State Level Society
Jesus Parra
6808034
Tuesday 12:00
Theoretical Models on the Origin of Complex Civilization
Word Count: 2593
Complex societies are a relatively recent socio-political development. For the vast majority of its history, the human race has lived in hunter-gatherer groups and not in state-level civilizations. In order for a civilization to be recognized as a state level society, it must meet certain criteria. There must be centralized political power, social classes based on access to resources, occupational specialization, coercive military or police force, multiple levels of decision making, writing or complex record keeping, and urban centers controlling periphery.1 There are a variety of competing theories of the origins of state level societies. In “A Theory of the Origin of the State,” Robert Carneiro argues that warfare is the prime mechanism for the development of the state level society while it must take place under certain conditions. In “Generalized Coercion and Inequality: The Basis of State Power in the Early Civilization,” on the other hand, Bruce Trigger argues for generalized coercion where people give up their autonomy to adopt and obey a hierarchical structure. Lastly, in “Hydraulic Civilization,” Karl Wittfogel proposes a voluntaristic theory where leaders coordinate projects for obtaining water and people have to give up their individual sovereignty so that the large-scale irrigation system can be carried out. I will argue in this essay that Robert Carneiro’s warfare theory is the most applicable and fits the most evidence of the archeological and historical records of early civilizations. Let us now turn to Robert Carneiro’s ideas of environmental circumscription, social circumscription and resource concentration. “Though warfare is surely a prime mover in the origin of the state,” Carneiro argues, “it cannot be the only factor.”2 Carneiro contends that war is
6808034
Tuesday 12:00
Theoretical Models on the Origin of Complex Civilization
Word Count: 2593
Complex societies are a relatively recent socio-political development. For the vast majority of its history, the human race has lived in hunter-gatherer groups and not in state-level civilizations. In order for a civilization to be recognized as a state level society, it must meet certain criteria. There must be centralized political power, social classes based on access to resources, occupational specialization, coercive military or police force, multiple levels of decision making, writing or complex record keeping, and urban centers controlling periphery.1 There are a variety of competing theories of the origins of state level societies. In “A Theory of the Origin of the State,” Robert Carneiro argues that warfare is the prime mechanism for the development of the state level society while it must take place under certain conditions. In “Generalized Coercion and Inequality: The Basis of State Power in the Early Civilization,” on the other hand, Bruce Trigger argues for generalized coercion where people give up their autonomy to adopt and obey a hierarchical structure. Lastly, in “Hydraulic Civilization,” Karl Wittfogel proposes a voluntaristic theory where leaders coordinate projects for obtaining water and people have to give up their individual sovereignty so that the large-scale irrigation system can be carried out. I will argue in this essay that Robert Carneiro’s warfare theory is the most applicable and fits the most evidence of the archeological and historical records of early civilizations. Let us now turn to Robert Carneiro’s ideas of environmental circumscription, social circumscription and resource concentration. “Though warfare is surely a prime mover in the origin of the state,” Carneiro argues, “it cannot be the only factor.”2 Carneiro contends that war is