Rotating Order of Office Holding

From a discussion at http://www.jeffvail.net/2006/04/envisioning-hamlet-economy-topology-of.html

John Earls:

"Andean indigenous society by use of a rotating order of office holding.

In Andean communities authority is distributed through a 4 rank hierarchy (varayoq). Participation in the system is obligatory for all but no one person can occupy the post of that rank for more than one year. On leaving the post there is a "rest" of 5 or more years before entering the system again at the next higher rank. Those who have passed through the highest rank (which entails having passed through all ranks) then constitute an elders advisory council."