. The substance of the state is prestige, time-hallowed relations, habits of co-operation and obedience. The sphere of government becomes an expression of collective need. The will that sets in motion the public organs is not the mere sum of individual wills, but the highly elaborated will of sections, classes, or the nation itself. Government is becoming functional to society, and if political science remains distinct, it will be