3 - Legitimation and power in age class systems

Summary

Stateless societies

Acephalous societies are distinguished from other stateless societies by their low level of centralization. The realization of the political significance of such societies did not come easily, for it was difficult to comprehend that there could be a political system in which authority was neither centralized nor delegated through administrative channels. Indeed, before the issue was posed on a theoretical level it had to be addressed in the practical terms of administration. The conquering nations, at the moment of territorial occupation, needed local leaders to serve as brokers in their rule over the populations. In the case of centralized kingdoms, this was simply a matter of forcing the king and the other leaders to follow the orders of the conquerors or to substitute them with others, maintaining the ancient structure. However, where there were no heads, the conquerors were faced with an enigma. In any case, they imposed a solution. The lack of leaders was viewed, conceptually, as a lack of civility; leaders were created and imposed administratively, selected by the government. It is interesting to follow the origins of these solutions in the historical documents dating back to the early days of the colonies. An apt example is provided by the remarks of C. Dundas regarding the Bantu-Hamites of Kenya, written in the second decade of this century:

After the most careful enquiry and consideration of what is still in evidence, I feel convinced that the tribes had no head or leaders who could be dignified with the name of chief.