314 MODERN POLITICS 



king's palace. But it has been unable to defend 

 monarchic authority against attacks that were 

 delivered, at the outset, by the independent 

 ambitions of the aristocratic families which were 

 represented by the senate, and, later on, by 

 the aspirations of the common people. It 

 may be argued that the commanding influence 

 of the German Emperor effectually contradicts 

 the assumption that the Teutonic peoples have 

 been consistently moved by a desire to limit 

 kingly prerogatives. But the conditions of Ger 

 many are peculiar : threatened upon one flank 

 by the spirit of revenge, and on the other by 

 the vague overshadowings of Slav ambition, she 

 imperatively needs a War Lord, and must subor- 

 dinate her aspirations to this necessity. And by 

 exceptional forcefulness of character a king can 

 always revive the respectful feelings to which the 

 institution of kingship owes its origin. 



The Army and the Family, then, stand for 

 influences by which monarchy and aristocracy 

 have, respectively, been upraised. In Europe 

 these influences have been in perpetual conflict, 

 one or the other gaining strength as foreign or 

 domestic interests became most pressing. Before 

 the Eastern despot family authority has respect- 

 fully retreated within the circle of its own affairs, 

 and has rarely ventured to contest with him the 

 control of public business. We can hardly dignify 

 with the name of " senates " the oriental councils 

 (or darbars) that rather feed a prince's vanity 

 than moderate his caprices. In the West the 

 struggles of the political arena have been compli- 

 cated by a new force : the undistinguished masses 

 have appeared at its gates and have demanded 

 a part in the tournament. They might respect 

 a king ; and in the placid continuity of country 

 life loyalty might persist towards land-holding 



