The Pathos of Politics (1) The Descent of Polity

The Descent of Polity

The very ink with which history is written is merely fluid prejudice. ~ American author Mark Twain

Like the primates they descended from, hominoids were gregarious creatures, with both genders having their own dominance hierarchies.

Once a chimpanzee has achieved dominance, male or female, it exercises authority: the ability to settle conflicts and set rules. Chimps acknowledge authority through submissive greetings: meek grunts followed by deep bows, holding one’s hand out to a superior, kissing feet.

How human authority is attained determined the de-scent of polity. The path to authority is indeed the reason that politics even exists – man’s readiness to resort to violence.