POLITICAL HEADS CHIEFS, KINGS, ETC. 743 



In the rudest groups, resistance to the assumption of supremacy 

 by any individual habitually prevents the establishment of settled head- 

 ship, though some influence is commonly acquired by superiority of 

 strength, or courage, or sagacity, or possessions, or the experience 

 which accompanies age. 



In such groups, and in tribes somewhat more advanced, two kinds 

 of superiority conduce more than all others to predominance that of 

 the warrior and that of the medicine-man. Often separate, but some- 

 times united in the same person, and then greatly strengthening his 

 hands, both these superiorities, tending to initiate political headship, 

 continue thereafter to be important factors in the develoj^ment of it. 



At first, however, the supremacy acquired by a great natural power, 

 or supposed supernatural power, or both, is transitory ceases with 

 the life of one who has acquired it. So long as the principle of effi- 

 ciency alone operates, political headship does not become settled. It 

 becomes settled only when there cooperates the principle of inheri- 

 tance. 



The custom of reckoning descent through females, which charac- 

 terizes many rude societies and survives in others that have made con- 

 siderable advances, is less favorable to establishment of permanent 

 political headship than is the custom of reckoning descent through 

 males ; and, in sundry semi-civilized societies distinguished by perma- 

 nent political headships, inheritance through males has been established 

 in the ruling house, while inheritance through females survives in the 

 society at large. 



Beyond the fact that reckoning descent through males conduces to 

 a more coherent family, to a greater culture of subordination, and to 

 a more probable union of inherited position with inherited capacity, 

 there is the more important fact that it fosters ancestor-worship and 

 the consequent reenforcing of natural authority by supernatural au- 

 thority. Development of the ghost-theory, leading as it does to spe- 

 cial fear of the ghosts of powerful men, until, where many tribes have 

 been welded together by a conqueror, his ghost acquires in tradition 

 the preeminence of a god, produces two effects. In the first place, his 

 descendant, ruling after him, is supposed to partake of his divine na- 

 ture ; and, in the second place, by propitiatory sacrifices to him, is sup- 

 posed to obtain his aid. Rebellion hence comes to be regarded as 

 alike wicked and hopeless. 



The processes by which political headships are established repeat 

 themselves at successively higher stages. In simple groups chieftain- 

 ship is at first temporary ceases with the war which initiated it. 

 When simple groups that have acquired permanent political heads 

 unite for military purposes, the general chieftainship is but temporary. 

 As in simple groups chieftainship is at the outset habitually elective, 

 and becomes hereditary at a latere stage, so chieftainship of the com- 

 pound group is at the outset habitually elective, and only later passes 



