Compare and contrast the theories presented by Elman Service and Timothy Earle on the evolution of chiefdoms. What are the key points on which Earle differs? Given your understanding of chiefdoms which theory do you prefer and why?
Outside anthropology, the term chiefdom is used in reference to a non-Western societies that were led by an individual who yielded more power or prestige than the others. The origin of the confusion is the use of the term ‘chief’ by European explorers, government officials and missionaries to refer to individual leaders in these societies (Scupin, 2012). However, chiefdoms are distinct from bands and tribal societies because leadership in chiefdoms is more centralized than in the others. In anthropology, a chiefdom is a complex society which is an intermediate between a band and a tribal community where the organized bureaucratic state exists (Scupin, 2012). Leadership is chiefdoms is well defined comprising of leaders and ordinary people below them. Chiefs yield economic and political power and play the role of managing and controlling factors of production. The society makes a distinction between the leaders and other people through clothing and social status. In assessing the evolution of chiefdoms, anthropologists present different theories.
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Anthropologists Elman Service and Timothy Earle have different theories on the evolution of chiefdoms. According to Service, chiefdoms were as a result of symbiotic relationships between communities (Scupin, 2012). He argued that particular groups had the territorial advantage in society. Thus they had access to different resources. These factions were well placed to distribute or allocate resources in the community. The leaders of these advantaged groups emerged to become chiefs and were recognized by the others. Since they had the role of distributing resources, the leaders were able to hold the whole society together. These leaders played a managerial position and had a centralized administration in the society. Service explained that the society viewed the leaders as having more prestige hence there was a consensus that they were the chiefs. The society also looked upon these leaders for protection since they had administrative powers.
Timothy Earle, on the other hand, presented the theory that chiefdoms evolved due to individual's ability to control vital production resources like land and labor (Scupin, 2012). Population growth and reduced land productivity created competition for the cultivation of fertile land. Leaders who control sections of fertile lands started providing rights for farming to others. The leaders could also manage the labor that was used to cultivate the land. Eventually, the leader's role in society increased and their status rose. Hence, common people accepted them as chief. Earle's theory differs from that Service since it does not emphasize the need for interdependence between communities as the reason for the rise of chiefdom. Additionally, Earle's theory emphasizes economic reasons as the cause for the evolution of chiefdoms, unlike Service who explains that territorial advantage gave rise to chiefdoms.
Assessing the two theories, Service’s theory on the evolution of chiefdoms seems more viable. Although both theories agree that the people recognized their leaders as having a higher status in society, Service explains that the benefits that commoners enjoyed from the leaders contributed to their recognition. Earle’s theory portrays the leaders as exploitative and who were only focused on reaping the economic benefits of their leadership. On the contrary, chiefs were protectors of the society hence Service’s theory is closer to this explanation.
Chiefdoms are well-organized societies consisting of leaders who wielded power through economic and political control thus enjoying prestige in the society. Service theory on the evolution of chiefdoms attributes their emergence to symbiotic relationships between communities where chiefs allocated resources in the society. Earle’s theory, on the other hand, explains that chiefdoms emerged due to the ability of the leaders to control vital economic resources like land and labor. The two anthropologists present their theories in a well-researched and explained manner. The two theories differ due to reliance on different geographical areas that they use to base the arguments.
References
Scupin, R. (2012). Cultural Anthropology: A global perspective. Pearson Higher Education.
