Mimesis occurs on both a micro and a macro level. On a micro level, mimetic desire occurs between persons and groups of people.
![Principalities](https://mimetictheory.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/35-1.jpg)
On a macro level, mimetic desire occurs within institutions, formal structures, and large governing bodies. Girard called these principalities and powers.
![Mimesis Occurs](https://mimetictheory.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/10-1.jpg)
Because of their macrostructure, principalities and powers have mimetic gravity – their mimetic influence is tremendous and compounds the larger they grow.