Final answer:
A complex sociopolitical system that manages contrasting social strata and exercises centralized control through governance and military authority is known as a state society. State societies use bureaucratic structures and legal frameworks to maintain order, extract resources, and provide services. Examples include city-states, clans, and nation-states, which have evolved over time and interacted with various political and social movements.
Step-by-step explanation:
A complex sociopolitical system that administers a territory and populace with substantial contrasts in occupation, wealth, prestige, and power refers to a highly organized society, often known as a state society. At its core, this entity is an independent, centrally organized political unit, or a government, which exercises authority and control over a defined geographical area and its inhabitants. These societies have a stratified structure where groups are ranked according to wealth, power, or prestige, and they feature centralized leadership, bureaucracies, and systems of social control, backed by military forces with exclusive control over the territory.
One historic example is the city-state, which is an independent political entity consisting of a city and the surrounding territory. Other forms of political organization include clans, which are smaller units based on familial relationships and shared responsibilities. Throughout history, states have utilized systems of governance that involve economic extraction methods, like taxation, along with social control mechanisms, such as law enforcement and policing. The government allocates public revenues to maintain infrastructure, sustain bureaucracies, and support the military.
The nation-state adds a layer of identity to the state, combining the state apparatus with a collective national consciousness based on common culture, history, or ethnicity. Colonialism historically disrupted local political organizations, which led to numerous modern-day structural and social challenges within postcolonial states. In response to various forms of government and social order, populations often engage with social movements to seek changes to the status quo.