Objective:

ANALYZES SOCIAL &

POLITICAL
STRUCTURES
 TOPICS:

POLITICAL & LEADERSHIP

STRUCTURES
Can you imagine a life
without leaders or
government?
4 Types of Socio-political
Organization:

Bands
Tribes
Cheifdoms
State & Nations
 Bands

- small groups of people

connected mainly in
kinship ties organize
themselves into a
community
 Bands

- the least complex form of

political organization, has a
rigid form of governance
nor a structured form of
leadership
 Bands

- usually led by a
HEADMAN who members
of the community
considered as either their
best hunter or wisest
member
 Bands

- politically autonomous
organization and type of
society comprises about
20-50 individuals
 Bands

- chiefly based on
FORAGING
 Bands

Example: San Bushmen of

Kalahari Desert in Africa
 TRIBES

-kindred groups from

multiple localities integrate
themselves into a larger
unit of relations
 TRIBES

-political organization that

consists of segmentary
lineages
 TRIBES

-less mobile & form of

economic subsistence are
horticultural & pastoral
 TRIBES

-leaders are chosen

believed to possess special
skills or aptitudes that
relate to the economic
activity
 TRIBES

-leaders are chosen

believed to possess special
skills or aptitudes that
relate to the economic
activity
 TRIBES

-economic system uses

redistribution of
commodities among social
segments through the
process of TRIBUTE
 TRIBUTE
- form of gift that may
consist of wealth, food, or
other materials given to a
central figure who in turn
redistributes the
accumulated goods to the
other members of the
society
 Example of Tribe:

MAASAI TRIBE of Kenya

 CHIEFDOMS

- more complex than a

tribe that consists of a few
local communities who
subscribe to the power and
rule of a leader who has
absolute power on them
 CHIEFDOMS

- members of the
communities believe that
their leader is direct
descendant of their gods,
this leader maintains
his/her sovereignty in the
land
 CHIEFDOMS

- tied up with horticulture

and pastoralism & same
economic redistribution
through tribute
 CHIEFDOMS

- what distinguishes a
cheifdom from tribe is the
existence of social
stratification : elite &
commoner
 CHIEFDOMS

- elites : relatives of the

ruler and believe to have
divinity or connections to
the supernatural
STATES AND NATIONS
 STATES
- refers to the political
organization united by a
common set of laws

NATIONS
-refers to a group of people
sharing culture & political
history
 STATES
- uses absolute power in
directing the path of
society
-uses complete political
coerciveness (e.g stricter
laws & rigid govt policies)
 STATES

- primary economic
subsistence : MARKET
EXCHANGE
 STATES

- standardized currencies
are used to exchange
commodities
 STATES

- standardized currencies
are used to exchange
commodities
- 2 rights that are enjoyed
by individuals as members
of the state:

Natural Rights
Legal Rights
 Natural Rights

- are expected to be
enjoyed by all individuals,
regardless of citizenship
Examples:
Right to Life, Right to
Liberty/Freedom
 Legal Rights

- are awarded to an
individual by the state as
part of its culture,
traditions, and norms
Ex. Right to vote, Right to
Privacy