CLASSICS 1M03 Lecture 1: Lecture 1.docx
20 Feb 2015
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Document Summary
As societies grow, they become more complex (growing in population and also, social complexity) Increase division of labour (farmers, warriors - people fulfilling different economic roles) The activities of society become more elaborate, sophisticated (arrogation) Competing with neighbouring societies resulting in warfare. Societies need to be able to adapt to this new society. From pre-state to state-level societies: state formation. Society based with relationships (kinship, marriage, clans, tribes - pre-state societies) Moving from a society base don personal relations to society based on formal state institutions - Adaption to complexity by centralization and stratification. Adaptation to the formation of the state. Central governments and political authority takes form for the first time. Centralization leading to a state, extracting surplus resources and monopolizing public decision-making. The central government exercises the control by collecting and redistributing the resources to the public. The surplus product - form of taxes. Stratification: social hierarchy, with socio-economic elite becoming a ruling class, controlling the state.
