Political Anthropology: Power, Authority, and Societal Structures

Political anthropology

The study of power, authority, and leadership within and across cultures.

Power

The ability to influence or control the behavior of others.

Authority

Legitimate power recognized and accepted by society.

Legitimacy

The cultural and moral basis that justifies a leader's right to rule.

Levels of socio-cultural integration

The scale of political organization in societies: band, tribe, chiefdom, and state.

Egalitarian societies

Societies with minimal social hierarchy where resources and power are shared equally.

Band

Small, kin-based group of foragers with informal leadership and consensus decision-making.

Tribe

Larger, kin-based society with temporary leadership and shared cultural identity.

Ranked societies

Societies where individuals are ranked by status or prestige but not fully stratified economically.

Chiefdom

A political organization with a permanent leader (chief) who redistributes resources and maintains order.

Stratified societies

Societies with clear social classes and unequal access to power, wealth, and resources.

Caste systems

Rigid social hierarchies where status is hereditary and movement between levels is limited or impossible.

State

A centralized political organization with authority to enforce laws and collect taxes within a defined territory.

Nation

A community of people sharing common identity, culture, and often language, sometimes tied to a state.

Political power

The ability of individuals or groups to shape policy, control resources, or influence governance.

Totalitarian power

A system where the state seeks to control all aspects of public and private life.

Authoritarian power

Concentration of political authority in a single ruler or small group with limited public participation.

Democratic power

Political power derived from citizen participation and representation.

Democracy

A political system in which leaders are chosen by and accountable to the people.

Republic

A form of democracy where elected representatives govern according to a constitution.

Political power structure

The organization of authority within a state—how power is distributed and exercised.

Unitary states

Governments where power is centralized in a single national authority.

Federal states

Governments that divide power between national and regional authorities.

Federalism

The system or philosophy of sharing power between central and regional governments.

Geographic representation

The principle that political representation should reflect the spatial distribution of a population.

Elazar's American political subculture

Daniel Elazar's theory identifying three U.S. political cultures: individualistic, moralistic, and traditionalistic.

Individualists

Value personal initiative and limited government involvement.

Moralists

Believe politics should promote the public good and community welfare.

Traditionalists

Emphasize preserving social order and hierarchy, often favoring elite leadership.