At the same time, not all the lineage concentrated on commerce. From the third generation onwards, several went into the army. In the traditional social order, an official career had more prestige than commerce. Compared to the civilian bureaucracy where advancement depended heavily on patronage and connections, the military offered more chance to rise through personal achievement. In addition, after 1938, army generals occupied the premiership for forty-two of the next fifty years, adding to the power, glamour, and privilege of the officer elite.