The original groups, the stems of the wild and barbarian people, were
more strongly united than the animal groups. Family relationship and
a common language strengthened this union further. Every individual
had the support of the entire tribe. Under such conditions, the social
motives, the moral feelings, the subordination of the individual to the
whole, must have developed to the utmost. With the further development
of society, the tribes are dissolved and their places are taken by new
unions, by towns and peoples. New formations step into the place of
the old ones, and the members of these groups carry on the struggle for
existence in common against other peoples. In equal ratio with economic
development, the size of these unions increases, the struggle of each
against the other decreases, and social feelings spread. At the end of
ancient times we find that all the people known then formed a unit, the
Roman Empire, and at that time arose the theory――the moral feelings
having their influence on almost all the people――which led to the maxim
that all men are brothers.
When we regard our own times, we see that economically all the people
form one unit, although a very weak one; nevertheless the abstract
feeling of brotherhood becomes ever more popular. The social feelings
are strongest among members of the same class, for classes are the
essential units embodying particular interests and including certain
members. Thus we see that the social units and social feelings change
in human society. These changes are brought about by economic changes,
and the higher the stage of economic development, the higher and nobler
the social feelings.
VIII. TOOLS, THOUGHT AND LANGUAGE.
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