Final answer:
Societies are classified by anthropologists into bands, tribes, chiefdoms, and states, which differ in their subsistence strategies and political structures, ranging from egalitarian to centralized. The correct option is b.
Step-by-step explanation:
Anthropologists like Elman Service have categorized societies into four types based on subsistence patterns and political organization: bands, tribes, chiefdoms, and states. Bands, commonly gathering-hunting societies such as the Hadza, have a highly mobile and egalitarian structure with decisions made through consensus.
Tribes, which may be pastoral like the Maasai or practice horticulture, organize around extended families and may have councils for decision-making.
Chiefdoms are built on agricultural surplus, leading to more stratified societies, while states are complex, with diverse subsistence strategies, military conquest, and regional trade leading to the development of multiethnic territories.
Service's evolutionary framework suggests a progression from bands and tribes to chiefdoms and states, reflecting shifts in economic and political practices.
This journey can be exemplified by different cultural practices, social practices, economic practices, and political practices. It's important to note the diversity of political organization and that most societies feature a spectrum of authority forms. The correct option is b.