Anthropology chapter 12 Political Systems

Characteristics of State Societies:

-State societies are the largest, most complex, and highly centralized political systems. In every part of the world, states have replaced other types of societies. -State governments are hierarchical, State government systems include procedures for formally selecting leaders and their assistances. States usually divide their territory into districts and have economic systems characterized by labor specialization. States are stratified societies in which some people have greater access to property and resources than others. -State societies promulgate ideologies that legitimate the status and privileges that elites receive. States also have mechanisms of force to maintain the status quo. States have law codes and monopolize the right to control and punish wrongdoers and conduct warfare.

Internal Political Change and State Societies

-States are inherently expansionist because their elites want to increase their wealth and power. State conquest always has cultural components as basic systems of family organization, economic relationship, and religion change to conform to the practices and beliefs of the conquerors. -States may also be transformed from within as interest groups or factions compete. Reform or revolutionary movements may develop in response to perceived inequalities and injustices or to effect more fundamental changes. Although states resist revolutions, some revolutionary movements like the wave of post-World War II decolonization have prove to be unstoppable. Global movements toward democratization have also more recently gained momentum.

Why and how do political systems change?

-political systems change when the needs of society changes -this often occurs when economic and social systems change.

Confederacy

A form of political organization in which tribes and bands join together under common leadership to face an external threat.

Primogeniture

A system of inheritance of leadership in which the eldest child (usually the eldest son) automatically inherits the position of leadership from his or her parent.

Power

Ability to force other people to comply with one's wishes, follow one's advice, and accede to one's demands,b based in part on the possibility of using coercive measures to gain compliance.

influence

Ability to have an effect on the decisions of others and on the decisions taken by others. Influence is based on an individual's personal characteristics of intelligence, skill, oratory, and charisma.

Terrorism

Acts of violence perpetrated by private citizens against groups within their own country or against a foreign country without the cover and sanction of a state-declared war.

What are the origins and characteristics of states?

Origins: different theories; The Evolutionary Theory This theory is formed on the principle that the state was an evolution of the family, becoming more and more complex as the family grew. -The Force Theory This theory is based upon the idea that a government arose when the people of an area were brought under the authority of one person or group. -The Divine Right Theory This theory is based on the notion that a god or multiple gods chose certain people to rule a civilization or group of people. -The Social Contract Theory This theory was created in the 1600s when the Europeans challenged sovereign rulers. Those people were backed up by philosophers that believed the origin of the state was in a social contract. -Characteristics of states: population, territory, sovereignty, government

What do political anthropologists study?

Political relations

Tribes

Societies with some degree of formalization of structure and leadership, including village and intervillage councils whose members regularly meet to settle disputes and plan community activities.

political organization

The ways in which societies are organized to plan group activities, make decisions affecting members of the group, select leadership, and settle disputes both within the group and with other groups.

Kingdom

a centralized political organization with the king as the paramount leader

age grade

a sociopolitical association of people of more or less similar age who are given specific social functions

authority

ability to affect the activities and decisions of others based not only on one's personal characteristics but also because of one's social role.

Foraging societies tended to form small, mobile, loosely defined bands. Leadership was informal temporary and consensual in bands. The political organization of tribes, whether horticultural, agricultural or pastoral, was based on kin groups such as clans, which might be ranked. Tribal people also formed groups that

crossed kin ties, based on associations such as warrior societies or age grades. Confederacies were bands and tribes that joined together for mutual benefits. Chiefdoms were stratified societies based on kinship and the inheritance of social status. Chiefs were chosen more formally and served as the heads of redistributive networks, Chiefdoms became kingdoms when power and authority came to be inherited through a single paramount chief.

sovereignty

decides its own foreign and domestic policies; neither subordinate nor responsible to any other authority; sovereignty distinguishes the state from all other, lesser political units; states within the US are NOT sovereign; location of sovereignty is crucial

Some political anthropologists trace the spread of Euro-American political concepts and institutions. These concepts, such as

democracy, and institutional behaviors, such as elections, tend to accompany the economic influences of those regions on world cultures. Political ideas and behaviors also may be forced on other people through conquest or other dominating influence.

government

every state has a government; consists of the machinery and personal by which the state is ruled; has power to rule

Internal patterns of change in political systems include

factionalism, in which groups split over issues and vie for power, as well as revolution, in which citizens rebel against their rulers.

What are the five main types of political organization in human societies? How are they different?

five major forms of political organization are bands, tribes, confederacy, chiefdoms, and states. Band societies, found mainly among foragers, have little integration of groups beyond the level of the band, with no central leadership or formal means of social control. Tribal organization, found mainly among horticulturalists and pastoralists, is based on localized kin groups who act independently, but under certain conditions may also act collectively. Confederacy-a form of political organization in which tribes and bands join together under common leadership to face an external threat. Chiefdoms-Stratified societies organized by kinship states-highly organized, centralized political systems with a hierarchical structures of authority

Some tribal societies link themselves in confederacies. A confederacy is a

formal, well-organized political structure to counteract external threats. Confederacies have formal procedures to select leaders, debate issues, make decisions, and plan and execute actions.

Voluntary associations

groups made up of people who voluntarily organize on the basis of some mutual interest; also known as voluntary memberships and voluntary organizations

States

highly organized, centralized political systems with a hierarchical structure of authority

Chiefdoms are stratified societies organized by kinship. Within chiefdoms, the chiefs and their families have the most prestige, authority, and privileges, but not power. Their position and

influence depend on voluntary compliance of their kin groups and communities. In chiefdoms, there is no paramount leader. Chiefs owe primary allegiance to their kin groups. Although chiefy rank may be inherited, aspirants need skills and personality traits to be appropriate heirs.

social control

informal and formal mechanisms in society through which peoples actions are controlled and social norms or laws are enforced.

Political Anthropology focuses on how societies select their leaders, make decisions affecting the group, provide community functions and services, and resolve conflicts. These cultural mechanisms help

integrate a community and direct relations with other communities.

Tribal societies are more structured, organized, and cohesive than bands. Tribal societies may have more formalized procedures for

making decisions and selecting leaders with limited power to enforce their decisions.

territory

must have known and recognized boundaries

Political anthropology studies political organization- the roles and

processes that societies have for making decision, mobilizing action, choosing leaders, setting disputes, and enforcing social norms.

population

size of a population has nothing to do with existence of a state; may be homogeneous or heterogeneous

Bands

small, loosely organized groups of people held together by informal means

Theocracies

societies ruled by religious leaders, in which the social order is upheld through beliefs in its divine origin or sanction

associations

sociopolitical groups that link people in a community on the basis of shared interests and skills

Republics

state societies with elected rather than inherited leadership

Empires

states expanded into larger units through conquest and the occupation or annexation of new territories

Chiefdoms

stratified societies organized by kinship

political anthropology

the study of the ways that communities plan group actions, make decisions affecting the group. select leadership, and resolve conflicts and disputes both within the group and with other groups.

factionalism

the tendency for groups to split into opposing parties over political issues, often a cause of violence and a threat to political unity

Voluntary associations and age-grade or age-set organizations are common in tribal societies. Members of the same age grade consider

themselves to have a kinlike relationship