Page:An Essay On Hinduism.pdf/156

to enumerate these aids to integration in their totality. It is also equally difficult to explain the working of each of the above-mentioned aids, but explanation of one or two may be indulged in.

The factors of social integration are the following. First of all there should be groups of men to be integrated and to form new social groups. Secondly, there should be some reasons or aids to integration. There should be some definite reason why the two or more societies originally distinct should give up their isolated distinctiveness and form one society. Generally such integration of two or more societies into one society is gradual and very often unwilling. Generally political conquest, or political union against a common foe, lays the foundation for the formation of larger social groups. Missionary religions and civilizations often perform the same task. The things which help such an integration already initiated are many and varied.

Formation of a new community; single and homogeneous, by the destruction of the old ones is a difficult task. And the degree of success necessarily depends on the size of the task. If the two communities to be put together speak the same language, have the same religion, or belong to the same race, the task is comparatively easy; but if they differ in all these respects; the task becomes difficult.

The process of isolation and differentiation of the world's peoples has now almost come to an end. The process of the unification of the world has already set in. The discovery of America and of the sea route from Europe to India may be said to be the most important steps in this direction. This is the era of communication between countries; of exchanges in "civilizations;" and of the intermixture of bloods. The whole world is tending to become