420 POLITICAL INSTITUTIONS. 



These changes are furthered by the decline of superstitions 

 beliefs concerning the natures of head men, general and local. 

 As before shown, the ascription of superhuman origin, or 

 supernatural power, to the king, greatly strengthens his 

 hands ; and where the chiefs of component groups have a 

 sacredness due to nearness in blood to the semi-divine 

 ancestor worshipped by all, 01 are members of an invading, 

 god-descended race, their authority over dependents is largely 

 enforced. By implication then, whatever undermines ancestor- 

 worship, and the system of beliefs accompanying it, favours 

 the growth of popular power. Doubtless the spread of 

 Christianity over Europe, by diminishing the prestige of 

 governors, major and minor, prepared the way for greater 

 independence of the governed. 



These causes have relatively small effects where the people 

 are scattered. In rural districts the authority of political 

 superiors is weakened with comparative slowness. Even after 

 peace has become habitual, and local heads have lost their 

 semi-sacred characters, there cling to them awe-inspiring 

 traditions : they are not of ordinary flesh and blood. Wealth 

 which, through long ages, distinguishes the nobleman exclu 

 sively, gives him both actual power and the power arising 

 from display. Eixed literally or practically, as the several 

 grades of his inferiors are during clays when locomotion is 

 difficult, he long remains for them the solitary sample of a 

 great man. Others are only known by hearsay ; he is known 

 by experience. Inspection is easily maintained by him over 

 dependent and sub-dependent people ; and the disrespectful 

 or rebellious, if they cannot be punished overtly, can be 

 deprived of occupation, or otherwise so hindered in their 

 lives that they must submit or migrate. Down to our own 

 day, the behaviour of peasants and farmers to the squire, is 

 suggestive of the strong restraints which kept rural popula 

 tions in semi-servile states after primitive controlling 

 influences had died away. 



Converse effects may be expected under converse condi- 



