What is society?

Abstract

The new translation of the small fragment from H. Spencer’s “The Principles of Sociology” is presented (Part II, Chapter 1). It’s preceded by justification of the need to translate this work into Russian anew. Though this book was translated into Russian several times before revolution of 1917, these translations have performed their familiarizing function long ago and do not correspond to the current state of Russian sociological vocabulary.  Furthermore, previous translations contain many substantive distortions of the text, alien additions, artificial heaviness and great omissions (including the whole chapter on religious institutions). New adequate translation of “The Principles of Sociology” is maintained to be one of the important tasks, in view of the current rise of attention to Spencer’s works and theories in international sociology.