Foreword

This work will consist of an undetermined number of volumes, forming a sequence of distinct but interrelated works, which will all have as their direct goal, either to establish that politics must today rise to the rank of the sciences of observation, or to apply this fundamental principle to the spiritual reorganization of society.

The first two volumes, which may be regarded as a sort of philosophical prospectus for the work as a whole, will contain both the exposition of the plan of scientific work on politics, divided into three great series, and a first attempt to execute this plan.

The first volume is, consequently, composed of two parts: one relates to the plan of the first series of works; the other, which will be published shortly afterwards, concerns its execution.

The goal of the first part is, properly, to establish on the one hand the spirit which should reign in politics, considered as a positive science; and on the other hand to demonstrate the necessity and the possibility of such a change. The object of the second is to outline the work which is needed to imprint this character on politics, by presenting a first scientific overview of the laws which have guided the general course of civilization, and in turn a first glimpse of the social system which the natural development of the human race must bring to dominance today. In short, the first part considers method in social physics, and the second considers its application.