Final answer:
Robert Carneiro suggests that states emerge due to a variety of pressures leading to the centralization of power in chiefdoms, such as population growth, social stratification, and militaristic threats. Both integrative and conflict pressures propel the centralization process, resulting in the evolution of sovereignty and the establishment of complex state governmental systems to manage resources and provide protection.
Step-by-step explanation:
According to Robert Carneiro, states emerge from increasing centralization of political power in large chiefdoms due to several pressures. Population growth and social stratification are identified as general pressures, while more context-specific pressures include militaristic threats from neighboring societies and opportunities arising from regional trade. These pressures drive the centralization process through both integrative and conflict pressures. Integrative pressures facilitate the coordination and management of society's complexities, leading to the establishment of institutions and bureaucracies. Conflict pressures, on the other hand, stem from external threats or internal competition for resources and power, prompting societies to organize and centralize for defense and control. Over time, the sovereignty of the group is established as a basic recognition that protection is easier when a group agrees on an individual or subset having greater power to coordinate and defend the group's interests. This basic truth evolves into the complex structures of state governments. Political organizations like states and governments evolve to help create a balance of powers, manage resources, and provide protection and legitimacy. They cultivate national identity and harmony through governmental practices and symbols, drawing on the loyalty of citizens and reinforcing the legitimacy of the state system.