Anthropology Chp 22: Politics, Power, War, & Peace

while laws are sanctions....

....not all sanctions are laws

Given that all societies are open to crime (b/c all societies have some rules)...

...all societies have some way to settle disputes between parties

a political organization exists in all societies, but...

...it is not always a government

What could decentralized political systems include?

1. band organization (typical of hunting & gathering societies) 2. tribal organization (typical of horticultural & pastoral societies) - age-grade organizations - association organizations

What are the two types of political systems?

1. centralized 2. decentralized

What could centralized political systems include?

1. chiefdoms 2. state systems

two major forms of social control that can exist in a political system

1. internalized control 2. externalized control **NOT mutually exclusive/can be found in the same system**

What is necessary for external controls to be effective?

1. must be generally known 2. must be consistently applied

forms of settlement of disputes

1. negotiation 2. mediation 3. adjudicaiton

government

an administrative system having specialized personnel that may or may not form part of the political organization, depending on the complexity of the society

decentralized systems

authority is not centralized; more stable due to diffusion of power

centralized systems

authority is vested in one single individual -- the chief or head of state

internalized control

beliefs that are deeply ingrained in each person; each person becomes responsible for their own behavior and conduct in light of these beliefs

negotiation

direct argument to arrive at a voluntary and mutually agreeable solution

What form of social control are we (probably) most familiar with?

law

adjudication

mediation with the ultimate decision made by an unbiased third party

mediation

negotiation assisted by an unbiased third party

Do women often hold important positions in political systems or government?

no, it's rare; when a woman does hold such a position it's by virtue of the fact that she is an **unusual** woman or by virtue of her relationship to some man (the king, for example)

Does this mean that women have been excluded from political power?

no; in many societies, women are entitled to as much say in public affairs even if they do not hold the official positions

What does a political organization do?

provide for coordination and regulation of behavior to the extent that behavior is related to maintaining public order

law

regarded as the obligation of one person and the rightful claim of another, sanctioned not by mere psychological motive, but by a definite social machinery of binding force

externalized control

sanctions that a system has (sanction- external control designed to encourage conformity to social norms) - outside of the individual -- gossiping about someone who violates the norms, laws, regulations, restrictions, awards, titles, corporal punishment, public recognition

crime

the violation of some norm or law - almost guaranteed that as soon as you create laws, rules, etc., that you will have people who violate these statutes and therefore commit crime

political organization

those aspects of social organization specifically concerned with the management of a society's public policy -- whatever that public policy may be