classes, etc., and, by comparison of data gathered at different periods, to the dynamic aspects of these problems indicated by changes in the population and its characteristics. It has been especially in this field of demography that there has developed one of the most important of the sociological techniques, Political scientists have been agreed that any catalog of the essential elements of the state must include population, territory, and sovereign power. Aside from elaborate metaphysical studies of the latter they have given little attention to a fundamental analysis of these basic elements in political life, though in this way alone is it possible to penetrate beyond the superficial externalities of political processes.

The contributions of sociology to the description and analysis of the social population have been diverse and epoch-making, and must be differentiated even for brief summarization. First in volume, if not in ultimate importance, should be placed those indispensable studies of population conditions which are usually grouped under the branch of descriptive sociology known as demography.

In modern times this work has been done mainly by public authorities and expert advisers in connection with the official census. It is concerned chiefly with the gathering of descriptive data which furnish the basis of such important information as relates to birth-rates and deathrates, age-classes, industrial groups, distribution of wealth, distribution of population between country and city, ethnic composition, vitality classes, etc., and, by comparison of data gathered at different periods, to the dynamic aspects of these problems indicated by changes in the population and its characteristics. It has been especially in this field of demography that there has developed one of the most important of the sociological techniques, n

ugh in this way alone is it possible to penetrate beyond the superficial externalities of political processes.

The contributions of sociology to the description and analysis of the social population have been diverse and epoch-making, and must be differentiated even for brief summarization. First in volume, if not in ultimate importance, should be placed those indispensable studies of population conditions which are usually grouped under the branch of descriptive sociology known as demography.

In modern times this work has been done mainly by public authorities and expert advisers in connection with the official census. It is concerned chiefly with the gathering of descriptive data which furnish the basis of such important information as relates to birth-rates and deathrates, age-classes, industrial groups, distribution of wealth, distribution of population between country and city, ethnic composition, vitality classes, etc., and, by comparison of data gathered at different periods, to the dynamic aspects of these problems indicated by changes in the population and its characteristics. It has been especially in this field of demography that there has developed one of the most important of the sociological techniques,

e, if not in ultimate importance, should be placed those indispensable studies of population conditions which are usually grouped under the branch of descriptive sociology known as demography.

In modern times this work has been done mainly by public authorities and expert advisers in connection with the official census. It is concerned chiefly with the gathering of descriptive data which furnish the basis of such important information as relates to birth-rates and deathrates, age-classes, industrial groups, distribution of wealth, distribution of population between country and city, ethnic composition, vitality classes, etc., and, by comparison of data gathered at different periods, to the dynamic aspects of these problems indicated by changes in the population and its characteristics. It has been especially in this field of demography that there has developed one of the most important of the sociological techniques,

ficial census. It is concerned chiefly with the gathering of descriptive data which furnish the basis of such important information as relates to birth-rates and deathrates, age-classes, industrial groups, distribution of wealth, distribution of population between country and city, ethnic composition, vitality classes, etc., and, by comparison of data gathered at different periods, to the dynamic aspects of these problems indicated by changes in the population and its characteristics. It has been especially in this field of demography that there has developed one of the most important of the sociological techniques, classes, etc., and, by comparison of data gathered at different periods, to the dynamic aspects of these problems indicated by changes in the population and its characteristics. It has been especially in this field of demography that there has developed one of the most important of the sociological techniques, namely, social statistics.

Having actually originated with Bodin and with certain mathematicians and scientists of the seventeenth century, the science of statistics is nevertheless conventionally dated from the work of Adolphe Quetelet, a Belgian contemporary of Comte. While it has rather definite limitations in application to social problems, there can be no doubt that the statistical technique is the only one which can elevate sociology and political science to the level of quantitative sciences.