316 POLITICAL INSTITUTIONS. 



these predominant few, some one is sure to be most pre 

 dominant. That which we have to note as specially significant, 

 is not that a free form of government is the primitive form; 

 though this is an implication which may be dwelt upon. Nor 

 are we chiefly concerned with the fact that at the very begin 

 ning there shows itself that separation of the superior few 

 from the inferior many, which becomes marked in later 

 stages ; though this, too, is a fact which may be singled out 

 and emphasized. NOT is attention to be mainly directed to 

 the early appearance of a man whose controlling power is 

 greater than that of any other ; though the evidence given may 

 be cited to prove this. But here we have to note, particularly, 

 the truth that at the outset may be discerned the vague out 

 lines of a tri-une political structure. 



4G5. Of course the ratios among the powers of these 

 three components are in no two cases quite the same ; and, as 

 implied in sundry of the above examples, they everywhere 

 undergo more or less change change determined here by the 

 emotional natures of the men composing the group ; there by 

 the physical circumstances as favouring or hindering inde 

 pendence ; now by the activities as warlike or peaceful ; and 

 now by the exceptional characters of particular individuals. 



Unusual sagacity, skill, or strength, habitually regarded by 

 primitive men as supernatural, may give to some member of 

 the tribe an influence which, transmitted to a successor sup 

 posed to inherit his supernatural character, establishes an 

 authority subordinating both that of the other leading men 

 and that of the mass. Or from a division of labour such that 

 while some remain exclusively warriors the rest are in a 

 measure otherwise occupied, it may result that the two supe 

 rior components of the political agency get power to over-ride 

 the third. Or the members of the third, keeping up habits 

 which make coercion of them diilicult or impossible, may 

 maintain a general predominance over the other two. And 

 then the relations of these three governing elements to the 



