The Social Structure of a Chiefdom - Essay Example

There is a variance of simplicity and complexity in different chiefdoms occasioned by reasons such as the scale of development, financial capability, and the orientation to a person or group. An example of a chiefdom with a simple scale of development is one with a low population rate that is led by a single level of hierarchy. This kind of chiefdom is usually group-oriented while its source of finance is staple finance. On the other hand, a complex chiefdom has a high population rate under a minimum of two levels of hierarchy (Scupin, 2012).

Chiefdoms are slightly different, especially with respect to political, cultural, and economical principles.

According to the societal structure of chiefdoms, they mainly comprise clans, lineages, and other important groups. The ranking is principally in strata and it depends on the relationship to a chiefly family unit. In the stratification of clans, the hereditary status of a person and their relationship with other people in a clan stratify their status (Scupin, 2012). The marriages in these clans are usually infused in endogamy within a specific stratum and they are based on patriarchy. This implies that senior men often are in dominance in chiefdoms. Importantly, there is an upper and a lower stratum, where the upper one is usually polygynous and most respected. Moreover, chiefdoms maintain primogeniture, implying that the firstborn children of the chiefs inherit the leadership upon the chief’s death (Scupin, 2012).

In the matter of tribes, chiefdom is attained predominantly by checking into a person’s achievements.  This implies that the chief in a particular tribe is chosen on the merit of primogeniture but after analyzing his achievements.

Conclusion

            Chiefdoms remain the most complex of political systems occasioned by the different groups in an individual community. However, in clans, a chief is chosen based on a person’s relationship to a chiefly family; whereas, in a tribe, a chief is chosen based on their personal achievements. The constant factor for the attainment of the chief title in all chiefdoms is primogeniture.