Abstract
In 1903 Simmel published his short study on the sociology of the competition, after the competition for the succession to the important chair of Georg von Gizicky in Berlin at the end of the years '90. On that situation he was defeated by Max Dessoir, a doctoral student of Wilhelm Dilthey, the latter in stark contrast to Moritz Lazarus, Simmel's teacher. So the competitive episode was part of a larger conflict. The article attempts to place Simmel's study on competition against the background of the biographical vicissitudes of its author. First, it traces the sociological nature of competition, which differs from conventional conflict in its triadic form, after it shows that if oriented to a common goal, competition has a socializing effect on the social circle of competitors. A concept that, in fact, seems to arise from the personal story that involved Simmel, given that the competition mentioned improved the condition of all the contenders involved and on the other hand, had a society-forming effect.