o4li 



'i>iL/ 



THE 



POPULAR SCIENCE 

 MONTHLY. 



MAY, 1884. 



THE SINS OF LEGISLATORS. 



By HEEBEET SPENCEE, 



BE it or be it not true that man is "shapen in iniquity" and 

 conceived in sin, it is unquestionably true that Government is 

 begotten of aggression and by aggression. In small, undeveloped 

 societies where for ages complete peace has continued, there exists 

 nothing like what we call Government : no coercive agency, but mere 

 honorary headship, if any headship at all. In these exceptional com- 

 munities, unaggressive and from special causes unaggressed upon, 

 there is so little deviation from the virtues of truthfulness, honesty, 

 justice, and generosity, that nothing beyond an occasional expression 

 of public opinion by informally-assembled eldei's is needful.* Con- 

 versely, we find proofs that, at first recognized but temporarily during 

 leadership in war, the authority of a chief is permanently established 

 by continuity of war ; and grows strong where successful aggression 

 ends in subjection of neighboring tribes. And thence onward, ex- 

 amples furnished by all races put beyond doubt the truth that the 

 coercive power of the chief, developing into king, and king of kings 

 (a frequent title in the ancient East), becomes great in proportion as 

 conquest becomes habitual and the union of subdued societies exten- 

 sive.f Comparisons disclose a further truth which should be ever 

 present to us — the truth that the aggressiveness of the ruling power 

 inside a society increases with its aggressiveness outside the society. 

 As, to make an efficient army, the soldiers in their several grades must 

 be subordinate to the commander ; so, to make an efficient fighting 

 society, must the citizens be subordinate. They must furnish recruits 

 to the extent demanded, and yield up whatever property is required. 



* " Political Institutions," §§ 437, 573. \ Ibid., §§ 471-473. 



VOL. XXV. — 1 



