SPATIAL RELATIONS OF SOCIAL FORMS 161 
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The dominion over the land is, in relation to the dominion 
over people, of a secondary importance. The dominion 
over land is, however, of immediate importance if in the 
form of ownership or otherwise it means the right to the 
products of its soil. It is only when confusing the two 
meanings of the term dominion that the fact of the funda- 
mental sociological nature of the concept becomes ob- 
scured.! 
The Function of Empty Space 
Another spatial expression of specific sociological for- 
mations is the use of empty space for the purpose of ex- 
pressing neutrality. Primitive peoples often laid waste a 
small strip of land between their territories and agreed that 
neither of the two groups was to enter that borderland. 
They relinquished the advantages which such an occupa- 
tion would have in the case of an offensive for the advan- 
tages which accrued from the non-occupation by the oppo- 
nent for their own defensive. The empty strip between 
them was the spatial expression of a relationship of armed 
peace, which might be formulated in the words: If you do 
not harm me, I shall not harm you. 
The neutrality of empty space obtains a different sig- 
nificance if, instead of merely separating the groups, it is 
used for positive services. Its function can be, not only to 
separate, but also to unite the groups. Meetings of indi- 
viduals which cannot take place on the territory of either 
group may be arranged to take place in a neutral area. 
The neutral area in primitive times is the uninhabited re- 
gion between the territories occupied by the tribes. It is 
the place where the trading is done and where individuals 
potentially at war meet under conditions of peace. And the 
existence of that unoccupied empty space is the most char- 
Ll Soz., pp. 691-96.