The Origins of Tyranny: From the War Chief and Shaman to Divine Kingship

Glassman, Ronald M.

doi:10.1007/978-3-030-76821-8_15

Ronald M. Glassman²

555 Accesses

Abstract

Both democracy and tyranny are intrinsic to the human potential. In large tribes, the war chief becomes powerful when the war chief commands a large, loyal retinne, he becomes a “King.” In agricultural societies, the shaman becomes an organized priesthood. The priesthood creates the belief that the King is actually a God—the King is divine, he rules with the mandate from the gods. There are tyrannical kings and benevolent kings, but in divine kingships, democracy is inconceivable. History becomes the story of Kings and battles—the people and women are written out of history. The charisma of Kings is artificially manufactured—enhanced by the magnificent palaces and temples; glorious clothing and jewelry; scepters, crowns, and thrones, spectacular festivals; and well armored and regimented kingly royal regiments.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution

Chapter: USD 29.95; Price excludes VAT (USA)

eBook: USD 129.00; Price excludes VAT (USA)

Softcover Book: USD 169.99; Price excludes VAT (USA)

Hardcover Book: USD 169.99; Price excludes VAT (USA)

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Notes

1.
Jane Goodall, In the Shadow of Man, Random House, 1980.
2.
Ronald M. Glassman, The Origins of Democracy in Tribes, City-States, and Nation-States, 2017.
3.
Ibid.
4.
Lewis Henry Morgan, Ancient Society, NY, Amazon, 2012 (1877).
5.
Oxford Study Bible, Exodus.
6.
E. Adamson Hoebel, The Cheyenne Way, NY, Amazon, 2011.
7.
Lewis Henry Morgan, Ancient Society, NY, Amazon, 2012 (1877).
8.
Ibid.
9.
The Icelandic Sagas, Translated by Snorri Sturluson, NY, Amazon, 2010.
10.
Conrad Lorenze, On Aggression, NY, Amazon, 2012.
11.
Jane Goodall, In the Shadow of Man, Random House, 1980.
12.
John Marshall, The!Kung Bushmen of the Kalahari Desert.
13.
Ibid.
14.
Ronald M. Glassman, The Origins of Democracy in Tribes, City-States, and Nation-States, 2017.
15.
Ruth Benedict, Patterns of Culture, NY, Collier Books, 1952.
16.
For examples of “wise elders,” see The Epic of Gilgamesh, The Bible, Book of Judges.
17.
Lewis Henry Morgan, Ancient Society, NY, Amazon, 2012 (1877). See the Sachem as Peace Chiefs.
18.
E.A. Ritter, Shaka Zulu, Amazon, 2003.
19.
The Icelandic Sagas, Translated by Snorri Sturluson, NY, Amazon, 2010.
20.
The Epic of Gilgamesh, The Bible, Book of Judges.
21.
E.A. Ritter, Shaka Zulu, Amazon, 2003.
22.
Samuel Noah Kramer, History Begins at Sumer, NY, Amazon, 2010.
23.
The Icelandic Sagas, Translated by Snorri Sturluson, NY, Amazon, 2010.
24.
Ibid.
25.
Ronald M. Glassman, The Origins of Democracy in Tribes, City-States, and Nation-States, 2017.
26.
Henri Frankfort, Kingship and the Gods, New York, Amazon, 2011.
27.
Ronald M. Glassman, The Origins of Democracy in Tribes, City-States, and Nation-States, 2017.
28.
Peter Berger and Luckmann, The Social Construction of Reality, NY, Random House, 1970.
29.
Jean Paul Sartre, Being and Nothingness, NY, Amazon 2012.
30.
Ronald M. Glassman, The Origins of Democracy in Tribes, City-States, and Nation-States, 2017.
31.
Ibid.
32.
Henri Frankfort, Kingship and the Gods, New York, Amazon, 2011.
33.
Karl Polanyi, Trade and Markets in the Early Empires, New York, Free Press, 1952.
34.
Henri Frankfort, Kingship and the Gods, New York, Amazon, 2011.
35.
Oxford Study Bible, The Story of Joseph.
36.
Confucius, The Analects, NY, Amazon, 2000.
37.
Max Weber, Economy and Society “Guenther Roth and Claus Wittich,” New York, Academic Press, 1961.
38.
Confucius, The Analects, NY, Amazon, 2000.
39.
Karl Marx, The German Ideology, NY, Collier Paperback, 1951.
40.
Aristotle, Politics, Barker Translation, Oxford University Press, London, 1960.
41.
Marco Polo, Travels to China, NY, Amazon, 2010.
42.
See King Ashurbanipal of Syria.
43.
Herodotus, Histories, (on Xerxes) London, Penguin, 1951.
44.
Herodotus, The Histories.
45.
Aristotle, Politics, Barker Translation, Oxford University Press, London, 1960.
46.
Ronald M. Glassman and William Swatos, Jr., Charisma, History and Social Structure, NY Praeger, 1981.
47.
Glassman and Swatos.
48.
Ibid.
49.
Leni Riefenstahl, Film: “Triumph of the Will”.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Stern College for Women, Yeshiva University, New York, NY, USA
Ronald M. Glassman

Authors

Ronald M. Glassman
View author publications
You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Glassman, R.M. (2021). The Origins of Tyranny: From the War Chief and Shaman to Divine Kingship. In: Can Democracy Survive in the 21st Century?. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-76821-8_15

Download citation

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-76821-8_15
Published: 06 July 2021
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-030-76820-1
Online ISBN: 978-3-030-76821-8
eBook Packages: Social SciencesSocial Sciences (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics