This does not, however, put us with those biologists who make conscience a “gregarious instinct” and—would seem to be willing to keep it there. This is the insidious herd fallacy which crops up constantly in every kind of place. We may today partake largely of the nature of the herd, our conscience may be to some extent a herd conscience, but such is not the end of man for it is not the true nature of man—man does not find his expression in the herd. ↩
To a misunderstanding of this point are due some of the fallacies of the political pluralists (see chapter XXXII). ↩
This view of purpose is not necessarily antagonistic to the “interest” school of sociology, but we may perhaps look forward to a new and deeper analysis of self-interest. And the view here put forward is not incompatible with the “objective” theory of association (see chapter XXIX) nor with the teleological school of jurisprudence (see chapter XV), it merely emphasizes another point of view—a point of view which tends to synthesize the “subjective” and “objective” theories of law. But those jurists who say that a group is governed by its purpose and leave the matter there are making a thing-in-itself of the purpose; we are governed by the purpose, yes, but we are all the time evolving the purpose. Modern jurists wish a dynamic theory of law—only such a conception of purpose as is revealed by group psychology will give value to a teleological school of jurisprudence. ↩
In a relation even of two I am not faithful to the other person but to my conception of the relation in the whole. Loyalty is always to the group idea not to the group-personnel. This must change our idea of patriotism. ↩
See chapter XV, “From Contract to Community.” ↩
This is the principle of the vote in a democracy (see chapter XXI). This must not, however, be confused with the old Hegelianism (see chapter XXIX on “Sovereignty”). ↩
In art this is what impressionism has meant. In the era before impressionism art was in a static phase, that is, artists were working at fixed relations. The “balance” of modern artists does not suggest fixedness, but relation subject directly to the laws of the whole. ↩
I speak of it as later because the biological analogy was different from the organism of medieval doctrine. ↩
See chapter XXX, “Political Pluralism and Functionalism.” ↩
See chapter XXI. I have been told that the distinction between the organic and the psychic theory of society is merely academic. But no one should frame amendments on the initiative and referendum without this distinction; no one without it can judge wisely the various schemes now being proposed for occupational representation—something every one of us will have soon to do. ↩
It must be remembered, however, that these welfare arrangements are often accompanied by truly social motives, and experiments looking towards a more democratic organization of industries. ↩
A good example of the crowd fallacy is the syndicalist theory that the vote should be taken in a meeting of strikers not by ballot but by acclamation or show of hands. The idea is that in an open meeting enthusiasm passes from one to another and that, therefore, you can thus get the collective will which you could not get by every man voting one by one. ↩
It is unfortunate to be obliged to treat this important point with such brevity. ↩
The expressions “mutual aid” and “animal cooperation” have, however, a slightly misleading connotation; mutual adaptation, coordinated activities, come nearer the truth. It is confusing to take the words and phrases we use of men in the conscious stage and transfer them to the world of animals in the unconscious stage. ↩
It is because of this profound truth that we must always respect conservatism. ↩
The claim of the individual to a larger share in government and to a share in the control of industry will be taken up in later chapters. ↩
Ce que Nait is the title of a volume of poems by Arcos, and that which is being born through all the activity of our common life is God. It is of the “naissance” and “croissance” of God that Arcos loves to sing. ↩
I have said that we gain creative power through the group. Those who feel enthralled by material conditions, and to whom it seems an irony to be told that they are “creators,” will demand something more specific. Concrete methods of group organization are given in part III. ↩
It is interesting to notice that Miss Lathrop’s whole conception of the Children’s Bureau is that it is to fit children into the life of the community. ↩
See Appendix. ↩
The new farm industrial system which is to replace Sing Sing is founded largely on the community idea. ↩
France, Norway, Switzerland. In Norway it is said that more then three-quarters of the cases which come before the conciliation courts are settled without lawsuits. ↩
Experiences in Cooperative Competition, by W. V. Spaulding. ↩
The great value of Robert Valentine’s work consisted in his recognition of this fact. ↩
I am speaking in general. It is true that the history of cases settled by arbitration reveals many in which the “umpire” has
