I think this is related to pecking order, in that once someone is elevated to a dominant role in some sense, the tendency is to not question them, day-to-day. A challenge is a dramatic and unusual event. This tendency makes for a more stable society (or troop of chimps/flock of sheep).

There's a jurisprudential idea that people don't obey the law only out of the goodness of their heart, nor out of an economically assessed fear of sanctions, but of a "habit of obedience". This (to me) seems related to the pecking order instinct. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jurisprudence#Bentham_and_Austi...

Fairy tales (for young and therefore impressionable children) have a strong theme of people being born to a certain role. And the idea appeals to children.

The belief that you can improve is a revolutionary, subversive and dangerous idea.