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        <title>The social Theory of Georg Simmel</title>
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            <forname>Nicholas J.</forname>
            <surname>Spykman</surname>
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SUBMISSION 
109 
the qualities of a ruler. He is called a ruler on account of 
subjective, psychological characteristics which would fit 
him for the position of ruler in an actual interrelation. The 
history of Spain shows an interesting illustration of the 
persistence of the psychological characteristic long after 
the actual sociological relationships had disappeared. The 
Spaniards felt themselves rulers and had as a nation the 
characteristics of a ruling group long after the Moors and 
the Jews, whom they once actually ruled, had been driven 
out of the country. This occurs, however, only in excep- 
tional cases. 
The more prevalent form of a society having a char- 
acter which contrasts with that of the subordinate group 
is the society which allows great freedom and liberty to all 
its members. Freedom and liberty, however, usually do 
not mean a static condition, a mere absence of subordina- 
tion. Liberation from subjection has usually meant at the 
same time a gaining of superiority, either over existing 
groups or over new groups. Struggles for freedom have 
usually ended in struggles for supremacy. The liberation 
of the third estate in France has meant the gaining of su- 
periority both over the new fourth estate and over the 
older circles to which it was once subordinated. Equality 
with the superior group is but the first step on the road to 
the desired dominion over the former superior. Gaining 
liberty therefore usually means gaining authority. A spe- 
cial instance of liberation through the gaining of authority 
occurs in the case where a smaller group obtains from a 
larger group the full jurisdiction over its members. In this 
case liberation means that the small group as a whole, as a 
superindividual unity, becomes master over its individual 
members. 
A social structure free from all relationships of supe- 
riority and subordination has been for many an ideal. But</div>
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