Access to Origins

<p>In many non-industrial non-Western societies power and prestige are closely linked to the extent of an individual's or group's perceived connection to the supernatural realm which also explains and validates tangible activities such as economic success victories in war or control over lucrative trade. Affines (in-laws) ancestors and aristocrats in particular are connected to the realm of creative cosmological origins (i.e. to Genesis) which accords them distinctive supernatural powers and gives them a natural and legitimate right to worldly authority.</p> <p>This is the hypothesis that Mary W. Helms pursues in this broadly cross-cultural study of aristocracy in chiefly societies. She begins with basic ideas about the dead ancestors affines and concepts of cosmological origins. This leads her to a discussion of cosmologically defined hierarchies the qualities that characterize aristocracy and the political and ideological roles of aristocrats as wife-givers and wife-takers (that is as in-laws). She concludes by considering various models that explain how societies may develop or define aristocracies.</p>