I think you're thinking of ours society today where the ruler has to >have the consent of the ruled. In a strong dictatorship, a prince might > assassinate the king, take over, and make significant policy changes. >Because it doesn't matter what others think. very good point - I am definitely coming from a modern perspective, but even historically if the people hated the government enough, they did sometimes take it upon themselves to reject government policy (French Revolution, for example). I guess my main point is that while policy change can definitely be effected by assassination, I don't think that kind of change is nearly as sustainable as change that people arrive at on their own. If there is a foreceful takeover by a government, the changes they enact only last as long as that government, which admittedly could be a really long time. I guess I am thinking more in terms of longscale change. Anyway, I'll stop rambling now! Megan