Introduction
We live in a modern state governed by a complex system of hierarchies. Mayors control cities, governors control states, and the president controls the country as a whole. This is a relatively common system, and it could be seen in the majority of the world’s countries. Even monarchies often use this system, despite having roots in more ancient governmental structures. There is a variety of reasons for this, and the presented article titled “From Egalitarianism to Kleptocracy” describes how and why this is the current state of most governments. This paper will cover the most important aspects of the article and provide my view on the topic.
Bands, Tribes, Chiefdoms, States
The primary goal of the article is to show how human civilization went from nomadic bands to giant and complex states. The author proposes that there are four distinct stages of development that can be seen throughout history. However, he is also careful enough to point out that governmental and societal structures differ greatly between the people of the world and that the stages of progression are more arbitrary than it may seem. In the first stage of development, he calls a “band.” Bands are small groups of people who have no hierarchy amongst each other, and all are tasked with the same tasks. Everyone seeks food, everyone gathers materials, and whenever someone has an issue with another person, they resolve it privately. In this type of society, there are no classes or specialties. Everyone does everything, regardless of their skills and abilities.
The second stage is slightly more complex. He calls it the “tribal” stage. In tribes, more people are united and live in a small village. The primary structure in a tribal society is family. Tribes have simple hierarchies based on family and a leader in the form of a tribal chief, but his power is much less relevant than that of the family. All the members of the tribe know each other on a personal level, which leads to conflicts also being resolved personally and with no involvement of any outside forces or authorities. The family maintains order through kinship, and going against it is inadvisable. Leaders of the tribe, however, still have the power to decide on a variety of life’s aspects, and their role in society is important.
The third stage that the article presents is called “chiefdom” and is defined by the absolute power of the chief over thousands of people. When a society becomes this big, it is impossible for everyone to know everyone, which leads to a need for a higher power to resolve disputes. This section of the chapter contains a variety of important elements. The author describes the variety of classes and roles that people have in a chiefdom-based society. People become separated by their abilities to complete certain tasks such as hunting, building, art, and any other significant skills. Chiefs in these cases become much more powerful and have a much more important role.
The author states that in such a society, only the chief is able to execute violence against those who are considered guilty. This is a service that the chief provides, and how it is executed may depend on their beliefs. People of a chiefdom-based society give tribute to the chief in the form of wealth, which the chief is free to use either selfishly or in a constructive manner. It may be used for the improvement of the chiefdom’s infrastructure, housing, and other aspects, but also it may be used solely on the chief. There isn’t anything to stop such actions, so the author believes chiefdoms to be a form of kleptocracy. Chief’s power is often justified by the official religion, which may state that the chief is a holy figure that deserves to be followed for the good of all people. Respect and worship are essential for this type of government structure.
The fourth and final type of government that the author describes is a “state.” This is the modern type of society that is designed to govern millions of people through complex hierarchies and extreme specializations of citizens. The majority of people in this type of government works in very specialized jobs and rely on societal and government programs to survive. Food is being stocked in stores due to people who produce and transport it, work rarely deals with any survival aspects, and people often live away from the agricultural centers of the country. Tribute is paid in the form of taxes and is now dedicated specifically to the improvement of the society. Religion still plays an important role in the government, but now patriotism becomes an even higher power. The author states that patriotism is one of the only reasons why countries do not fall apart despite their diverse populations. The author believes that the state is the ideal form of government and that either by union or conquest, smaller groups of people usually become larger organizations.
Conclusion
While I find this chapter to be slightly reductive because it is impossible to describe all the ways in which societies grew over the years, the author provides a simple and understandable description of this progression. I especially find it effective that he specifically states that there is no single moment in which the change between stages occurs. Governments form more fluidly and gradually, and it is important to consider that.