364 POLITICAL INSTITUTIONS. 



propitiatory sacrifices to him, is supposed to obtain Lis aid. 

 Rebellion hence comes to be regarded as alike wicked and 

 hopeless. 



The processes by which political headships are established 

 repeat themselves at successively higher stages. In simple 

 groups chieftainship is at first temporary ceases with the 

 war which initiated it. When simple groups that have 

 acquired permanent political heads, unite for military pur 

 poses, the general chieftainship is originally but temporary. 

 As in simple groups chieftainship is at the outset habitually 

 elective, and becomes hereditary at a later stage ; so chief 

 tainship of the compound group is habitually elective at the 

 outset, and only later passes into the hereditary. Similarly 

 in some cases where a doubly-compound society is formed. 

 Further, this later-established power of a supreme ruler, at 

 first given by election and presently gained by descent, is 

 commonly less than that of the local rulers in their own 

 localities ; and when it becomes greater, it is usually by the 

 help of ascribed divine origin or ascribed divine commission. 



Where, in virtue of supposed supernatural genesis or 

 authority, the king has become absolute, and, owning both 

 subjects and territory, exercises all powers, he is obliged by 

 the multiplicity of his affairs to depute his powers. There 

 follows a reactive restraint due to the political machinery he 

 creates ; and this machinery ever tends to become too strong 

 for him. Especially where rigorous adhesion to the rule of 

 inheritance brings incapables to the throne, or where ascribed 

 divine nature causes inaccessibility save through agents, or 

 where both causes conspire, power passes into the hands of 

 deputies. The legitimate ruler becomes an automaton and 

 his chief agent the real ruler ; and this agent, again, in some 

 cases passing through parallel stages, himself becomes an auto 

 maton and his subordinates the rulers. 



Lastly, by colligation and comparison of the facts, we are 

 led to recognize the indirectly-achieved benefits which have 

 followed the directly-inflicted evils of personal government. 



