532 HEREDITY AND SELECTION IN SOCIOLOGY 



is recognised by an infinitesimal minority of persons, and if it 

 be not vigorous enough to permeate all society with its influence, 

 to mould society as if it were wax ? Consequently the sanction 

 adequate to individual life must be a sociological sanction. 

 But what does this mean, if not that the individual, if sufficient 

 value is to be conferred on his existence, must belong to a strongly 

 integrated society, a society integrated by the recognition of a 

 common sanction, with regard to which there is no dissension, 

 which derives its value from the fact that it is a sanction quad 

 semper, quod ubique, quod omnibus ? 



Therefore the value of individual life is dependent on the 

 integration of that society to which the individual belongs ; and 

 the integration of society depends upon the conmion recognition 

 of an adequate sanction for existence. Thus, if the sanction 

 adequate to individual life is necessarily a sociological sanction ; 

 this sociological sanction, in its turn, can be effective only on 

 condition that it transcend society, that it be external to society, 

 that it constitute a prolongation in time and space of the Hfe 

 of society, that it be, in a word, suprasocial. For, even as 

 the individual must derive his value from a principle which 

 is external and superior to him ; so also must society derive those 

 principles of integration and cohesion which alone can give it 

 stability, from sanctions which are not inherent, but external and 

 superior to itself. For, although a social aggregate does un- 

 doubtedly possess laws sui generis which govern its evolution, 

 nevertheless, it is always, if it be analysed to its ultimate elements, 

 a collection of individuals ; and, if the sanction which was 

 destined to ensure the integration and stabihty of society were 

 restricted to the potentiaUties of human society, which are, 

 in turn, very limited in time and space ; this sanction would not 

 possess the requisite value. As we have already said, the funda- 

 mental question of sociology, namely, the inequahty between 

 men, could find no sanction in the affirmation that those who 

 suffer from this inequahty are thereby benefiting society ; the 



