Segmentary lineage

As a segmentary society an ethnic or indigenous society is referred to in the policy ethnology and social anthropology which is not dominated by central political institutions, but of the same type and with each peer descent groups ( lineages or clans ). To distinguish those with class, caste, stalls or layers of segmentary societies.

Features

The term segmentary society in 1893 influenced by French anthropologist Émile Durkheim in De la division du travail social and taken over by the British social anthropologist Edward Evans -Pritchard and Meyer Fortes to describe African societies 1940. In Durkheim says:

"We call the Klan a horde that is no longer independent, to instead become an element in an expanded group, and call segmentary society based on clans those folks that are formed from the association between clans. We call these companies segmental to show that they are formed by the repetition of each other similar units, analogous to the rings of the annelid worm, and we call that elementary aggregate as a clan, because this word very well its mixed, both familial and political nature expressed brings. "

Such societies exist ( single-line family associations ) and may be further divided into sub-segments of a number of similar and of equal segments, which are organized by so-called lineages; In addition to these based on lineage and kinship segments can also be groups of different sizes on religious- cultic or territorial basis (villages ) are made. The interleaving of these segments ensures the extensive self of cooperation and conflict relations without a permanent central political authority. This allows the greatest flexibility and decentralization of political organization. In this way, larger companies can work acephalous, contrary to the previous assumption that only small groups could be " herrschaftslos ".

Typically, in segmentary societies the elderly compared to younger ones ordered ( seniority ). Such companies are also usually egalitarian ( without major social differences ), since the permanent accumulation of personal wealth for individual members is hardly possible. The role of women is subordinate only apparent.

In the 1930s, the interest of colonial powers grew in the exploration of such societies organized. One of the most important works, which is based on the theory of segmented society, is African Political Systems by Edward Evans -Pritchard and Meyer Fortes. They studied mainly the lineage structures, which constitute the basis for the political structure. They emphasized the equality of the segments and the lack of a central instance. Have become known the ethnographies of the Nuer and the Tallensi. Other companies whose systems were investigated in this respect are the African Dinka, Somali and Tiv.

The German sociologist Niklas Luhmann used the name of the segmented society for the differentiation of societies. He cites the example simple, small, spatially separated from each other and equal societies with face-to -face communication ( tribes, villages, and others).

In his work Regulated anarchy of the German ethnologist Christian Sigrist reached in 1967 on the theme of domination-free societies and developed the theory further (see Akephalie: freedom from domination ).

Examples of segmental indigenous cultures

The South African San people is one of the egalitarian societies that organize themselves without an overall political guidance system. Also, no formal jurisdiction is exercised. Violations of the moral principles of the San are at worst punished by exclusion from the community. Nomadic small groups of often 40 to more than 200 San set - in addition to family relationships - personal preferences flexibly together. About Group issues such as hunting or change of location will be decided jointly by consensus; Women have equal rights. The economy of the San is a gift economy, basing on regular donations rather than on trade and purchase of goods and services.

The South American nation of Reche - Mapuche had developed a social organization without central rule or tightened boundaries between social classes and territories by providing illustrations of some authors to the emergence of the Spanish colonizers. Order was governed primarily by social structures, relationships and alliances. The definition of the group was not dependent on the descent, but skills as a group. In most cases, were in political anthropology (now policy Ethnology ), which could not imagine a society without domination, the domination-free societies in the Americas only in terms of the " chiefs ", the Ionco called peace mediator and group mediators, as well as additionally provided temporary Warchief and the on the margins of society examined standing shaman. These possessed sure about power, but not necessary to rule Erzwingungsstab and coercion. The Spanish conquistadors as judged on the Reche - Mapuche in an antagonistic way to own tightly hierarchical system: " They have no leader, they have no authorities said they have no voice, they have no law, they lack faith and reputation. "

The ethnocentric view of the indigenous population as a lack stateless society without writing, without history and without market appears from this is that these companies have achieved mastery of the natural environment to suit their needs without the traditional development discourse parallelism of the economic development and the development of political power. In addition, there was no universal God figure in the Reche - Mapuche. Unlike Maya and Aztecs, there were no deities and central representation of instances in the religious sphere. Manage your country, the Mapuche still in public ownership.