y, organized
strictly along the lines of a Tyrolese or Swiss commune; but the two
_viguiers_ or agents, who in some matters outrank the president, are
official appointments tracing back to feudal days, when Andorra was a
seigneurie of the Comte of Urgel.[1384] Tyrol offers a striking parallel
to this. In its local affairs it has in effect a republican form of
government, enjoying as high degree of autonomy as any Swiss canton; but
the great Brenner route, which could confer both power and wealth on its
possessor, made the Tyrol an object of conquest to the feudal nobles of
the early Middle Ages. Their hereditary dominion is now vested in the
archdukes of Austria, to whom the Tyrolese have shown unfailing
fidelity, but from whom they have exacted complete recognition of their
rights.[1385]

Tyrol's neighbor Switzerland illustrates the pure form of commune,
canton and republic, which is the logical result of a rugged mountain
relief. Here commune and canton are the real units of government. In
the federal power at Bern the Swiss peasant takes little interest,
often not even knowing the name of the national president. In the
highest ranges a canton coincides with a mountain-rimmed
valley--Valais with the basin of the upper Rhone, Glarus with the
upper Linth, Uri with the Reuss, Graubuenden with the upper Rhine, to
which is joined by many pass routes the sparsely peopled Engadine,
Ticino with the drainage basin of upper Lake Maggiore, Unterwalden
with the southern drainage valleys of Lake Lucerne. Where the
mountains are lower, or where passes connect valleys of high levels,
cantonal boundaries may overstep geographical barriers. A commune
generally consists of the villages strung along a narrow lateral
valley, isolated and sufficient unto itself politically. A close
parallel to the Alpine commune is found among the Kabyles of the Atlas
Mountains. Their political structure is based upon the _Jemaa_ or
commune, a small sovereign republic whose independence is fiercely
defended. It enjoys complete local autonomy, is governed by an
assembly of all the adult male inhabitants, and grants this body the
usual functions except the administration of justice, which,
characteristically, is replaced by blood feuds as the inalienable
right of the individual. Romans, Arabs, Turks and French have in turn
exercised over these mountain Berbers only nominal control, except
when their internal dissensions made them vulnerable.[1386]

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