The polar regions and the subtropical deserts, on the other hand, permit man to form only few and intermittent relations with any one spot, restrict economic methods to the lower stages of development, produce only the small, weak, loosely organized horde, which never evolves into a state so long as it remains in that retarding environment.
[Sidenote: Morgan's Societas.] Man in his larger activities, as opposed to his mere physiological or psychological processes, cannot be studied apart from the land which he inhabits.

Whether we consider him singly or in a group--family, clan, tribe or state--we must always consider him or his group in relation to a piece of land.

The ancient Irish sept, Highland clan, Russian mir, Cherokee hill-town, Bedouin tribe, and the ancient Helvetian canton, like the political state of history, have meant always a group of people and a bit of land.

The first presupposes the second.

In all cases the form and size of the social group, the nature of its activities, the trend and limit of its development will be strongly influenced by the size and nature of its habitat.