CHAPTER 6 POLITICAL SYSTEMS CHAPTER OBJECTIVES 1 Consider how anthropologists have traditionally differed from political scientists in their approach to the political Why does Kottak prefer to speak of sociopolitical organization The Political is an organization that comprises those portions of social organization that specifically relate to the individuals or groups that manage the affairs of public policy or seek to control the appointment or activities of those individuals or groups suits contemporary North America Although no ethnographer has been able to observe a polity uninfluenced by some state many anthropologists use a sociopolitical typology that classifies societies as bands tribes chiefdoms or states Foragers tended to live in egalitarian band organized societies Personal networks linked individuals families and bands Band leaders were first among equals with no sure way to enforce decisions Disputes rarely arose over strategic resources which were open to all 2 Know the four basic types of political systems identified by Service 1962 and the social features correlated with each type How is this sociopolitical typology limiting and in what ways is it analytically useful Chiefdom Band Tribe had economies based on nonintensive food production a small kin based group all members are related by kinship or marriage found among foragers horticulture and pastoralism they live in villages and organized into kin groups based on common descent tribes lacked a formal government and had no reliable means of enforcing political decisions refers to a form of sociopolitical organization intermediate between the tribe and the state social relations were based mainly on kinship marriage descent age generation and gender just as they were in bands and tribes although they re kin based they featured differential access to resources some had more wealth prestige power than others and a permanent political structure State government structure and socioeconomic stratification Service s labels band tribe chiefdom and state are categories types within a sociopolitical typology they re correlated with the adaptive strategies economic typology thus foragers an economic type tended to have band organization a sociopolitical type a form of sociopolitical organization based on a formal 3 Be familiar with the defining features of foraging bands particularly with how conflicts have traditionally been resolved and with the critical roles of the nuclear family and the band Foraging Bands composed of modern hunter gatherers the strong ties they maintain with sociopolitical groups outside the band make them markedly different from Stone Age hunter gatherers they live in nation states and an interlinked world all foragers now trade with food producers worth reading pages 117 119 of text 4 Understand the defining features of tribes In particular be able to distinguish between the different kinds of tribal leaders identified by Kottak e g village head big man How do these leaders acquire maintain and assert their political authority and how do such leaders differ from political figures in chiefdoms and in states Tribes typically have a horticultural or pastoral economy and are organized by village life or membership in descent groups kin groups whose members trace descent from a common ancestor they lack socioeconomic stratification class structure and a formal government of their own they have more effective regulatory mechanisms than foragers do but tribal societies have no sure means of enforcing political decisions The main regulatory officials are village heads big men descent Village Head group leaders village councils and leaders of pantribal associations they all have limited authority wants something done he must lead by example and persuasion he lacks the right to issue orders he can only persuade harangue and try to influence public opinion always a man his authority is severely limited if he i Example if a headman wants the central plaza to be cleaned in preparation for a feast he will have to start sweeping it himself and then hope the villagers will see him get the hint and relieve him almost always a male an elaborate version of the village head with one significant difference it s leadership is within one village while the big man had supporters in several villages Big Man 5 Be able to identify the defining features of chiefdoms In particular be familiar with how authority and status are organized and maintained in chiefdoms How do chiefdoms differ from states Chiefdoms have permanent regional regulation and differential access to resources but lack stratification Unlike states but like tribes and bands they were organized by kinship descent and marriage They emerged in several areas including the circum Caribbean lowland Amazonia the southeastern US and Polynesia 6 Be able to discuss the defining features of states How do the primary specialized units of states interact States are autonomous political units with social classes and a formal government based on law they re large and populous as compared to bands tribes and chiefdoms its government collects taxes drafts people for work and war and decrees and enforces laws it s a form of sociopolitical organization based on central government and social stratification a division of society into classes early states are known as archaic nonindustrial states in contrast to modern industrial nation states Certain statuses systems and subsystems with specialized functions are found in all states i Population control fixing of boundaries establishment of citizenship categories and the taking of a census Judiciary laws legal procedure and judges ii iii Enforcement permanent military and police forces iv Fiscal taxation 7 Understand the different methods of social control and resistance In addition Understand that when we talk about how states govern we often use ideal types rather than the example of any actual contemporary nation state today Understand the difference between coercion and legitimacy or hard and soft power What are the limits of the judiciary in a nation state What gives a leader legitimacy and why is this so important for his or her success Understand that people subject themselves to power even when it is not in their best interest and give examples of human behavior that is in the best interest of the political or economic system though not of the individual Gramsci s hegemony concept and Foucault s governmentality concept