Social Stratification and the Kind of Political

¶ … 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 generosity and use of wealth as well as wisdom to members of their tribes. Property is inherited by clans and lineage.

3. Chiefdoms -- differ from tribes and bands in that they are centralized authority with a hereditary chief, who possesses power and prestige, and a hierarchical plateau. Otherwise, they are based on soladity (i.e. common interest) and kinship. Rank and stratification are almost alike to bands and tribes excepting that they have one powerful dominating figure person.

4. States are stratified layers of authority that have political institutions / organizations / code of laws and checks to implement their 'commands. Rank and stratification are the most unequal in these societies. They have rank in power (social, political and economic), classes, possess sodality, and kinship. Wealth is unequally distributed and there is specialization at every level. There are various kinds of states including democratic, parliamentary, authoritarian, and communist.

How would you describe tradition Samoan society: as band, tribe chiefdom or state?

Traditional Samoa resembles more of a tribe than anything else. There is no actual class system with chief's titles based on ages-old tradition and accorded according to generosity, and respect in community that is based on central or personal merit, on their wisdom, and on their relationship with their fellow tribe members.

In a way, however, they differ from the traditional characteristics of tribes in that certain key families are respected more than others, their roles are passed down through the generations and certain families possess higher status than others. In this way, although authority is not relegated to any specific key individual, they are more similar to chiefdom than tribe. However, they are disparate to chiefdom in that extreme power and influence is not vested in any single one person and that their status is only evident in a ceremonial sense where seating is in the village council is determined by their status. Decision-making in the Samoan society is egalitarian and all are connected by solidaty, and kinship affiliation.

In fact, any male can aspire to be a matai (i.e. respected individuals) since titles are acquired through a democratic process of election.