In this landmark study, originally published in 1964, Peter Blau considers a basic question: How does social life become organized into increasingly complex structures of associations among humans? "Blau's analysis represents a very important advance in the application of exchange analysis to social structure and behavior."--S. N. Eisenstadt, The American Journal of Sociology

"Blau's analysis represents a very important advance in the application of exchange analysis to social structure and behavior."

--S. N. Eisenstadt, The American Journal of Sociology

"A vast quarry of a book from which other writers will be able to extract ore--and fossils too--for some time.... The style is outstandingly clear and incisive; both abstract general terms and vivid anecdotes are made to serve (he argument."

-- Alisdair Maclntyre, Sociology

"The book is brilliant,"

--Robert Bierstedt, American Sociological Review

"This book is exciting.... Blau makes a significant and successful attempt to identify some components, to state their general properties, and then to indicate how more complex social structures can be built from them."

-- Alfred Kuhn, Science

"Blau has made an extremely important contribution to the theory of small group behavior."

--John Power, The Australian Journal of Politics and History

"Blau's analysis represents a very important advance in the application of exchange analysis to social structure and behavior."

--S. N. Eisenstadt, The American Journal of Sociology

"A vast quarry of a book from which other writers will be able to extract ore--and fossils too--for some time.... The style is outstandingly clear and incisive; both abstract general terms and vivid anecdotes are made to serve (he argument."

-- Alisdair Maclntyre, Sociology

"The book is brilliant,"

--Robert Bierstedt, American Sociological Review

"This book is exciting.... Blau makes a significant and successful attempt to identify some components, to state their general properties, and then to indicate how more complex social structures can be built from them."

-- Alfred Kuhn, Science

"Blau has made an extremely important contribution to the theory of small group behavior."

--John Power, The Australian Journal of Politics and History

-Blau's analysis represents a very important advance in the application of exchange analysis to social structure and behavior.-

--S. N. Eisenstadt, The American Journal of Sociology

-A vast quarry of a book from which other writers will be able to extract ore--and fossils too--for some time.... The style is outstandingly clear and incisive; both abstract general terms and vivid anecdotes are made to serve (he argument.-

-- Alisdair Maclntyre, Sociology

-The book is brilliant,-

--Robert Bierstedt, American Sociological Review

-This book is exciting.... Blau makes a significant and successful attempt to identify some components, to state their general properties, and then to indicate how more complex social structures can be built from them.-

-- Alfred Kuhn, Science

-Blau has made an extremely important contribution to the theory of small group behavior.-

--John Power, The Australian Journal of Politics and History