CIVILIZATION

If "the Lord of the Flies" means anything, it means that "the beast" was telling Simon the truth when he said that he lives within every human being. It is evil--not good--which lies at the heart of every boy in the tribe. Therefore to try and suppress it with rules and regulations (i.e. conch shell) is to try the impossible.

Ralph fails to recognize the Beast in us all. He expects the boys to obey his rules because that's the right thing to do. He imposes no consequences for disobedience, and so the boys go right on doing what they feel like doing. Although Ralph is the better man, Jack is the more effective leader because he punishes disobedience by beating the offenders. Hence, the boys do as he says. He also acknowledges the fear and the Beast--in primitive ways, but those ways work.