SUGGESTED READINGS

BOGARDUS, E. S.-A History of Social Thought.

COOLEY, C. H.-Human Nature and the Social Order.

DEALEY, J. Q.-The Development of the State..

FAIRCHILD, H. P.-Practical Sociology.

GIDDINGS, F. H.-The Principles of Sociology.

HOLMES, W. H.-Annual Report of the Am. Bur. of Eth. Vol. 4. LEE, J.-Play in Education.

Ross, E. A.-Social Control.

Principles of Sociology.

STANLEY, H. M.-The Evolutionary Psychology of Feeling. STUCKENBERG, J. H. W.-Sociology. The Science of Human Society. THOMAS, W. I.-A Source Book of Social Origins.

WARD, L. F.-Dynamic Sociology. Vol. II.

CHAPTER XXX

APPLIED SOCIOLOGY

I. Nature of applied sociology.

A. The term applied, or practical sociology is used in this connection because it connotes the appli

cation of principles defined by the science of society to serve a human purpose.

B. It is primarily concerned with the treating of social problems.

C. It must gather and systematize knowledge, both environmental and hereditary, that may have a bearing upon the conditions that confront it. The greatest difficulty lies in the uncertainty of the material which sociology must employ. It is elusive and changeable. Nothing is more elusive than data of human society, when improperly accumulated.

D. The problems of sociology have developed rapidly; they multiply with the increase in social complexity.

E. It is the function of the scientist to ascertain the truth. It is the function of the sociologist to apply method in order to alleviate suffering; harmonize society and nature; foster a social point of view among persons; and to strive for unselfish cooperation among individuals that collectively they may enjoy the maximum wellbeing, and individually engage in the pursuits which are pleasurable as well as socially productive.

II. Field of applied sociology and the classification of social phenomena.

A. Following the examination of the nature of primitive societies, the field of sociology may be roughly divided into four categories.

1. Hunger-self-maintenance, or the economic. 2. Love-self-perpetuation, or the family and population.

3. Fear-religion, or the intellectual.

4. Vanity-self-gratification, or aestheticism and estheticism.

III. Social problems that are concerned with the economic interest.

A. The social consequences of modern capitalism grow out of the perpetual conflict of interest. This conflict is always present between two different things, which are directed by individuals. There is conflict between man and nature which creates differences between man and man. Hence there is a continual potential or real struggle between the sexes; between a few who are powerful and the many who may not be so strong; between the governed and those who rule; between agriculture on the one hand, and commerce on the other; between city and the country. Wherever there is the least possibility that one group of persons will be favored at the expense of another, whether that favoritism result from natural conditions or social preferment, war or legislation, antagonism will take place. Down through the ages this conflict has been particularly keen between the few who possessed knowledge, talent and capital, and the many who held

the political superiority. This is what Proudhon called the "necessity of contradiction." It is the law of existence, and inevitable. At no time in history has the spirit of progress dominated society, which is a condition peculiarly favorable to the development of conflicts. As long as the particular institutions are held together, antagonism will not make its appearance in a destructive form. The danger grows as the two interests are separated. During the past century a number of conflicts have developed, e.g., agriculture and commerce which created the Ameriian political bloc; the city and the country; capital and labor; communism and representative government. The most lucid explanation of this conflict is given by Sumner.

"All modern economic developments have tended to level classes and ranks, and therefore to create democracy, and to throw political power into the hands of the most numerous class; the courtiers of power, therefore, turn to the masses with the same flattery and servility which they used to pay to kings, prelates and nobles. At every boundary line at which the interests of individuals or groups meet in the competition of life, there is strife and friction, and at all such points there are rights which are in the mores or laws and which have been produced by the need to solve the collisions of power and interest in peace. There is, therefore, always another resource for the party which has been defeated in the competition of life; they can appeal to rights and fight over again, on the political domain, what they have lost on the economic domain. Inasmuch as the masses cannot win on the economic domain because their opponents, though few in number, have talent, knowledge, craft and capital, and inasmuch as the masses have political power, this appeal from the field of economic effort to that of politics is characteristic of the age. It now

1P. J. Proudhon, Contradictions Economiques, p. 182.

B.

C.

gives form and color to both the economic and political effort, and it is dominating all the mores which have to do with either. The master of industry dare not neglect political power; the statesman cannot maintain an independent footing against capitalistic interest. Primarily, we see a war between plutocracy and democracy. Secondarily, we see a combination of the two loom up in the future-the apostles of socialism, state socialism, municipalization, etc., are all working for it. In the combination the strongest element will rule, and the strongest element is capitalism.""

The wages system, machine processes, return of women to industry, the employment of children, are specific consequences of capitalism that are creating many social problems.

The social problems growing out of the industrial

era are:

1. Unemployment.

2. Industrial unrest.

3. Industrial accidents.

4. Overwork, and fatigue.

The standard of living is the measure of civilization and progress. There are many difficulties in making satisfactory comparisons of the different groups within a state. Several methods have been employed to raise the standard of living of the working groups in the industrial centers.

1.

2.

Trade unionism.

Minimum wage.

3. Cooperation.

4. By various means of distributing the products

of industry.

5. Welfare work.

'W. G. Sumner, Mores of the Present and Future, Yale Review V. 18, pp. 241-242.