“The power of association it is true, draws men together like the law of gravitation, with a force in proportion to their numbers or mass, and in inverse proportion to their distances. But this law, when transferred from inanimate matter and applied to humanity or to living beings, requires several modifications. And even among the astronomical bodies, there is a centrifugal power always exactly equal to the centripetal.

If we turn to the sidereal systems for illustrations, then nations will answer to solar systems, prettily and truly. Planets will revolve around suns, moons and satellites around planets, and so on; each in its own orbit, and doing its own work; and each kept from centrifugal disorder, by the attracting power of its own immediate center, namely, the next highest orb in the generalizations. But still, it is in vain to look for exact analogies of life-processes, in the laws or actions of inanimate matter. Saturn's ring may illustrate the relations of families to a tribe; but we have no binary systems in our solar system,—nothing to illustrate the family organization in the relation of male and female. Although in the binary systems of far distant stars, the suns of other systems, we have the beautiful arrangement of two companion stars revolving around each other, or rather, revolving around an ideal center, the ideal point of their mutual attraction; and each being of the color needed to complement the other in the spectrum. And in some cases, there appear to be more than two, sometimes even several suns, occupying these relations to each other. But not in the simple organic matters substances or minerals, do we find any trace of male and female, other than electricity. It is only where we enter into the living world, vegetable as well as animal, that we find sex running throughout all or nearly all life; but we find the family organization, only in a few of the very highest animals.

Now, let us remember that in the natural formation of society, after the formation of families and tribes, the centripetal and centrifugal forces are not exerted and felt, so directly between the individuals as between the families, or the tribes. Nations are formed originally and in all history, not by individuals but by families and tribes. Thus, even the centripetal force itself is not so much directly between individuals, as it is directly between families and tribes. And the sun over our heads does not draw us away from the earth, but draws us along with it.

Where the two forces of human society, the centripetal and the centrifugal, are most perfectly and independently balanced in all their forms,—where the national, the neighborhood, the family, and the individual, all have the powers of each in the best balance,—there will be the most rapid and true prosperity. And this is brought about in accordance with one of the laws which Carey has announced in only one of its relations, namely, in the relation of city state and nation, rather than to its full extent. This law might and should be enlarged, as I have enlarged it, to the other units. That law thus enlarged is, that in proportion as this balance of all the parts is preserved, the rapidity of human diversity or individuality is promoted; and in proportion to that individuality, will be the feeling and consciousness of human responsibility intellectual and moral; and in proportion to the responsibility both intellectual and moral, will be the activity and morality; and in proportion to the activity and morality in such a condition of balanced freedom and order, will be the universal prosperity.”

“But the relation of persons in small districts, is much better illustrated by the powers and laws of chemical affinity. Here we see that the attraction between molecules or individuals when placed very near together, becomes an entirely different power from gravitation, as far as we can yet perceive; and one that exceeds it beyond all possibility of comparison. So that although all bodies undergoing chemical changes, are also subject to gravitation, yet we cannot perceive that the chemical changes themselves are at all affected by gravitation. Here we have illustrated the absolute independence of neighborhoods within nations.

This principle of elective affinity illustrates another feature, both of man and of society, or of close neighbors to each other, whether in space or in relationship; and this is, that molecules or individuals can unite with each other, only within certain definite specified and limited proportions. So it is with individuals; each one has his own peculiar character and his own proper rights, such that other individuals cannot understand him nor his true character or responsibilities, beyond certain degrees. And these degrees may vary in different subjects, so that any two persons may have more and closer affinities on some subjects than on others. Here we have illustrated the eternal rights of individuals, in the recesses of their own hearts, and to their own hearts' secrets, as well as to combinations and sympathy with other persons.

As Comte well observes, the attempt or even the hope, to reduce all the operations and laws of nature, to one law, is and will be a vain attempt. And the fact is, that the laws and powers which attract men into nations, are not the same as far as we can analyze, as those which cause them to seek the society of and organization with their immediate neighbors. The one is gravitation, the other is affinity. And hence, the national principle and the neighbor principle, are much better illustrated by what are recognized to be two entirely different natural powers, and to be working by entirely different laws.

One obvious inference from this view is, the evident and much greater importance of the neighbor-attraction, than of the nation alone, in itself considered as the ultimate object sought, the end of the means; and including in the term neighbor, not only precinct, but also social acquaintance and business circle or chartered company. By reference to Carey's law regarding the balance of centralization and decentralization, it will be observed, that all turns upon individuality and personal responsibility, that the national power itself is useful, only as it develops or allows the development of these. Whereas, the chemical affinities are the immediate and direct operation of these individualities themselves.”

“Man knows himself only as he knows external nature, we will readily see how, in the origin of human society, the individual man or woman only knows himself or herself, after organizing into the family relation.”

— Goethe (c.1800), cited in: Principia: Basis of Social Science (pgs. 87-88)

“Social science ought to be compared, not with works on chemistry, or astronomy, or even moral philosophy, or political economy; but rather, with works on geology or metaphysics.”

— Robert Wright (1875), Principia: Basis of Social Science (pg. ix)

“The social laws in general, operate, not like physical laws, regardless of men's faith or opinions about them; but to a great extent, they operate like the spiritual and religious laws of conscience; that is, they operate according as men have faith and expectation.”

— Robert Wright (1875), Principia: Basis of Social Science (pg. 61)

“Analogy in chemistry. All the elements of chemistry may be divided into two classes, and in three different methods. One, is into metals and metalloids, another, is into acids and alkalies, and the third is into electronegative and electropositive. We have here as much of the divisions of our six units, as could be expected to survive under chemical analysis, under which ‘no life’ can continue. Here in chemistry we have, not three pairs of classes making six classes, but only three ways of pairing classes.”

— Robert Wright (1875), Principia: Basis of Social Science (pg. 89)