98 THE SOCIAL THEORY OF GEORG SIMMEL
This significance of leadership for the group unity, although
manifest in all associations, is most clearly visible, however,
in political groups. History has shown innumerable instances
 where the death of the common superior resulted
in a complete disruption of the political unity of the
group.
The relationship between the group elements and the
leader is usually a combination of submission and opposition.
 Human nature seems to be so constituted that it
requires both elements in its social relationships. The individual
 seems to seek, on the one hand, a superior power
which will relieve him of part of his responsibility and protect
 him, not only against others, but even against himself;
 yet, on the other hand, he seems to feel a necessity for
placing himself in opposition to this same power. Opposition
 and submission seem in the last analysis to be only
different aspects of relationships which are fundamentally
of a unified character. Every subordination shows both
aspects.
This process of unification of the group elements resulting
 from a common subordination appears in two different
forms. The first might be indicated by the word “leveling,”
 the second by the word “gradation.” In the first instance
 the group elements are all on a common level with
regard to the superior. In the second instance the group
consists of series of different layers decreasing in size, but
increasing in significance.
The correlation between despotism and equality has
long been recognized. On the one hand. perfect equality
leads easily to despotism, because a slight variation is sufficient
 to give an individual a position of superiority to all.
On the other hand, the despot has an immediate advantage
in keeping his subjects on a common level. He will thereby
 prevent other superiority-inferiority relations between