Political Organization

• Band – typically formed by several families living together based on marriage ties, common descendants, friendship affiliations, and members usually have a common interest or enemy. The main source of integration is kinship either by blood or affinity.
• Tribe – is considered an acephalous political system. Tribes are organized through the presence of pantribal associations or sodalities that come in form of a council or tribal elders.
• Bands and tribes are considered the simplest political systems.
• Chiefdom – formal leadership exists and authority rests solely on the members of a select family.
• Simple chiefdom – characterized by a central village or community ruled by a single family
• Complex chiefdom – composed of several simple chiefdoms ruled by a single paramount chief residing in a single paramount center
• Nation – groups of people that shared a common history, language, traditions, customs, habits, and ethnicity.
• Legitimacy – is a moral and ethical concept that bestows one who possesses power the right to exercise such power since such is perceived to be justified and proper
• Authority – is the power to make binding decisions and issue commands. It is necessary for a leader to possess authority.
• Charismatic authority – whose legitimacy emanates from the charisma of the individual, which for some can be seen as a ‘gift of grace’ or the possession of ‘gravitas’ or authority derived from a higher power such as those that are associated with the divine right of kings
• Rational-legal or bureaucratic authority – authority draws its legitimacy from formal rules promulgated by the state through its fundamental and implementing laws.
• Traditional authority is legitimated by the sanctity of custom and tradition. The ability and right to rule is passed down, often through heredity.