Political Organization and the Maintenance of Order- Lecture Flashcards
What deals with redistribution of power and authority?
political organization
What is political organization a mechanism for?
- maintaining order in the society,
- reducing disorder
- regulating and controlling people’s behaviour
describe the political organization of the Ju/’hoansi?
- don’t have hierarchy or chain of command
- in principle, they do have a political system because there is a person who is considered or seen as the leader (ex. good hunter, social opt to navigate conflicts in a relationship)
- not a stable office, not elected
What are the two ways of maintaining order?
- internalized controls
- externalized controls
What are internalized controls?
- individual chooses to behave properly
What is internalized controls in terms of behaviour governed by?
- fear of divine punishment or magical retaliation
- shame
- believe that antisocial actions cause decrees
Are internalized controls sufficient by themselves to maintain order in societies?
no, they are generally not sufficient enough
what are externalized controls?
- sanctions
What are the 2 types of sanctions?
positive or negative
- informal (custom) or formal (what we can “law”)
What are Christian values an example of?
internalized controls
What is externalized controls the idea of?
political organization
What are examples of formal and informal externalized controls?
- Formal: law, formulating customs and traditions into law
- Informal: tend to refer to as custom or tradition
What is a mix of cultural and social control mechanisms?
externalized controls
What are positive sanctions?
- Positive sanctions reward appropriate behaviour
What are negative sanctions?
- Negative sanctions punish behaviour
What are informal sanctions? What are formal sanctions?
- Informal sanctions involve gossip, public criticism, withdrawal of cooperation
- Formal sanctions became legalized as “law”
What is law broadly defined as?
formal negative sanctions
What is the article “Eating Christmas in Kalahari” and example of?
informal sanctions
What is exemplified in the article “Cross-Cultural Law: The Case of an American Gypsy”?
cultural conflict between custom and law
What are ceremonies to recognize achievements an example of?
positive sanctions
What needs to be present in order to have a functioning political system in a society?
1) governing body, or a ruler
2) legislative or lawmaking system
3) executive system
4) law enforcement
5) Judicial system ( ‘dispute resolution’ system, court system)
In what ways may a society work out a governing body, or a ruler?
elected, or appointed, or by inheritance
What is an example of law enforcement?
police
What is a judicial system (3 things)?
- interprets and applies the law
- provides a mechanism for resolution of disputes
- represents two sides – prosecution (assumes that the crime took place) and defense
Who is the Head of State in Canada?
The Queen
Who is Julie Payette? Who is the leader of the Canadian nation?
She is the official representative of the Queen in Canada. Sh his known as the Governor General
Who is the leader of the Canadian nation?
The Prime Minister (Justin Trudeau)
How may societies maintain order with other groups (2 mechanisms)?
- a defense system (army)
- conciliation system (mediators
True or False: All societies around the world developed political systems that were called to maintain order.
True
Political systems were developed to maintain order with whom? What did they utilize?
- Within the cultural group, and with its neighbours
- Utilizing both, internal and external mechanisms of social control
What are the two broad categories of political systems?
- uncentralized systems
- centralized systems
What are the two types of uncentralized systems?
1) bands
2) tribes
What are the two types of centralized systems?
1) chiefdoms
2) states
What are bands?
Small group of political independent, though related, households
What is the oldest and least complicated form of political organization?
bands
Where can bands be found?
among nomadic societies
What types of societies are bands associated with/
egalitarian societies
True or False: Bands are small, numbering at most a few hundred people.
True
What is an example of a band?
ju / ‘hoansi
What is the shift to centralized political systems the result of?
Changes we have experienced as humans on the planet Earth. Exponential population growth, landscapes got really crowded, and resources began to get very depleted. Intricate political organizations have come to shape up themselves, resolving all kinds of problems.
True or False: Bands have no need for formal political systems.
True
How are decisions made in bands?
- Decisions (those affecting the band) are made with the participation of all adult members. Decisions are based on achieving consensus, and not on majority’s vote
Can a leader in a band enforce their decisions?
no
Who can be a leader in a band (3 things)?
- could be man or woman
- does not own land/resources
- leadership is non-hereditary
What happens if the leader of a band leaves his group?
his/her leadership is automatically annulled
True or False: In a band, the leader has higher social status and receives different sorts of treatment than everyone else. In other words, they are not an equal member of society.
False
Why may one become a leader in a band?
Only reasons why one may become a leader is because they may be a slightly better hunter or negotiator/communicator with others than anyone else in the group, for example.
How is oder maintained in bands?
By mens of public opinion, gossip
Describe conflict resolution in bands?
- Mobility is primary means (wrongdoer leaves)
- Unhappy “vote with their feet”
how were Inuit disputes (bands) often resolved?
Through public contests (head butting, song duels)