50. 社会是人与人之间产生持久关系的群体。一个人与另一个人组成的只是一个群体。然而，如果这些个体之间产生了持久的关系，他们便形成了社会。如果没有产生持久的关系，他们仍然只是一个群体，不会成为社会。使一群人成为社会的，正是这些持久的关系。这些关系源于他们的利益。因此，是利益产生了关系；没有利益，就不会有关系。 这些事务究竟被视为利益还是损害，取决于人们对它的看法。如果一个人认为某事是利益，关系便会产生；如果不这样认为，关系就不会产生。所以，决定什么构成利益的是观念。因此，是观念产生了关系。由于观念是思想的含义，思想决定利益，相应地，思想产生关系。 一群人共同的思想会产生对利益的共同看法，进而产生关系。然而，仅有共同的思想本身并不能产生关系，还需要共同的情感。换言之，要使两个人之间产生这种关系，他们必须怀着愉悦的心情看待这一利益，即他们的情感在对利益的看法上必须一致，包括赞同、愤怒、悲伤和痛苦等方面，再加上共同的思想，利益才得以存在，关系随之产生。不过，仅有共同的思想和情感仍然不够，还必须有一个共同的制度来处理这些利益，使关系得以存在。换言之，他们必须就处理这一利益的方式达成一致，关系才得以存在。 因此,要使人与人之间产生关系,必须具备统一的思想、统一的情感和统一的制度。这三者缺一,便不存在关系。所以,社会是由拥有共同思想、共同情感和单一制度的人组成的。由此可见,社会由人、思想、情感和制度构成。它是一群彼此之间存在持久关系的人;然而,这些持久的关系是由共同的思想、共同的情感和共同的制度所产生的。社会正是依据这三个要素而形成的;因此,社会之间的差异,也随着思想、情感和制度的不同而不同。

50. Society is a group of people amongst whom permanent relationships arise. One person together with another person constitutes only a group. However, if permanent relationships occur between these individuals they then form a society. If no permanent relationships arise then they remain as a group and will not become a society. What makes a group of people into a society are the permanent relationships. These relationships arise due to their interests. Thus, it is the interest that produces a relationship; without it there would be no relationship. What determines whether such interests are seen as interests or harms is the people’s view towards such an interest. If a person views a matter as an interest, then the relationship arises, if not then the relationship will not arise. So it is the concept that determines what constitutes an interest. Accordingly, it is the concept that produces the relationship. Since concepts are the meanings of thoughts, thoughts are what determine the interest, and accordingly thoughts produce the relationship. The common thoughts of a group of people produce a common viewpoint towards the interest, which in turn produces a relationship. However, common thoughts on their own cannot produce relationships without common emotions. In other words, in order for this relationship to take place between two people, they must view the interest with pleasure, i.e. their emotions must be united in their viewpoint towards the interest, in terms of approval, anger, sadness and pain, in addition to the common thoughts, so that the interest exists and consequently the relationship arises. However, common thoughts and emotions on their own are still not enough; there must also be a common system that treats these interests so that a relationship exists. In other words, they must agree on the manner of treating this interest so that a relationship exists. Thus, for a relationship to take place between people there must be united thoughts, emotions and a system. When these three things do not exist there is no relationship. Therefore, society is composed of people who have common thoughts, common emotions and a single system. Thus, a society comprises of people, thoughts, emotions and systems. It is a group of people who have permanent relations; however these permanent relationships have been produced by common thoughts, emotions and systems. It is according to these three elements that societies are formed; hence societies differ from each other according to the difference in thoughts, emotions and systems.