288 SOCIAL EVOLUTION 



ers, ready to follow him at any moment on marauding ex- 

 peditions. In course of time these lawless bands were 

 used by the bo-aire in committing depredations on weaker 

 tribes and in stealing their cattle. "Deprived of all 

 possessions, conquered tribes can then subsist only by 

 borrowing stock back from the arrogant cow-noblemen, 

 who thus become receivers of regular tributes and 

 rents." 21 



Mr. Mallock calls the struggle which develops under 

 the conditions of tribal feudalism, the struggle for dom- 

 ination to distinguish it from the struggle for mere ex- 

 istence described by Darwin. In this struggle, wealth 

 had become an important social element and operated to 

 differentiate the tribal population into classes. Yet the 

 retainers of the chieftains, or the followers of these re- 

 tainers, might themselves be men of any tribe, although 

 society continued to be organized on the gentile princi- 

 ple. This is clear evidence that we are dealing with an 

 intermediate stage which was neither pure tribal organi- 

 zation, nor yet true civil organization. The bond of union 

 was allegiance ; no question of relationship was asked ; it 

 was only necessary that they should be loyal adherents, 

 faithful to their chosen leader and protector. "Here was 

 a first step in that momentous change which was finally 

 to break down tribal organization and substitute for it 

 the civil organization of society on the basis of industrial 

 and political association, irrespective of the limitations 

 of blood relationship. ' ' 22 



Many historical peoples have passed through the stage 

 of rude feudalism which the Brehon laws describe. 23 We 



2iGiddings, op. tit., pp. 295-296. 



22 Giddings, Descrip. and Hist. Soc., pp. 472-473. 



23 Hopkins, E. W. "The Social and Military Position of the Ruling 

 Caste in Ancient India," Jour. Amer. Oriental Society, vol. xiii, 1888. 



