Excerpt from A Text-Book of Sociology

This work is the outcome of a demand for a short text-book that would contain in essence a clear and concise statement of the field of sociology, its scientific basis, its principles as far as these are at present known, and its purposes.

In the preparation of this book emphasis has been placed on three points: first, on the social forces as the dynamic agent working unconsciously toward natural individual ends and consciously toward collective achievement under the direction of the intellect; second, on the importance of material achievement as the basis of psychical development, and on the necessity of systematic general instruction in the fundamental principles of knowledge as a basis for right social life; and third, on the arrangement of the material so as to facilitate its use for purposes of reading clubs and classes.

The work is based fundamentally on Pure sociology, but is in no respect a mere condensation of it. Using the material of this larger and more complete work as a basis, and supplementing it by numerous references to Dr. Ward's other sociological writings, an attempt has been made to prepare a sort of handbook containing in epitome the essential elements of a system of sociology.

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