> On the small scale, many indigenous tribal systems rely on a council during times of peace, and elect an executive (sometimes called a "war chief") during tim

> On the small scale, many indigenous tribal systems rely on a council during times of peace, and elect an executive (sometimes called a "war chief") during times of war. That's how the Roman Republic operated, too: the Senate would elect a dictator for six months to handle certainly irregular situations. Unlike any other Roman official, he had no colleague who could countermand his orders, and he was not legally liable for any act he committed in office.