16. Political Organization Flashcards
State Level Societies
State = political entity or organized political
system that displays characteristics of
centralized government, social hierarchy, and
administrative structure
States are fundamentally different from
other types of societies
Kinship is not the main organizing
principle of society, as government has full
authority over all members of society
regardless of kinship
State authority is backed by force
Social inequality
Shared Elements of Ancient States
Some common shared elements of states include:
Centralized authority
Public monumental architecture
Administrative structure
Social hierarchy
Economic systems
Developed cultural and legal systems
Advances towards formal record keeping, sciences, mathematics, writing
Dominant state-level religion
Military organization
Note***These are common features, not a laundry list
Shared Elements of Ancient States:
The Current Approach
Two primary characteristics that are focus of current research:
-Urban living: all states have densely packed populations
-Centralized government (the state)
The First Maya States
El Mirador (lowlands) and Kaminaljuyu
(highlands) exhibit some qualities of
archaic states by the Late Preclassic
These are the largest and most complex
Maya urban centers in Late Preclassic
Monumental architecture (pyramids,
raised platforms, causeways) indicates
high degree of sociopolitical complexity
Likely had centralized authority
Note**El Mirador and Kaminaljuyu were
“proto-states”: exhibit many state-like
features, but uncertain if full state-level
development had occurred by this time
Debates: Weak and Strong State Models
There have been significant debates surrounding how Maya city-states were organized internally
and the political relations among city-states. How much power did political leaders actually have?
Weak States
Ruler has little coercive power, and power is
based on successful performance in ritual,
warfare, and statecraft
Result is a political landscape with unstable,
competitive kingdoms
Each polity is a loose array of satellite centers
surrounding a capital where k’uhul ajaw resided
A high degree of duplication of functions
between capital and dependencies
Strong States
Ruler has significant coercive power, and
power is based on threat of force and control
over people, land, and resources
Result is a handful of powerful “superstates,”
who have power over other city-states through
subordination
Subordinates recognize their status, evidenced
through texts that describe well-organized state
hierarchies
Capital cities are unique places that perform
specific functions not replicated elsewhere
The Dynamic Model
Joyce Marcus’ Dynamic Model offers a flexible
framework that moves beyond rigid
categorization of centralized (strong) or
decentralized (weak) states
Model suggests that Maya polities fluctuated
along a spectrum of political organization
over time, adapting in response to internal
developments and external pressures
Model allows for shifts in governance from
strong to weak, and vice-versa
Maya polities experienced cycles of
centralization and decentralization, or
“political oscillations”
Cycles influenced by various factors: changes
in leadership, warfare, economic prosperity,
environmental pressures
Political Structure
Palaces–residential and administrative
buildings for Maya royalty–indicates a
complex political structure beyond just
the king (Administrative bureaucracies are a
common characteristic of complex
societies and a hallmark of states)
Royal courts: k’uhul ajaw is at the top of
the hierarchy, but also queens, nobles,
priests, scribes, artisans, and other
courtiers
Some regional centers have titled
governors and bureaucrats
Royal Descent
Royal succession generally
patrilineal, and primogeniture the
norm (right of succession belonging
to the firstborn child)
**There are exceptions to this rule: in
many cases a ruler’s parentage is not
given in texts
Maya Queens
There are instances where queens ruled
when royal dynasty was without a male
heir
Lady Sak K’uk
queen of Palenque,
acceding the throne in 612 CE
Father was Janaab Pakal, who had no
male heirs
Lady Sak K’uk ruled until 615 CE when
her son Pakal (the Great) came of age
Example of royal descent passing
through matrilineal lines
Lady Six Sky
daughter of B’alaj Chan
K’awiil of Dos Pilas
682 CE, Lady Six Sky arrived at Naranjo
and established a new dynasty and
becomes the de facto ruler
Sajal
“regional governor”
Ajk’uhuun
“of the holy books” (high ranking priest, likely with scribal duties)
