1894.] ±65 [Baird. 



The Fdxdamental Principle. 



From this defiaition it is but one step to the faaelainental principle and 

 this principle as enunciated, also by the Master, is as follows : 



"Man, the molecule of society, is the subject of social science. In 

 common with all other animals he requires toe it, drink and sleep, but 

 his greatest need is that of association with his fellow-men. Born the 

 weakest and most dependent of animals, he requires the largest care in 

 iufancy.and must be clolhed by others, whereas to birds and beasts cloth- 

 ing is supplied bj^ nature. Capable of acquiring the highest degree of 

 knowledge, he appears in the world destitute even of that instinct which 

 teaches the bee and the spider, the bird and the beaver, to construct their 

 habitations, and to supply themselves with food. Dependent upon the 

 experience of himself and others for all his knowledge, he requires lan- 

 guage to enable him either to record the results of his own observations, 

 or to profit b}' those of others ; and of language there can be none without 

 association. Created in the image of his Maker, he should participate in 

 His intelligence ; but it is onXy by means of ideas that he can avail himself 

 of the faculties with which he has been endowed, and without language 

 there can be no ideas — no power of thought. Without language, there- 

 fore, he must remain in ignorance of the existence of powers granted to 

 him in lieu of the strength of the ox and the horse, the speed of the hare, 

 and the sagacity of the elephant, and must remain below the level of the 

 brute creation. To have language there must be association and combin- 

 ation of men with their fellow-men, and it is on this condition only that 

 man can be man ; on this alone that we can conceive of the being to 

 which we attach the idea of man."* 



ALti Social Scisnce mctst Start from the Law op Association. 



All true social science must of necessity start from this point. It can 

 start from none other ; and any system which attempts to ignore this 

 fundamental principle, as such, is false in its inception, and must of 

 necessity be false throughout. There is no escape from this dilemma. 

 The all-controlling condition which governs man in this world is that 

 which obliges him to associate and combine with hi> fellow-men. Liter- 

 ally from the cradle to the grave, it controls his destiny and is at the bot- 

 tom of all of the motives which, throughout his career, impel him to 

 action. He is thus insufficient unto himself, and the higher his civiliza- 

 tion the greater become his wants, and, therefore, the greater his depend- 

 ence on liis fellow-men and the more rigid and unyielding over his daily, 

 his hourly life, the domination of the law. All social science is concerned 

 about it ; and without it there would be no social science, no political 

 economy, no wealth, no poverty, no money, no banks, no interest, no 

 credit, no landlords, no tenants, no states, no cities, VL^^ towns, no villages, 

 no governments, no taxes, no emperors, kings or presidents, no armies, 

 no navies, no generals, no admirals, no steamships, no railroads, no 



* Carey, Principles of Social Science, Vol. i, p. 41. 



