Page:The Scientific Monthly vol. 3.djvu/162

 156 ^ THE SCIENTIFIC MOiNTHLT

Students of government realize that the term — ^* a demoeiati ment/' for example — ^mnst be translated differently in Haiti tl United States. Nevertheless, classification of governments ii lies, constitutional monarchies, and so on, is of value to studeni ical science. It is doubtless true in a broad way that democn of government are the products of the change known as the revolution. But the existence of danger from outside foes n progress toward a democracy, as witness Germany. Or trad keep the shell of a government for a long time after its realit] sloughed off, as is the case in England. In like manner, opposi without, tradition, or the pressure of leaders, may greatly n course taken in evolving the structure and functions of a labor tion.

In the great majority of cases, a given structure or form of ment or of a Labor organization more truly represents a past th ent balance of forces ; but it is also a factor in determining th time attitude of those adhering to the government or labor or| in question. After an institution has been developed and has c; into certain forms, this somewhat inelastic structure usually e modifying and conserving force or influence. Group and ini inertia must be reckoned with in any study of social and ini forms. American legal and constitutional forms have greatlj the course of events in American national life. The existence customs and habits also tends to prevent rapid changes in id< psychology of the American has imdoubtedly lagged behind the rapid changes which have taken place in industry during rece tions. The American workingman has been too individualist effectively with the great and steadily growing combinations < to many of them yet clings the restless and impatient vitalit] assurance of the frontier. The effect of social inertia is also p] ble in the ideals, the concepts and the psychology of the unio psychology of the average unionist is etiU measurably affected lied by ideals and concepts crystallized during the outgrown er scale, non-integrated industry. Again, overworked and un workers will have a narrower vision than more eflBcient and bet workers. A union composed of the former will be more errat calculating than one composed of the latter type of unionists.

Slavery and serfdom are heritages which the past offers to earning class of to-day. The prevalent idea that the empk fact, a token of emancipation. In struggling upward toward democracy the workers are seriously hampered by the lingerin potent ideas and ideals developed during generations of sub and of non-citizenship. As a consequence, the evolution of 11 ogy of the wage-earner — ^the new social psychology — ^is ret
 * ^ prot6g6 " of the employer is old and dies hard. Organized ]

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