Question

What does Clastre mean when he says that political leadership in tribal or non-state societies operate on the principle best described as "societies against the state?" What were the attributes Clastre found among the headman in Guayaki society that illustrated this principle?

Answer 1

Pierre Clastre's concept of 'societies against the state' refers to non-state societies like the Guayaki, where leadership is persuasive rather than coercive, and there is active resistance to the centralization of power to maintain an egalitarian structure.

Step-by-step explanation:

Anthropologist Pierre Clastre argues that political leadership in tribal or non-state societies, such as the Guayaki society, operates on a principle of “societies against the state.” This concept suggests that these societies actively resist the centralization of power and the formation of a state apparatus. Clastre observed that leaders in such societies, often referred to as headmen, do not possess coercive power. Instead, their influence is largely based on their ability to persuade and maintain consensus among members of the community. In Guayaki society, the attributes of headmen that illustrated this principle included the absence of a standing army, the need to secure agreement from community elders and other influential figures, and the lack of formal mechanisms to enforce their will. This decentralized leadership is a barrier to the emergence of a state, reflecting an active choice by these communities to retain an egalitarian social structure.