History of Politics
Date: 2015-10-07; view: 452.
V.G. Childe describes the transformation of human society that took place around 6000 BCE as an urban revolution. Among the features of this new type of civilization were the institutionalization of social stratification, non-agricultural specialized crafts (including priests and lawyers), taxation, and writing. All of which require densely populated settlements - cities.
The word "Politics" is derived from the Greek word for city-state, "Polis". Corporate, religious, academic and every other polity, especially those constrained by limited resources, contain dominance hierarchies and therefore politics. Politics is most often studied in relation to the administration governments.
The oldest form of government was tribal organization. Rule by elders was supplanted by monarchy and a system of Feudalism as an arrangement where a single family dominated the political affairs of a community. Monarchies have existed in one form or another for the past 5000 years of human history.
Ø Hunting Societies:
Political systems have changed over the courses of history. Technologically simple hunting and gathering societies were found over the planet, operated like large families without formal governments. Leadership generally fell to a man with unusual strength, hunting skills or personal charisma.
(John .J Macionis, Kenyon College)
Ø Agrarian Societies:
Agrarian societies are larger with specialized jobs and material surplus. In these societies a small elite gains control of most of wealth and power, moving politics from the family to become social institution in its own rite.
This is the point in the history when leaders start to claim divine right to rule. Leaders may also benefit from rational –legal authority to the extent that their rule is supported by law.
As societies grow even bigger politics take the form of national government, or political state. Currently, the world has 192 independent states each with a some distinct political system.
(John .J Macionis, Kenyon college)
| <== previous lecture | | | next lecture ==> |
| Politics | | | Evolution of government in the European tradition |