THE MILITANT TYPE OF SOCIETY. 569 



nation, may not admit of being displayed by a horde of 

 savages, though this is equally militant. Moreover, as insti 

 tutions take long to acquire their finished forms, it is not to 

 be expected that all militant societies will display the 

 organization appropriate to them in its completeness. Bather 

 may we expect that in most cases it will be incompletely 

 displayed. 



In face of these difficulties the best course will be to con 

 sider, first, what are the sev.eral traits which of necessity mili 

 tancy tends to produce; and then to observe how far these traits 

 are conjointly shown in past and present nations distinguished 

 by militancy. Having contemplated the society ideally 

 organized for war, we shall be prepared to recognize in real 

 societies the characters which war has brought about. 



548. For preserving its corporate life, a society is im 

 pelled to corporate action ; and the preservation of its cor 

 porate life is the more probable in proportion as its corporate 

 action is the more complete. For purposes of offence and 

 defence, the forces of individuals have to be combined ; and 

 where every individual contributes his force, the probability 

 of success is greatest. Numbers, natures, and circumstances 

 being equal, it is clear that of two tribes or two larger 

 societies, one of which unites the actions of all its capable 

 members while the other does not, the first will ordinarily be 

 the victor. There must be an habitual survival of commu 

 nities in which militant cooperation is universal. 



This proposition is almost a truism. But it is needful here, 

 as a preliminary, consciously to recognize the truth that the 

 social structure evolved by chronic militancy, is one in which 

 oil men fit for fighting act in concert against other societies. 

 Such further actions as they carry on they can carry on 

 separately ; but this action they must carry on jointly. 



549. A society s power of self-preservation will be great 

 in proportion as, besides the direct aid of all who can fight, 



