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everything which cannot be divided； but must go entire to one
person； such as a title of honour； is in most cases given to the
eldest。 Age is a plain and palpable quality which admits of no
dispute。
The third of those causes or circumstances is the
superiority of fortune。 The authority of riches； however； though
great in every age of society； is perhaps greatest in the rudest
age of society which admits of any considerable inequality of
fortune。 A Tartar chief； the increase of whose herds and stocks
is sufficient to maintain a thousand men； cannot well employ that
increase in any other way than in maintaining a thousand men。 The
rude state of his society does not afford him any manufactured
produce； any trinkets or baubles of any kind； for which he can
exchange that part of his rude produce which is over and above
his own consumption。 The thousand men whom he thus maintains；
depending entirely upon him for their subsistence； must both obey
his orders in war； and submit to his jurisdiction in peace。 He is
necessarily both their general and their judge； and his
chieftainship is the necessary effect of the superiority of his
fortune。 In an opulent and civilised society； a man may possess a
much greater fortune and yet not be able to command a dozen
people。 Though the produce of his estate may be sufficient to
maintain； and may perhaps actually maintain； more than a thousand
people； yet as those people pay for everything which they get
from him； as he gives scarce anything to anybody but in exchange
for an equivalent； there is scarce anybody who considers himself
as entirely dependent upon him； and his authority extends only
over a few menial servants。 The authority of fortune； however； is
very great even in an opulent and civilised society。 That it is
much greater than that either of age or of personal qualities has
been the constant complaint of every period of society which
admitted of any considerable inequality of fortune。 The first
period of society； that of hunters； admits of no such inequality。
Universal poverty establishes their universal equality； and the
superiority either of age or of personal qualities are the feeble
but the sole foundations of authority and subordination。 There is
therefore little or no authority or subordination in this period
of society。 The second period of society； that of shepherds；
admits of very great inequalities of fortune； and there is no
period in which the superiority of fortune gives so great
authority to those who possess it。 There is no period accordingly
in which authority and subordination are more perfectly
established。 The authority of an Arabian sherif is very great；
that of a Tartar khan altogether despotical。
The fourth of those causes or circumstances is the
superiority of birth。 Superiority of birth supposes an ancient
superiority of fortune in the family of the person who claims it。
All families are equally ancient； and the ancestors of the
prince； though they may be better known； cannot well be more
numerous than those of the beggar。 Antiquity of family means
everywhere the antiquity either of wealth； or of that greatness
which is commonly either founded upon wealth； or accompanied with
it。 Upstart greatness is everywhere less respected than ancient
greatness。 The hatred of usurpers； the love of the family of an
ancient monarch； are； in a great measure； founded upon the
contempt which men naturally have for the former； and upon their
veneration for the latter。 As a military officer submits without
reluctance to the authority of a superior by whom he has always
been commanded； but cannot bear that his inferior should be set
over his head； so men easily submit to a family to whom they and
their ancestors have always submitted； but are fired with
indignation when another family； in whom they had never
acknowledged any such superiority； assumes a dominion over them。
The distinction of birth； being subsequent to the inequality
of fortune； can have no place in nations of hunters； among whom
all men； being equal in fortune； must likewise be very nearly
equal in birth。 The son of a wise and brave man may； indeed； even
among them； be somewhat more respected than a man of equal merit
who has the misfortune to be the son of a fool or a coward。 The
difference； however； will not be very great； and there never was；
I believe； a great family in the world whose illustration was
entirely derived from the inheritance of wisdom and virtue。
The distinction of birth not only may； but always does take
place among nations of shepherds。 Such nations are always
strangers to every sort of luxury； and great wealth can scarce
ever be dissipated among them by improvident profusion。 There are
no nations accordingly who abound more in families revered and
honoured on account of their descent from a long race of great
and illustrious ancestors； because there are no nations among
whom wealth is likely to continue longer in the same families。
Birth and fortune are evidently the two circumstances which
principally set one man above another。 They are the two great
sources of personal distinction； and are therefore the principal
causes which naturally establish authority and subordination
among men。 Among nations of shepherds both those causes operate
with their full force。 The great shepherd or herdsman； respected
on account of his great wealth； and of the great number of those
who depend upon him for subsistence； and revered on account of
the nobleness of his birth； and of the immemorial antiquity of
his illustrious family； has a natural authority over all the
inferior shepherds or herdsmen of his horde or clan。 He can
command the united force of a greater number of people than any
of them。 His military power is greater than that of any of them。
In time of war they are all of them naturally disposed to muster
themselves under his banner； rather than under that of any other
person； and his birth and fortune thus naturally procure to him
some sort of executive power。 By commanding； too； the united
force of a greater number of people than any of them； he is best
able to compel any one of them who may have injured another to
compensate the wrong。 He is the person； therefore； to whom all
those who are too weak to defend themselves naturally look up for
protection。 It is to him that they naturally complain of the
injuries which they imagine have been done to them； and his
interposition in such cases is more easily submitted to； even by
the person complained of； than that of any other person would be。
His birth and fortune thus naturally procure him some sort of
judicial authority。
It is in the age of shepherds； in the second period of
society； that the inequality of fortune first begins to take
place； and introduces among men a degree of authority and
subordination which could not possibly exist before。 It thereby
introduces some degree of that civil government