Order and authirity
For a society to run efficiently a sense of order needs to be maintained. To maintain this order all societies have a political system in place that ranges in complexity. There are four forms of political systems - bands, tribes, chiefdoms and states. Within each political system there are formal or informal mechanisms used to exercise control (and in some cases both). Whether mechanisms are formal or informal depends on what works in each society. With these mechanisms comes a level of enforcement that is used to implement the type of behaviour seen as socially acceptable. This power of enforcement is dependent on the laws available in a society. Gender and religion help play apart in enforcement. There has been a decline in cultural specificity that is largely due to globalisation. But there have always been mechanisms of social control common to the majority of all societies. Even though New Zealand is isolated from other countries geographically, we use many of the same social mechanisms as those overseas. Bands were egalitarian societies and this is one reason why they were the simplest forms of political organisation. People that are almost equal do not need a complex control system. They were generally foraging societies
What ever the benefits and disadvantages, advertising is certainly one of the factors affecting social life within New Zealand. We act differently in each of these groups because we want to fit in and be 'normal'. With offences coded, the degree of power to enforce appropriate behaviour is set within boundaries. Generally it does not matter wether the mechanisms used are informal or formal as different methods work in different societies. For some cultures social control in New Zealand completely undermines their cultural values and what they would consider norms. The chief oversaw the exchange of goods and in effect ruled the economy. In earlier times rulers of a state were thought to be either descendants of God or chosen by God. Gender plays a major part in social control. For some societies religious beliefs have created the foundation for how people should behave and how leaders are chosen (like the Inca). They do this by using formal and informal mechanisms. Under the ruling elite are the bureaucrats who do not hold authority but oversee a specific territory or department on the leaders' behalf. It was therefore difficult to enforce appropriate behaviour. There were two types of bands - simple and composite. This is clearly illustrated in the examples of the different political systems above.
Common topics in this essay:
Baileys Peoples,
Zealand Zealand,
America USA,
,
Sun God,
Plains United,
Cheyenne Plains,
Amongst Comanche,
social control,
appropriate behaviour,
God Inca,
cultural specificity,
political system,
baileys peoples 2003,
peoples 2003,
baileys peoples,
social controls,
court system,
deemed appropriate,
enforce appropriate behaviour,
parent control,
decline cultural specificity,
mediation court system,
victim community support,
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Acceptance Essays
