There is usually a time-consuming flow of ritual-ceremonial contacts by the rulers with the populace e.g. via parades, sporting events, economic projects, military displays, religious holidays, artistic productions, opening of events.
Much effort in politics is expended in struggles for power and dominance within an elite group; and also jockeying for power amongst the various elite groups.
This political work expands to become a full time occupation, requiring endless scheming, forming cabals and cliques, emboldening supporters, developing factional subgroups, gathering intelligence, handling accounts of indebtedness, coercing via bribes intimidation or blackmail, defaming and smearing, even commissioning assassinations.
Leaders of elite classes are always intensely preoccupied with maintaining and extending their political power. However primitive such political players and their systems may look to outsiders, political life in such societies is as vigorous, active and effective in its own terms as any.
Politics is hard work…
intrigue, blackmailing, bribery, intimidation, vilification, assassination, taxation, oppression, pay-offs, revenge, internal espionage, criminal dealings, propaganda, disinformation, torture, subversion, cronyism, nepotism—it seems that there is nothing that governments of so-called advanced countries have that less developed countries lack.