108 TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



this regulation is imperfect and weak from the fact that no common 

 government is organized to which all the states are alike obedient. 

 The lack of such a common government for states leads to the 

 settlement of disputes by war. Each state prepares itself to enforce 

 its wishes or defend its rights by resort to arms. It seems probable 

 that in the earliest stages of society all able-bodied men take part 

 in its military affairs. But very early a differentiation is discovered 

 by which a part only of the men belong to the army ; and thus we 

 have the military class as distinguished from the civil class. 



In all governments which have hitherto existed, human conduct 

 has been regulated in its relations to supernatural beings. It has 

 always been believed that the welfare of mankind depends largely, 

 or even primarily, upon the will of the gods, or of one god — the 

 Supreme Ruler of the Universe. 



The relation of man to his god gives rise to religion. The con- 

 duct involved is religious conduct ; and hence religion comes to be 

 an important factor in determining the constitution of the state, 

 the nature of the government, and the character of the law. 



Thus in the constitution of the state we find three classes of 

 people more or less distinctly differentiated : the civil, the mili- 

 tary, and the priestly. As these classes appear in the constitution 

 of the state they also affect in varying degree the form of the 

 government, and the relations arising therefrom are regulated by 

 law. 



SOCIAL RANKS. 



In many stages of society grades, or ranks, of people are dis- 

 covered, based upon heredity, possession of land, wealth, and other 

 circumstances giving rise to aristocracies — common people and 

 slaves, patricians and plebeians. 



CORPORATIONS. 



In many states two grand classes of organizations are found. The 

 first class is directly related to government and embraces the organi- 



