The aim of the book is the analysis of the processes that govern the associations among men as a prolegomenon of a theory of social structure. The problem is to derive complex from simpler processes without the reductionist fallacy of ignoring emergent properties. Social exchange as a central principle of social life, which is derived from primitive terms, and from which complex social forces are derived. The problem of tautology, and the question of whether the principles advanced are culture-bound. Overview of the chapters in the book.