754 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



inherited traditions of regimental control as the sole form of govern- 

 ment known to him, will not impose on the producing classes a kindred 

 control, is to suppose in him sentiments and ideas entirely foreign to 

 his circumstances. 



The nature of the militant form of government will be further 

 elucidated on observing that it is both positively regulative and 

 negatively regulative. It does not simply restrain ; it also enforces. 

 Besides telling the individual what he shall not do, it tells him what he 

 shall do. 



That the government of a fighting body is thus characterized needs 

 no showing. Indeed, commands of the positive kind given to the 

 soldier are more important than those of the negative kind : fighting 

 is done under the one, while order is maintained under the other. But 

 here it chiefly concerns us to note that not only the control of military 

 life, but also the control of civil life, is, under the militant tyjoe of gov- 

 ernment, thus characterized. There are two ways in which the ruling 

 power may deal with the private individual. It may simply limit his 

 actions to those which he can carry on without aggression, direct or 

 indirect, upon others ; in which case its action is negatively regulative. 

 Or, besides doing this, it may prescribe the how, and the where, and 

 the when, of his daily actions ; may force him to do various things 

 which he would not spontaneously do ; may direct in greater or less 

 detail his mode of living ; in which case its action is positively regula- 

 tive. Under the militant type this positively regulative action is wide- 

 spread and peremptory. The civilian is in a condition as much like that 

 of the soldier as difference of occupation permits. 



And this is another way of expressing the truth that the fun- 

 damental principle of the militant type is compulsory cooperation. 

 While this is obviously the principle under w^hich the members of the 

 combatant body act, it no less certainly must be the principle acted 

 upon throughout the non-combatant body, if military efficiency is to 

 be great ; since, otherwise, the aid which the non-combatant body has 

 to furnish can not be insured. 



That binding together by which the units of a militant society are 

 made into an efficient fighting structure tends to fix the position of 

 each in rank, in occupation, in locality. 



In a graduated regulative organization there is resistance to change 

 from a lower to a higher grade. Such change is made difficult by lack 

 of the possessions needed for filling superior positions ; and it is made 

 difficult by the opposition of those who already fill them, and can hold 

 inferiors down. Preventing intrusion from below, these transmit their 

 respective places and ranks to their descendants ; and, as the principle 

 of inheritance becomes settled, the rigidity of the social structure be- 

 '.comes decided. Only where an "egalitarian despotism " reduces all 



