Page:American Anthropologist NS vol. 1.djvu/555

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49*> AM ERIC AX AXTHROPOLOCIST [n. s., i, 1099

investment, and endowment : then we have set forth the nature of the corporations to which possessions give rise. Corporations are groups of men organized for a purpose. We have further set forth that these groups of men may be classified to correspond with the fundamental classification of the qualities. In demon- strating this subject the reader obtains a more or less clear con- cept of the way in which human interests are involved, and the relations which men sustain to one another. Forever we learn that the individual is compelled to consider the interest of others. Cultured man inherits from the brute condition extreme egoism which the development of the arts is forever correcting. It is thus that the many individuals are incorporated into societies and finally into nations where every man is compelled to consider other men as partakers of his interest because he cannot serve his own without first serving the purpose of his neighbor. This is the fundamental lesson taught by economics. Only a few men can obtain food for themselves — the vast majority must eat from other men's cribs. Only a few can wear clothing produced by themselves — the vast majority must wear the clothing produced by others. Only a few men can take shelter in domiciles built by themselves — the vast majority must live in homes produced by others. Every man is also dependent upon others for his exist- ence, and in infancy is dependent upon others for his preservation , and he remains still dependent in old age. Passing beyond the primordial principles of welfare, we still find the individual de- pending upon others for his pleasure ; we still find him dependent upon others for his language, for no man has ever invented a language, and the language used by one man would be the language of a fool. For his opinions every man is indebted to others. None of the opinions of mankind could exist today without culture, and culture implies that human knowledge is derived chiefly from others and that language is necessary thereto. The act of a man to seek his own interests regardless of the interests of others is a crime. In specialized society men must

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