Political and Legal Systems

Politics, Political Organization and Leadership

• Anthropology views politics in a broader sense that includes- the multifaceted behavior and thought beyond formal party politics and government.

• Politics refers to the organized use of public power, instead of the more micro-politics of family and domestic groups.

• Power, Authority and influence are all related to politics, power being the strongest basis for action and decision making – and potentially the least moral.

***Political Organization

• Individual groups that operate within a culture that are responsible for public decision making and leadership, maintaining social cohesion and order, protecting group rights, and ensuring safety from external threats.

Different forms of Political Organization

**Bands– The form of political organization of foraging groups, with flexible

membership and minimal leadership. ( Micro vs. Macro-bands) **Tribes-- A form of political organization that comprises several bands or lineage groups, each with a similar language and lifestyle and occupying a distinct territory.

**Big-Man or Big-Woman Leadership-- A form of political organization midway between tribe and chiefdom and invoking reliance on the leadership of key individuals who develop a political following through personal ties and redistributive feasts.

**Moka– A strategy for developing political leadership in

highland New Guinea that involves exchanging gifts and favors with individuals and sponsoring large feasts where further gift-giving occurs.

• ***Chiefdom– A form of political organization in which

permanently allied tribes and villages have one recognized leader who holds an, “office.”

– Chiefdoms typically have larger populations that can often number in the thousands and are significantly larger than tribes or bands.

– Chiefdoms are more centralized and socially complex. Hereditary systems of social ranking and economic stratification are central factor of chiefdoms

***States• A form of political organization in which a centralized

political unit encompasses many communities, a bureaucratic structure, and leaders who possess coercive power.

There are many forms of state or state level governments: Monarchy (constitutional or Divine Right)OligarchyDemocracyTheocracy Autocracy (Despotism) Totalitarianism, Military dictatorship, Junta, and stratocracy. Kritarchy (Found in ancient Israel )

State Powers and Roles1. States engage in international relations. 2. States monopolize the use of force and the maintenance of law and order

internally through laws, courts and police. 3. States maintain standing armies and police4. States Define citizenship , its rights and responsibilities. (Throughout history

in many complex societies not all residents were granted equal rights citizenship)

5. States keep track of the number, age, gender, location, and wealth of their citizens through census systems that regularly updated.

6. States have the power to extract resources from citizens through taxation. 7. States manipulate information. Information to protect the state and its

leaders can be controlled both directly through (censorship, propaganda, restriction of access to sensitive information) and indirectly (through pressure on journalists, tv networks and other forms of media)

Symbols of State Power

• Religious beliefs and symbols are often associated with the power of state leadership.

• In certain states the ruler may be considered a deity or part deity, may be from a class of high priests.

• Architectural styles and urban planning remind the populace of the greatness of the state.

• Clothing styles worn by the ruling or influential classes • Depending on which culture the state encompasses certain

Animals, colors, geometric patterns and family mottos/crests can symbolize a state’s power etc.

Gender and Leadership in States• Most contemporary states are both hierarchical and patriarchal,

excluding members of lower classes and women from equal participation. Only a few states are less male dominant than others but none at present are female dominant.

• Some anthropologists assert that male dominance at the contemporary state level (1) has a basis in male control of technology production and warfare. (2) some preserve male dominance through religious beliefs and ideologies. (3) some preserve authority through “scientific beliefs,” that assert that women are physically weaker and less dependable than men.

• Women in most cultures have limited access to these areas of power.

• Socialist states typically attempt to increase women’s political roles and the proportion of female members in legislative bodies.

In the past 30 years there have been several female prime ministers and presidents• A few examples below…

– Sirimavo Bandaranaike, Prime minister of Sri Lanka – Indira Gandhi, Prime minister of India – Golda Meir, Israeli stateswoman– Tarja Halonen, President of Finland.– Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany– Dilma Rousseff, President of Brasil