Social Stratification and the Kind of Political System That Society Is Likely to Be

Social stratification is distinguished in the society amongst one of four types: bands; tribes; chiefdoms; or states.

Bands -- are egalitarian simple kin units with power, if any, depending on skill, earned respect and capability. Decision-making is informal and shared by the group. Rank and stratification is homogenous for all particularly since members are related either by kin or by affinity. It is in this way that political, social, economic resources and decisions are shared and/or implemented corporately. An example of bands is foraging societies.

Tribes -- these are egalitarian complex kin units otherwise called 'sodalities' since they are based on common interest rather than on kinship affiliation (as with bands). They are similar to bands in their make-up and in their egalitarian rank and stratification. Headsmen or 'Big Men' become so by virtue of their...
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