LESSON 2: Forms & Functions of State & Non-State Institutions

Band

a small, egalitarian, kin-based group perhaps 10-50 people

Tribe

comprised a number of bands that were politically integrated (often through a council of elders or other leaders) and shared a language, religious beliefs, and other aspects of culture

Chiefdoms

are organized through formal structures that integrates several communities (such as tribes) into a distinct political entity led by a council of elders or leader which typically has a chief, but doesn’t always have one

State

is an independent, sovereign government exercising control over a certain spatially defined and bounded areas, whose borders are usually clearly defined and internationally recognized by other states

Nation

is a group of people who see themselves as a cohesive and coherent unit based on shared cultural or historical criteria

1. Population

2. Territory

3. Government

4. Sovereignty

Elements of a State:

Privatization

occurs when a government agency that provides public services is converted into a privately owned organization

1. Traditional

2. Charismatic

3. Rational-Legal Authority

3 Types of Authority:

Traditional Authority

often considered a synonym of hereditary authority or authority passed through bloodline of leaders, as in absolute monarchies

Charismatic Authority

authority drawn from a leader’s personal charisma ; the capacity of a leader to attract and retain loyal and devoted followers through his/her personal qualities, just like what some dictators and cult leaders are capable of

Rational-legal Authority

authority drawn from legal and constitutional mandates that are usually collectively agreed upon and/or approved by those who are governed, as in what is practiced in many modern democratic countries or at least, in countries that claim to be democratic

Market Economies

are typically understood as those that rely on money or currency to facilitate trade or the exchange of goods and services

Non-Market Economies

are understood as those that rely on barter and similar forms of product/commodity exchanges

Reciprocity

refers to the direct exchange of goods or services

Redistribution

means the transfer of goods or services from a central authority that collects it from community members and/or external sources, so as to redistribute it to the members of the society

Market Transaction

indirect exchange of goods and services facilitated by money or currency

Primary Sector

engaged in extraction of raw materials such as petroleum, minerals, logs etc., and in extracting natural resources through agriculture and fishing

Secondary Sector

engaged in manufacturing of mass production of goods/commodities from raw materials

Tertiary Sector

engaged in providing services, especially those that facilitate the transport, distribution and sale of goods/commodities

Trade Unions

is an organisation made up of members (a membership-based organisation) and its membership must be made up mainly of workers

Cooperatives

made up of people with common interest who agreed to work together for easy, safe & affordable access to commodities, loans & other services

Transnational Advocacy Groups

groups/networks that gives powerless constituents a voice in domestic international lawmaking

Development Agencies

they promote progress by engaging in projects, policy-making & dialogue

Institution

a large important organization that has a particular purpose, for example a university or bank

Civil Organizations

groups or organizations working in the interest of the citizens but operating outside of the governmental & business sectors

Animism

the belief that everything has a spirit ; also referred to as “nature worship” or a nature-based spirituality

Polytheism

is a belief system that emphasizes belief in the existence of multiple gods

Monotheism

adheres to the belief that only one all-powerful god exists