ar- 
Ha 
1al 
onN- 
ve 
ng 
ec- 
ase 
aal 
ion 
sult 
be- 
in 
unt 
the 
Less 
‘m- 
ely 
sni- 
{ual 
the 
Che 
ism 
‘pa- 
-ain 
the 
2 In 
und 
es a 
Wl is 
Jer- 
‘ood 
ind 
OPPOSITION 
121 
struggle. From a correlation such as this spring the bitter 
quarrels that are being fought within political factions or 
trade unions or families. 
Competition 
A special type of correlation between unity and opposi- 
tion occurs in the different forms of competition. Com- 
petition is distinguished from an ordinary struggle by the 
fact that it is an indirect conflict. In one form of competi- 
tion, the object of the conflict is in the hands of a third per- 
son, and the mere victory over the opponent, although the 
first necessary step, is not the final aim. In the second form 
of competition, each competitor works immediately for the 
final aim without spending any energy on his opponent. 
This type of competition is illustrated in a track meet and 
in modern business. 
The runner who succeeds by his speed, the merchant by 
the price of his goods, and the preacher by his oratory may 
be stimulated by the efforts of their competitors, but they 
proceed as if otherwise these competitors were non-existent 
and their own aim and purpose the only thing in this world. 
This complete concentration on the factual aspect of the 
issue leaves only an antagonism of a formal nature. The 
result is that competition can be used as a form of conflict 
which will be of benefit to both parties. Competition is 
often stimulated artificially, as between the regiments of 
an army or between subgroups of co-workers for a common 
cause. It will not only lead to an increased activity on the 
part of each competing group which will be for the benefit 
of the whole, but even the victory of the winner will indi- 
rectly benefit the losers. 
This peculiar character of competition, the neglect of 
the opponent and the concentration on the objective re- 
 Soz., pp. 271-77.