THE EMERGENCE OF CITIES AND STATES

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The Emergence of Cities and States : An Anthropological Perspective

The emergence of cities and states is the result of a long history of political evolution and advances in cultural abstractions . In this , we shall discuss some of social , economic , and political forces that contributed to the development of cities and cities . This discussion , though , would have to be based on anthropological concepts Anthropology , or more specifically its subfield , archeology , can provide the reader with a wide array of theoretical propositions that possess explanatory

power . Added to that , these concepts are closely related to concepts in social sciences . Thus , basing the development of cities and states from an anthropological perspective is a holistic approach in understanding the dynamics of ancient civilizations

In general , there are eight developed (classification ) primary states (states which developed out of preexisting economic and political conditions : Mesoamerica , Peru , Mesopotamia , Egypt , the Indus civilization , China , the Zulu civilization , and Tonga (Service 22 . Six of which were created by conquest . One was formed to settle conflicts with foreign settlers , and the other one evolved from a theocratic chiefdom . The earliest civilizations in Mesopotamia , China , the Indus Valley , Peru , and Egypt emerged by conquests . These states were somehow forced ' to subdue other tribes in to protect its existence from nomadic raiders . Although some archaeologists argued that states , in its primordial form , developed before the birth of these civilizations (as indicated in the ancient city of Jericho , there is no direct evidence to support this claim . In fact , it is a theoretical flaw to assume that there was a definitive decline ' of the state prior to the coming of the earliest civilizations . In light of this mystery , some anthropologists notably Carol Ember noted that the state itself was the main product of civilization . If the state is to develop , it must be located in a cultural setting characterized by complexity and unified worldview . Thus , the earlier proposition of some archaeologists may prove unsatisfactory if the hypothesis of Ember is accepted

We come now to the discussion of the political forces (the steps ) that eventually led to the formation of the state . Initially , earliest social formations demanded the creation of a small religious class . This religious class would serve as the medium between the divine and the mortal . Let us provide an example to prove this point . The Tonga chiefdom , according to local legends , was created not out of conquest or as a defensive alliance of tribes against invaders , but by the sky-god Tangaroa (Service 57 . Tangaroa was the ancestor of all the paramount chiefs of the chiefdom . One of the paramount chiefs began acting like a despot . He issued countless and oppressive s to his people . Fearing of a general rebellion , he wielded some of his powers to his brother and other members of his family . The so-called paramount chief became a high priest , and the chief delegated with the powers of a chief ' became the bastion of secular power . Although this story was...