This document discusses the characteristics of simple political systems from bands to tribes to chiefdoms and states. Bands are small groups formed by families that practice informal leadership through consensus. Tribes are larger groups that practice pantribal association through councils but remain egalitarian. Chiefdoms have formal hereditary leadership of a paramount chief and social hierarchy. States are the highest level with a government, sovereignty over land and people, and may or may not have a shared national identity.

2. 
Bands and tribes and
chiefdoms

3. 
Considered as the simplest
political systems
Considered as acephalous
Bands and tribes

4. 
Typically formed by several families living
together based on marriage ties, common
descendants, friendships, affiliations and
members usually have a common interest or
enemy
Kinship by blood or affinity
Power is less hierarchical
status( age)
Women are gatherers while men are hunter
band

5. 
Informal leadership (gift) and by
consensus
Leaders does not possess absolute
political power, can not compel
others but just give advice.
Decision is done by consensus
band

6. 
Band fissioning- band splitting along family
lines
Social velocity- those who leave the band
will form their own group.
*if a band survives band fissioning and
social velocity even if it experiences
increase in population and a shift from
foraging and hunting to a multiple
communities engaged in horticultural and
pastoral form of livelihood will become a
TRIBE
band

7. 
Still an acephalous community even if it is
more complex than band because of more
elaborate way of organizing to settle conflict
to prevent society from breaking apart.
Pantribal association- council or tribal elders
Decrease in women leadership
Headed by a village headman, still don’t
have absolute power.
Egalitarian
Economically self sufficient and larger and
more integrated than bands
tribe

8. 
Formal leadership exist and authority
rest solely on the selected family
Composed of number of communities
that is ruled by a permanent paramount
chief coming from elite family
Power is inherited
Social structure is hierarchical
Social classes and class mobility exist
chiefdom

9. 
Simple chiefdom- central village ruled by a
single family
A number of smaller communities surround this
smaller community with each being headed by
subsidiary leader subservient to the central ruler
Complex chiefdom- several simple
chiefdoms ruled by a single paramount chief
residing in a single paramount center
Highly structured and hierarchical political
system with a class system where the elites
demand tribute from the commoner(tributary
system)
Chiefdom

10. 
Nation and state
Can a nation become a state?
Can a state become a nation?

11. 
Presence of group of people that
shared a common history, language,
traditions, customs, habits and
ethnicity.
Conscious of their identity and of
their potential to become autonomous
and unified
Nation

12. 
Political unit consisting of a government
that has a sovereignty presiding over a
group of people and a well defined territory.
Highest form of political organization
Nation-state- when the citizens of a state
belong to only one nation
Nation within a state, states that govern
people who have different cultural identities
and who are conscious of their being
distinct.
state

13. 
Political legitimacy
and authority

14. 
Authority- The power to make binding
decisions and issue commands
Legitimacy- moral and ethical concept
that bestows on who possesses power
the right to exercise such power since
such is perceived to be justified and
proper.
Authorized or legit?????

15. 
Traditional authority- derived from well-
established costums, habits and social
structures
Charismatic authority- emanates from
charisma of an individual
Rational-legal/ bureaucratic authority-
formal rules promulgated by the state
through fundamental and implementing
laws.
Types of legitimate
authority