650 POLITICAL INSTITUTIONS. 



legislature, there are the various modes in which it may be 

 partially or wholly replaced. Entire dissolution and re 

 election of one body or of both bodies may occur at intervals, 

 either the same for the two or different for the two, and either 

 simultaneously or otherwise ; or the higher body, though 

 representative, may be permanent, while the lower is change 

 able; or the changing of one or both, at given intervals, 

 may be partial instead of complete a third or a fourth 

 may vacate their seats annually or biennially, and may or 

 may not be eligible for re-election. So, too, thero are 



various modes by which the executive may originate con 

 sistently with the representative principle. It may be simple 

 or it may be compound ; and if compound, the members of it 

 may be changeable separately or altogether. The political 

 head may be elected directly by the whole community, or by 

 its local governing bodies, or by one or by both of its central 

 representative bodies ; and may be so elected for a term or 

 for life. His assistants or ministers may be chosen by him 

 self ; or he may choose one who chooses the rest; or they 

 may be chosen separately or bodily by one or other legis 

 lature, or by the two united. And the members of the 

 ministry may compose a group apart from both chambers, or 

 may be members of one or the other. 



Concerning these, and many other possible arrangements 

 which may be conceived as arising by modification and com 

 plication of them (all apparently congruous with the require 

 ment that the making and administration of laws shall con 

 form to public opinion) the choice is to be guided mainly by 

 regard for simplicity and facility of working. But it seems 

 likely that hereafter, as heretofore, the details of constitutional 

 forms in each society, will not be determined on d priori 

 grounds, or will be but partially so determined. We may 

 conclude that they will be determined in large measure by 

 the antecedents of the society ; and that between societies of 

 the industrial type, there will be differences of political 

 organization consequent on genealogical differences. Recog- 



