How humans govern themselves
Division of Human Societies (Service) 1/4:
Band (all humans in bands
in the beginning, most still
wereby 11,000 BC):
- Few dozen people
- Nomadic
- Everyone tight-knit
- Egalitarian and democratic (group decisions = rule)
- No economic specialization
- Bands are very rare today
Division of Human Societies (Service) 2/4:
Tribe (first tribes
appeared around 13,000 BC):
- Hundreds of people
- Everyone knows everyone’s name
- More food needed; agriculture
almost always necessary (PNW Natives
and Ainu in Japannotable exceptions)
- Sedentary (stays in one place)
- Relatively egalitarian (sometimes “big man” is weak leader)
- Weak economic specialization
- Tribes still exist, mostly are in Papua New Guinea, Amazon Rainforest, parts
of Africa
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5aV_850nzv4
Chiefdom (began around 5500 BC):
- Thousands of people
- Some names not known by all, but
everyone recognizable as fellows
(shared ideology, politics, religion, etc.)
- More food needed; agriculture
necessary and usually animal
husbandry
- Chief = leader (usually hereditary),
some proto-bureaucrats necessary
- Redistributive economy, some
inequality (some caste systems like
India, Hawaii (10 castes!)
- Still widespread in Polynesia, SubSaharan Africa, countryside in
Americas
- Native American “tribes” were really
chiefdoms…confusing
Division of Human
Societies (Service) 3/4:
Division of Human Societies (Service) 4/4:
State (about 3400 BC onward, started in Mesopotamia (mostly
today’s Iraq):
- Large populations, mostly strangers
- Most food necessary; urban vs. rural areas
- Most economic specialization; sectors of economy, etc.
- Most inequality of standard of living
- Military necessary
- Most power difference
- Bureaucrats and government necessary
- Attempts to close inequality gap have largely failed in history
Why the differences?
1) Evolutionary explanation: bands evolved into
states by necessity
2) Culture varies…not all is dictated by
environmental conditions (i.e. Kaulong strangled
widows practice of Sautee in India)
3) Some cultural beliefs and practices have been
spread historically over areas without being
related to local conditions (i.e copy or be forced to
do what outsiders do)
TYPES OF GOVERNMENTS
Government: the institution through which a society
makes and enforces its public policies.
ANARCHY
Anarchy: when there is no government and chaos
reigns (i.e. times of government change, Somalia)
Monarchy: when there is one
ruler who rules (i.e. a king or
queen). This position is usually
inherited and held an entire
lifetime
Origin: since the dawn of
civilization; ancient Egyptian
pharaohs, ancient Chinese
emperors, etc.
Positives: easy to get stuff done,
people have clear roles in society
Negatives: minimal
accountability, very exclusive
group in power, succession
problems
Examples: Medieval kings,
ancient Chinese emperors,
ancient Egyptian pharaohs,
Saudi Arabia today. This was the
most common government until
the late 1700s-1800s.
MONARCHY
Autocracy: all political
systems governed by one
individual
TYPES OF ONE PERSON
RULE
Absolute Monarchy: when
one person rules with
complete power in a
monarchy (i.e. Louis XIV, 1600s
France)
Constitutional Monarchy:
when there is a monarch but
also shared power with an
elected body and/or is a
ceremonial figure (i.e. Great
Britain today)
Despotism: when an
individual or group has total
power
Feudalism: system that orders society around the
holding of lands in exchange for services or labor (i.e.
medieval Japan, medieval Europe)
Origin: Athens, Greece, 507
B.C. Direct Democracy:
ancient Athens-style
democracy; when
everything is done with
voting
Positives: 100% citizen
participation, everyone has
equal say
Negatives: problems with 100%
citizen participation, faction
rivalries
Examples today: Some
“yes/no” questions on ballots:
Should we raise taxes to
build a bridge? Should we
legalize marijuana? Should
gay marriage be legal? Most
countries have democratic
elements but there are no
direct democracies.
Democracy:
when all citizens
vote to have an
equal say in the
decisions that
affect their lives
REPUBLIC
Republic: voters elect
officials/representatives who are
responsible to the people
Origin: Roman Republic, 509 B.C.
Positives: “Brightest/best” people get
elected, leaders held accountable by
citizens, all citizens have equal power
with the vote
Negatives: problems associated with
the public voting, tough to get things
done quickly, faction rivalries
Examples today: most countries in the
world
GOVERNMENT of the USA
“Democratic Republic” or “Representative
Democracy”…we have elements of both a democracy
and a republic.
- James Madison (father of Constitution) aimed at
making a republic above all else. The US government is
3 parts, is layered (Federalism), and makes use of checks
and balances.
Theocracy: when the
government is influenced by the
laws of God in making civil law
Origin: Priest-kings in
Mesopotamia, Caste System in
ancient India, etc.
Positives: ties religion in with
government, roles clear to
people
Negatives: ties religion in with
government, common people
have little power, innovation
may be difficult
Examples today: very few but
notably Iran.
THEOCRACY
Communism: a government that seeks
to make a classless, egalitarian (equal)
society with common ownership
Origin: Soviet Union (USSR), 1917; based
on Marx/Engles’ ideals from the 1840s.
Positives: unemployment gone,
homelessness gone, all services are free
for all
Negatives: no profit incentive, subject to
corruption and black market, equality is
a myth
Examples today: Cuba, North Korea are
still staunchly communist, but this
ideology has fizzled since the USSR
collapsed in 1991. China, Vietnam, Laos
all still consider themselves communist,
but they really are not anymore (China
not since the 1980s).
COMMUNISM
TERMS TO KNOW
Fascism: a radical,
authoritarian, hyper-patriotic
government (i.e. Nazis)
Totalitarianism: when all
facets of life are controlled by
the government (i.e. Stalin’s
USSR)
Socialist: often misused
umbrella term, refers to when
government owns institutions or
businesses
Oligarchy: system of
government in which a small
group holds power. The power
is derived from wealth, military
power, social position and is
often self-appointed
- Many countries call
themselves republics and/or
democracies, but this is a
farce.
- In reality, these countries
are really dictatorships or
oligarchies. (i.e. North
Korea’s full name:
Democratic People's
Republic of Korea)
CORRUPTION IN GOVERNMENTS
http://www.transparency.org/policy_research/surveys_indices/cpi/2010/results
Anarchy
Aristocracy
Communism/
Communist State
Confederation
Democracy
Despotism/Dictatorship
Fascism
Kleptocracy
Feudalism/Feudal State
Military Junta
Absolute Monarchy
No government
Rule by a privileged class
Classless society where equality, shared property ownership, and shared means of
production are aims. Command economy.
Separate political entities/states join together to achieve common aims
People make laws, run society by the vote
A leader in total command (“autocracy” = one individual in power)
Leader worship, high nationalism (thinking your country is superior), emphasis on military,
government in total control
A government run by criminals and/or corruption
Hierarchal power structure: monarch owns land, gives land to nobles in exchange for loyalty
and military service, peasants live on nobles’ land in exchange for protection
Government run by military leaders
Total rule by one person. Usually this is a hereditary system (the monarch is born into it)
Monarchy
Rule by one person, but power confined to a constitution of laws
Oligarchy
Small group of people have total power to run society
Puppet State
Republic
Theocracy
Totalitarian State
When a country exercises power over another country in all but name
Government ruled by representatives. Representatives can be elected or appointed.
Government ruled by religion
The government in total control of the people, including one’s thoughts