The influence of aggregative and disjunctive forces on political 255 societies Tendencies which may act either Centripetally or Centrifugally 261 Influences of Interest and Sympathy 263 Illustrations of the action of Racial and Religious sentiment 265 In the progress of civilization, material interest and sentiment 269 may be opposed How Constitutions may use the existing Centripetal and 271 Centrifugal forces Illustrations from Commerce, Law and Religion 274 Instances of the troubles caused by Racial or Religious 281 sentiment Methods by which Constitutions may disarm or regulate the 286 centrifugal forces: illustrations Difficulties due to differences of colour in races 291 How the Constitutions of the United States and Switzerland have 296 acted The Centripetal force generally, but not always, dominant in 300 European history Effects of Conquest and of Dynastic Succession 303 Probable future strength of the centrifugal and centripetal 307 forces respectively Present tendency to the enlargement or consolidation of States 309 is not necessarily permanent ESSAY V PRIMITIVE ICELAND 312-358 Discovery and Settlement of Iceland 312 Beginnings of a Polity: the Thing 316 Rise of the Goði or Priest-Chieftain 317 The first political constitution of the island 322 Judicial organization and powers of the Althing 325 The Speaker of the Law 327 Thingvellir and the meetings of the Althing 327 General character of the Icelandic Republic 333 Growth and character of the law of Iceland 335 Complexity of the constitution and the law 337 Sources of our knowledge of the law 341 Illustrations of features of the early law 343 An action for the ejectment of ghosts 345 The Judicial Duel: Story of Gunnlaug Snake’s Tongue and Helga 348 the Fair The introduction of Christianity 350 Reflections on the early history of Iceland 353 Fall of the Republic: subsequent fortunes of the isle 356 ESSAY VI THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES AS SEEN IN THE PAST 359-429 Value of contemporary views of an institution 359 The _Federalist_: Alex Hamilton and James Madison 360