Family and Society 



of food with others. In time of war he may 

 prefer to remain at home. He goes. His own 

 wishes and preferences make Httle difference. 

 He learns what he can claim and what he 

 owes. Thus he comes to recognize rights and 

 duties, though he may never use the words or 

 frame any conception of their meaning in the 

 abstract. 



Man as a social being is very ready to accept 

 the estimate placed upon his actions by his fel- 

 lows. It Is not easy to resist public opinion now. 

 It must have been almost impossible In that 

 primitive army which summarily outlawed or 

 killed the obstinately disobedient. This feeling 

 tended to develop a conscience in the Individual 

 answering to the needs, estimates, customs, and 

 regulations of the community. 



The primitive religion was a tribal religion. 

 The gods felt toward a man just as his neigh- 

 bors did. God was always on the side of cus- 

 tom and tribal opinion. A public opinion of this 

 sort Is irresistible, and a man's conscience and 

 estimate of himself and of his actions must con- 

 form to it. This does not explain the origin 

 of man's conception of right; perhaps it presup- 

 poses such a conception In some dim form. But, 



5 51 



