SPATIAL RELATIONS OF SOCIAL FORMS 151] 
Spatial Fixation of Social Contents 
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Another important significance of the spatial relations 
of social groups exists in the fact that they allow the fixa- 
tion of their content in a definite locality. It makes a great 
difference in the structure of the group whether the group 
as a whole, certain definite elements in it, or certain of its 
fundamental interests are definitely fixed to a specific lo- 
cality or spatially entirely undetermined. 
The difference in social structure between nomadic and 
sedentary tribes has often been pointed out. This terri- 
torial fixation apparently occurs in different degrees of 
flexibility. Some groups bind themselves absolutely to a 
definite area and prohibit their members from leaving that 
area. Others withhold certain privileges from members 
living outside of the specific area. Others, again, are en- 
tirely free from any territorial fixation and have no speci- 
fications about domicile in their membership requirements. 
The modern purposive association tends toward the latter 
type. The fact that the introduction of the money econo- 
my has enabled the participation and contributions of mem- 
bers in certain associations to take a purely monetary form 
has made the necessity for actual aggregation for such 
groups entirely superfluous. 
The territorial restrictions which a group attaches to its 
membership requirements may appear at first sight as an 
expression of the great power of the group over its mem- 
bers. This, however, is not always the case. In many in- 
stances the group binds its elements with external re- 
strictions just because it feels its power and its unity in- 
sufficiently secured by the mere subjective cohesion. Ter- 
ritorial restriction or its absence may therefore be an ex- 
pression both of great strength and of weakness. The free- 
dom with which a modern state allows its subjects to emi-