Final answer:
A chiefdom is the sociopolitical organization between a tribe and a state, characterized by kin-based hierarchy and a permanent political structure. It represents a stage in society where agriculture sustains a surplus, enabling centralized authority and leadership inheritance.
Step-by-step explanation:
The form of sociopolitical organization intermediate between the tribe and state is referred to as a chiefdom. This type of society is kin-based with differential access to resources and maintains a permanent political structure. Chiefdoms typically emerge in societies where agriculture generates a surplus, which can support a more complex social hierarchy and centralized leadership. Unlike tribes, which rely on extended family groups and consensus for decision-making, chiefdoms have formalized leadership roles that often inherit their positions.
Historically, anthropologist Elman Service categorized societies into four types: band, tribe, chiefdom, and state, based on their subsistence strategies and political systems. Broadly speaking, lineages and kinship systems play a crucial role in organizing these societies, with chiefdoms representing a transitional stage where power begins to centralize, but has not yet reached the bureaucratic level found in states.
Service's categorization indicates an evolutionary view of sociopolitical organization, suggesting that societies may progress from one form to another. It is worth noting, however, that cultural anthropologists encourage avoiding oversimplified typologies, instead recognizing the spectrum and diversity of political organization within and among societies. Chiefdoms represent just one point on this spectrum, where a centralized authority begins to differentiate from the more egalitarian structures of bands and tribes.