646 POLITICAL INSTITUTIONS. 



ticular cases made clear. Eules of procedure become step 

 by step detailed and formal, while interpretations change 

 the general command into specialized commands to meet 

 incidental circumstances; and gradually there grows up a 

 legal system everywhere precise and fixed. How pronounced 

 is this tendency is interestingly shown in our system of 

 Equity, which, arising to qualify the unduly defined and 

 rigid applications of Law, itself slowly multiplied its tech 

 nicalities untiJ it grew equally defined and rigid. 



To meet an obvious criticism it must be added that these 

 changes from societies which are small, loose, uniform, and 

 vague in structure, to societies which are large, compact, 

 multiform, and distinct in structure, present varieties of 

 characters under varieties of conditions, and alter as the 

 conditions alter. Different parts of a society display the 

 transformation, according as the society s activities are of 

 one or other kind. Chronic war generates a compulsory 

 cohesion, and produces an ever-greater heterogeneity and defi- 

 niteness in that controlling organization by which unity of 

 action is secured ; while that part of the organization which 

 carries on production and distribution, exhibits these traits of 

 evolution in a relatively small degree. Conversely, when 

 joint action of the society against other societies decreases, 

 the traits of the structure developed for carrying it on begin 

 to fade ; while the traits of the structure for carrying on pro 

 duction and distribution become more decided : the increasing 

 cohesion, heterogeneity, and definiteness, begin now to be 

 shown throughout the industrial organization. Hence the 

 phenomena become complicated by a simultaneous evolution 

 of one part of the social organization and dissolution of 

 another part a mingling of changes well illustrated in our 

 own society. 



577. With this general conception before us, which, 

 without more detailed recapitulation of the conclusions 

 reached, will sufficiently recall them, we may turn from 



