otal culture pattern, subject to the
pressures mutually exerted by neighboring communities. The aggregate of
these culture patterns, separately and often antagonistically matured,
comprised a lesser totality called an empire and a larger totality
called a civilization. It is with this larger totality that we are
concerned.

We propose to analyse the sociology of civilization under the following
headings: (1) the structure or anatomy; (2) the function, physiology, or
process; (3) motive forces in civilization; (4) contradictions and
conflicts, with a final section on the life cycle of civilization.

The structure of human society consists of specialized economic,
political, administrative and cultural groupings assembled and
maintained in relationships that supply necessities, conveniences,
comforts, luxuries for the individuals, together with capital goods and
services for the social groups composing the civilization.

In terms of social history the growth of structure has proceeded from
the horde, tribe and clan to the family, village, city, city-state,
nation, empire, civilization. These steps are not necessarily
sequential. Under varying social conditions they have been determined
and modified by particular historical situations. The smallest and most
intimate building block of human society has been the family. The
largest and most inclusive has been the civilization. The family as a
social group has existed for long periods, over wide areas, in immense
numbers. Civilizations have been few and often far between. They have
arisen out of particular historical situations, played distinctive
roles, written their own histories and made varying contributions to the
sum total of human culture. In the long time intervals and the wide
geographical distances that have separated civilizations human beings
have lived within more local and less complex social structures.

Civilized human society is distinctive in structure. While it varies in
detail from one civilization to another, its broad outline is
unmistakable. Each civilization has been built, defended and perpetuated
in and around cities.

Between civilizations, in time and space, most human communities have
been self-sufficient. Whether as food gatherers, pastoral people or
cultivators of the soil they have produced and consumed the food,
shelter, clothing, implements and weaponry required for their survival.

The city, whether a political capital or a center of t