ANTHRCUL 101 1st Edition Lecture 20 Outline of Last LectureI. Making a LivingII. Types of Adaptive StrategiesIII. Economic culturesOutline of Current LectureI. Reciprocity Ct’dII. The Anthropology of PoliticsIII. Sociopolitical FormsCurrent Lecture3/13: Political Systems**Exam 2 Wednesday (3/18)IV. Reciprocity Ct’da. Potlatching: chief gathers as much stuff as he could (food, blankets, etc.) and have a huge ceremony event to give it all awayi. Where does the concept come from?1. Pacific Northwest of US2. Foragers but with a chiefdom and political hierarchy, sedentaryii. How do anthropologists interpret Potlatching?1. Economists’ interpretation: Is it wasteful, irrational, “conspicuous” consumption? – doing so to display wealth? 2. Anthropologists’ interpretation: Adaptation to periods of abundance and shortage (a functionalist description)? – regulates these time periods, not irrational 3. Or something more? – many different interpretations, some say it shows sacrifice is necessary in life4. Started looking like response to capitalism – would gather giant potlatches and burn them iii. To what might the concept of the Potlatch apply?1. In order to exchange you have to give things away in some wayThese notes represent a detailed interpretation of the professor’s lecture. GradeBuddy is best used as a supplement to your own notes, not as a substitute.2. Review guides for exams are like potlatches – amasses as much info about the subject and gives it to students to do what they want with it V. The Anthropology of Politicsa. Politics is a feature of everyday lifei. What does this mean for studying politics?b. Sociopolitical organization: One aspect of social organization focused on histories and cultures of power, authority, governance, and conflict resolutioni. Governance: The conduct of conduct1. How is it that we control other peoples’ behaviors or other people’s behavior controls you? ii. Power: The ability to exercise one’s will over others1. Can have power without authority – bullies have power, but no social approval of their power so no authorityiii. Authority: The socially approved use of power 1. Right of the state to conduct other people’s conduct2. “socially approved” is hard to pin down – different for different people3. Can have authority without power – change a law but just can’t get people to follow it iv. Language and power1. Ordering at a restauranta. Some people are very afraid to order until other people have ordered b. Some people are very assertivec. Does authority reside with the person ordering or the person taking order? VI. Sociopolitical Formsa. Bandsi. Features:1. Small (Fewer than 100 people)2. Often Foraging based3. Kinship based political structures4. Relatively egalitarian5. No formal law or figure-headii. Conflict Resolution1. Inuit example (Arctic region foragers)a. Polgynous societyb. If your wife is stolen, commits adultery have rival song battling to avoid risks of escalating feudsb. Tribal Cultivators and Pastoralistsi. Horticulturalists1. Non-intensive food productionii. Village membership based on descent groupsiii. Informal enforcement1. Village head leads by example and persuasion. Recall the Kula: Ring of Power filmiv. The “big man” in Melanesian Islands1. Regional organization2. Achieved Status (in contrast to Ascribed Status)a. Recall Flannery and Marcus, Achieved Renown3. Regulator of regional eventsc. Sociopolitical trendsi. More regulatory problems  more complex political hierarchiesii. More hierarchies  fewer kinship oriented political organizations d. Chiefdomsi. Features:1. Kinship continues a central role (unlike States)2. Social status based on seniority of descent3. Permanent regulation of a territory4. May regulate 1000’s of peopleii. Chiefdoms and power:1. The concept of officea. Permanent position of chief, refilled upon vacancyb. Basis of more complex bureaucracies2. Differential access to resources based on kinship and descenta. Unequal allocation of power, prestige, wealthe. State Systemsi. Features:1. Population Control2. Judiciary3. Enforcement4. Fiscal Systems (taxation)ii. Consequences of State Administration1. Displace the place of kinship2. Foster geographic mobility and resettlement3. Assign differential rights/distinctionsiii. Stratification1. Unrelated groups differing in access…a. To Wealth (material assets)b. To Power (ability exercise will over others)c. To Prestige (cultural capital, esteem,