ABSTRACT
There have been several occasions in which colonial powers or stronger societies have imposed political systems on native peoples where none had existed previously (see Read, 1959; Brown, 1963; Honigmann, 1961; Dunning, 1962). Most frequently, a native leader is appointed by an agent of the dominant society, or the mechanics of balloting are intro duced and officers are elected. The introduction of elementary political systems has had varying consequences in specific societies. Such differ ences are probably functionally related to the cultures and social systems of the colliding societies. One may examine the ramifications of such an introduction on the subordinate peoples, on the agents of the superordinate society, or on the native leaders.
