324 SOCIOLOGY 



physics. He was obliged, however, to abandon his quest 

 for such a principle, and was led to emphasize in the 

 development of his social philosophy three stages, the 

 theological, the metaphysical, and the positive, or scien- 

 tific. These three stages had been suggested both by 

 Turgot and Saint-Simon, but with Comte they became 

 fundamental. In reality Comte was a system-builder, 

 and it has been said of him that "so well did he do his 

 task that social philosophy since his day has done little 

 more than to fill in his outline and correct and supple- 

 ment his methods." 



Following Comte, the contributions of French writers 

 to the development of sociological thought were meager 

 until after the war of 1870. However, in this interval, 

 COURNOT, in his "Essai sur le fondement de nos connais- 

 ances" and in his second volume, " Enchainement des 

 idees fondamentales," did undertake to build on the 

 physical and biological sciences a new positive science 

 that should treat of social questions. By 1870, Herbert 

 SPENCER had shown the application of the principle of 

 evolution to the development of social institutions, and 

 had particularly emphasized the resemblances between 

 social and biological organisms. Starting with this 

 concept, ESPINAS, in his work, "Les Societes animales" 

 (Paris, 1877), endeavored to illustrate and prove this 

 thesis. During the next thirty years, the French scien- 

 tists originated and developed some of the most widely 

 accepted sociological concepts and principles. The result 

 has been that French scholarship has exercised a dominat- 

 ing influence in stimulating sociological investigation the 

 world over. Some American scholars have expressed 

 their gratitude by saying that they have profited more 

 from the French sociologists than from all others combined. 



Without attempting to make an inclusive list, the 

 following may be cited as persons who have made distinct 



