The council of war is the germ out of which the consultative body
arises. Within the warrior class, which was of necessity the land-owning
class, war produces increasing differences of wealth, as well as
increasing differences of status; so that military leaders come to be
distinguished as large landowners and local rulers. Hence members of a
consultative body become contrasted with the freemen at large--not only
as leading warriors are contrasted with their followers, but still more
as men of wealth and authority. If the king attains or acquires the
reputation of supernatural descent or authority, and the law of
hereditary succession is so settled as to exclude election, those who
might otherwise have formed a consultative body having co-ordinate power
become simply appointed advisers. But if the king has not the prestige
of supposed sacred origin or commission the consultative body retains
power; and if the king continues to be elected it is liable to become an
oligarchy.