A
band society is the simplest form of human
society. A band generally consists of a small kin group, no larger than an
extended family or
clan. Bands have very informal leadership; the older members of the band generally are looked to for guidance and advice, but there are no
laws and none of the coersion seen in more complex societies. Bands'
customs are almost always transmitted orally. Formal social institutions are few or non-existent.
Religion is generally based on family tradition, individual experience, or counsel from a shaman. Band societies usually
hunt and gather to obtain their food. (See Subsistence)
In his 1972 study,
The Notion of the Tribe, Morton Fried defined bands as small, mobile, and fluid social formations with weak
leadership that do not generate surpluses, pay no
taxes and support no standing
army.
Bands are distinguished from
tribes in that tribes are generally larger, consisting of many families. Tribes have more social institutions, such as a
chief or
elders. Tribes are also more permanent than bands; a band can cease to exist if only a small group walks out. Many tribes are in fact sub-divided into bands; in the
United States, some tribes are made up of official bands that live in specific locations.
With the spread of the modern
nation-state to all corners of the globe, there are very few true band societies left. Some historic examples include the
Inuit of northern
North America, the
Shoshone of the
Great Basin, the
Bushmen of southern
Africa, and Australian Aborigines.
Category:Sociology
Category:Anthropology